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As G20 finance ministers prepare to consider a wealth tax next month, a large majority of people in G20 countries (68%*) support the idea. Higher carbon taxes, higher progressive taxation on income, and higher corporation taxes also receive very strong support across G20 countries to fund lifestyle and economic transformation. 

People want political and economic reform. Roughly two in a new survey of 22,000 citizens in the world’s largest economies reveals overwhelming support for tax reforms and broader political and economic reform. 

Over two-thirds (68%*) of respondents back a wealth tax, with only 11% opposed, while 70% support higher income taxes for high earners, and 69% favour increased corporation tax, according to the survey conducted by Ipsos. Support for a wealth tax is highest in Indonesia (86%), Turkey (78%), the UK (77%), and India (74%).

Support is lowest in Saudi Arabia (54%), Argentina (54%), and Denmark (55%), but still over half the populations surveyed. In the United States, France, and Germany, around two in three people support a wealth tax (67%, 67%, and 68%, respectively). 

The survey, commissioned by Earth4All and the Global Commons Alliance, explored support for economic and political transformation across G20 nations. Results also show that 71% of G20 citizens believe the world has a decade to act to protect the planet. This belief rises to 91% of Mexicans, 86% of Kenyans, 83% of South Africans, and 81% of Brazilians. This belief is lowest—but still over half the population – in Saudi Arabia (52%), Japan (53%), the United States (62%), and Italy (62%).

(The members of the G-20 are:  Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S., as well as the European Union, represented by the rotating council presidency and the European Central Bank.)

Broad support for green energy, nature, health initiatives – The findings come as finance ministers from G20 countries, including the United States, China, and India, prepare to meet in Brazil this July. For the first time, a wealth tax is on the agenda as these nations deliberate on strategies to address economic and environmental challenges. The survey highlighted broad support for using additional tax revenues to fund policies that protect nature, reduce inequality, and promote healthy living. Key areas with strong backing include green energy initiatives, universal healthcare, and strengthening workers’ rights. Even less popular policies, such as universal basic income and investment in citizens’ assemblies to strengthen democracy, attract support from about half of respondents.

Move beyond growth to measure economic success – Across the G20, most people believe economies must move beyond a singular focus on economic growth. 68% of those surveyed agree that the economy should prioritise the health and wellbeing of people and nature rather than focusing solely on profit and increasing wealth. Furthermore, 62% believe that a country’s economic success should be measured by the health and wellbeing of its citizens, not just economic growth.

Trust in government low; demand for political, economic reform high – Trust in government remains low, with only 39% of G20 citizens believing their government can be trusted to make decisions for the benefit of the majority in the short term and just 37% trusting their government to make long-term decisions for future generations. This lack of trust is particularly pronounced in Europe. There is a notable demand for reform of national and global political and economic systems. In the G20, 65% of respondents believe their national political system needs major changes. A similar number (68%) feel the same about their economic system. 

Optimism – The survey also asked whether people are optimistic about their future. On average, 62% of G20 citizens are optimistic about their own future. However, only 44% feel positive about their country’s future, while 38% are optimistic about the future of the world. People in emerging economies like India and Mexico are the most optimistic, while European citizens, for example, in France, Sweden, and the UK, are significantly less hopeful.

** Notes: Global percentages are an arithmetic average of national results of G20 countries surveyed. The average is not weighted by population size. Russia was not included in the survey.

In China, a smaller survey with fewer economic and political questions was distributed. Non-G20 countries included, Austria, Denmark, Kenya, and Sweden, are not included in the G20 total figures presented

Comments – Owen Gaffney, co-lead of the Earth4All initiative: “People want political and economic reform. They feel their economy is not working for them, which is why some are turning to populist political parties. Despite this, the vast majority of people still believe urgent action is needed this decade to tackle the planetary emergency. Our survey results provide a clear mandate from G20 citizens: redistribute wealth. Greater equality will build stronger democracies to drive a fair transformation for a stable planet.”

Jane Madgwick, Executive Director at the Global Commons Alliance: “Science demands a giant leap to address the planetary crisis, and the public agrees. 71% of G20 citizens support immediate, comprehensive measures this decade.”

Sandrine Dixson Declève, executive chair of Earth4All and co-president of the Club of Rome: “This survey proves once again that citizens across G20 countries believe it is time for an economy that delivers greater wellbeing, more climate solutions, and less inequality. But the results also show a growing lack of trust in government, especially in Europe. With the recent European elections moving towards the radical right due to growing social tension, we need to hold governments accountable to introduce an economy that services people and the planet at the same time.”

For more information and to arrange interviews: Terry Collins: tc@tca.tc / +1-416-878-8712

Florence Howarth: florence@forster.co.uk / +44 07505504293

Samuel O’Flynn: samuel@forster.co.uk / +44 07801849967

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Notes to Editors – The full Ipsos research is available at the following link as of 25 June 2024: https://earth4all.life/global-survey. In addition to a global report, regional reports for all surveyed countries are available. Ipsos surveyed 22,000 people across the G20 countries. Russia was not included in the survey. In China, a smaller survey with fewer economic and political questions was distributed. Non G20 countries included were Austria, Denmark, Kenya and Sweden. They are not included in the G20 total figures presented. Global percentages are an arithmetic average of national results of G20 countries surveyed. The average is not weighted by population size. Supporting partners include the Policy Institute Kings College, ISWE, and the Wellbeing Economy Alliance.  

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About Earth4All – Earth4All is a vibrant collective of leading economic thinkers, scientists and advocates, convened byThe Club of Rome, the BINorwegian Business School, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and theStockholm Resilience Centre.

Earth4All builds on the legacies of The Limits to Growth and thePlanetary Boundaries frameworks.Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity,published in September 2022 and presents the results of a major two-year research collaboration. Earth4All advocates for five key turnarounds to achieve wellbeing for all within planetary boundaries:

Eliminate poverty by growing the economies of the poorest countries through green investment and cancelling their debts to high-income countries .

Reduce inequality by increasing taxes on the top 10%, strengthening workers’ rights and introducing citizens’ funds to give everyone access to a nation’s wealth.

Empower women by increasing access to education, putting them in leadership positions and equalising pensions.

Transform food systems by cutting waste and stopping the conversion of wild landscapes to farmland.

Transform energy use by immediately phasing out fossil fuels, electrifying everything and seriously investing in renewables and energy efficiency.  

www.earth4all.life

About The Global Commons Alliance – The Global Commons Alliance is a growing coalition of scientists, philanthropists, civil society groups, businesses and innovators, enabling collective action to safeguard the global commons.

The Global Commons Alliance’s mission is to mobilize citizens, companies, cities and countries to accelerate systems change, and become better guardians of the global commons. 

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New York, June 21, 2024 – Some 23.7 million Afghans, or half the country’s population, require humanitarian assistance this year and among them are nearly three million children who are experiencing acute levels of hunger, UN officials said in statements to the UN Security Council convened to review the humanitarian situation in the country.

Lisa Doughten, Director of Financing and Partnerships at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan is “alarmingly high” and the recent return of more than 618,000 Afghans, 80 per cent of then women and children, from Pakistan has added to the humanitarian need in the country.

“The particularly acute effects of climate change in Afghanistan are deepening the humanitarian crisis,” she said.

Extreme weather events are more frequent and more intense – Both Doughten and Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Special Representative in Afghanistan, said some regions in the country have warmed at twice the global average since 1950 and decreasing rainfall and recurring drought have contributed to a large-scale water crisis.

“Annual droughts are now predicted to be the norm by 2030, and the likelihood of flash flooding has also increased, even when rainfall is not especially heavy,” said Doughten, adding that large number of the population were affected by flooding and mudslides in the northern and western parts of the country, where hundreds of people died and livestock and tens of thousands of acres of agriculture were destroyed.

Otunbayeva said while the country is beset by “massive poverty,” the situation has left Afghans even more vulnerable to many natural disasters as a result of climate change.

“Afghanistan has a near zero carbon footprint but is the sixth most vulnerable country to climate change and the least prepared to address climate shock,” Otunbayeva said.

“Afghanistan remains wholly unprepared to deal with these increasingly persistent threats and will require significant investments in early warning and early response systems,” Doughten said. “Efforts are already underway to establish anticipatory action programmes to trigger support ahead of predicted climate events, but these will need to be sufficiently staffed and funded to bear fruit.”

Afghanistan under the Taliban de-facto authority – Taliban authorities took over the country in August 2021 after the United States pulled out its armed forces. The briefers said no one has felt the takeover’s impact more than Afghan women and girls whose lives have been deeply affected by the Taliban’s decrees that limit their movement and participation in public life. The Taliban has banned girls over the age of 11 from attending schools and universities. It has also applied corporal punishment and public executions of individuals sentenced to the death penalty. The UN has denounced those measures as violations of international human rights standards.

“The ban on girls’ education is fueling an increase in child marriage and early childbearing, with dire physical, emotional, and economic consequences,” Doughten said. “Reports of attempted suicides among women and girls are also increasing. Despite restrictions on their ability to work, as well as the risk to their personal safety, Afghan women continue to participate in the humanitarian response.”

Otunbayeva said the “de facto authorities” in the country have continued to maintain stability, but she has perceived “growing signs of popular discontent, (which) should not hide the fact that as an international community we are still in a crisis management mode.”  She said in order to solve the structural problems between the international community and Afghanistan, as identified in the Independent Assessment issued at the end 2023, “all stakeholders need to recommit to the objectives identified in that assessment.”

Shortage of funds affect humanitarian assistance – Otunbayeva said despite the many challenges, 9.9 million people in Afghanistan received at least one form of assistance from January to March 2024. But she said the UN in Afghanistan has received just US 649 million – or 21 per cent of the $3 billion required to meet the huge levels of humanitarian need in the first six months of 2024.

She said the UN has had to close life-saving programs due to the lack of funds, including 150 mobile health and nutrition teams. She said a further 40 teams are at imminent risk, potentially depriving 700,000 children under five of vital nutrition treatment services for severe acute malnutrition. The lack of funds is also imperiling the last two mine clearance and a mine victims’ assistance program in Afghanistan. These programs will cease in the coming month if additional funds are not received. This is at a time when 3.4 million people live within 1 km of explosive ordinance contamination, including 475 schools and 230 healthcare facilities.

“Afghans continue to feel the compounding impacts of climate change, poverty and oppression,” said Doughten. “Millions of people depend on humanitarian assistance for their everyday survival. We urge donors to fully fund the appeal for Afghanistan so we can continue to provide this life-saving support. But there is a risk of a slide into even greater hardship. We must also find ways to support the Afghan people with longer-term solutions to help lift them out of poverty and withstand a deepening set of climate-related shocks. Nothing is easy in Afghanistan, but with sustained assistance, we can support people in the realization of a life with peace, stability and hope.” (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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Geneva/New York, June 19, 2024 – The number of people fleeing war, violence and climate extreme has reached its highest last year and this year as the international community celebrates World Refugee Day (June 20) to recognize their “remarkable fortitude and capacity for renewal, despite the daunting challenges they face,” the chief of the UN refugee agency said.

“The picture is rarely as desperate as where I am now, in Jamjang, South Sudan,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on his second visit to Sudan since the outbreak of the war in April 2023.

“The level of suffering is truly unconscionable,’’ said Grandi. “Sudan is the definition of a perfect storm: shocking human rights atrocities, with millions uprooted by this insane war and other wars that came before it. A terrible famine is looming, and severe floods will soon hamper aid deliveries even more. We are losing a generation to this war, yet peace efforts are not working.”

“We live in a world where conflicts are left to fester. The political will to resolve them seems utterly absent. And even as these crises multiply, the right to seek asylum is under threat. To make matters worse, the global effects of climate change take an ever more devastating toll – including here, where severe flooding is expected to submerge villages and farmlands, adding to South Sudan’s woes.”

The UN and humanitarian organizations said fierce fighting between rival armies in Sudan has displaced the world’s largest number: 9.5 million with 1.9 million of them spilled into neighboring countries while the rest are internally displaced.

UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council said the total number of internally displaced people swelled to nearly 120 million this year at a time support both financial and humanitarian for the refugees has dropped leaving the refugees in desperate situations. Those humanitarian organizations decried the failure by the international community to resolve long-standing crises and ongoing wars that currently resulted in record number of displaced people.

The Geneva-based UNHCR said in its 2024 Global Trends Report that the increase in displaced people to 120 million by May 2024 was the 12th consecutive annual increase and reflects both new and mutating conflicts and a failure to resolve long-standing crises.

The report said key factors responsible for the millions of refugees included fighting in Sudan with 10.8 million Sudanese uprooted and millions others were uprooted by fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar. UNRWA, the agency providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians estimated up to 1.7 million people (75 per cent of the population) had been displaced in the Gaza Strip by violence in 2023. The report said Syria remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 13.8 million forcibly displaced in and outside the country.

The refugee agency said the largest increase in displaced people came from people fleeing conflict who remain in their own country, rising to 68.3 million people according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre – up almost 50 per cent over five years.

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said on the new global displacement figures: “Never before in recorded history have so many people in so many countries been fleeing conflict, violence, and persecution. Every year for more than a decade, we have documented new record numbers of both refugees and those internally displaced due to the brutality of armed men, faltering conflict resolution diplomacy, and global failure to protect civilians. New wars and emergencies are added to all the unresolved crises, resulting in more than 117 million people facing desperate situations.“

“This year’s figures represent yet another failure of international solidarity and coordination. As the number of those requiring help increases, we see both humanitarian and developmental funding dropping. Vast crises – such as in DR Congo, Sudan, or the Central Sahel region – continue to go unnoticed by both media and donors. “

UNHCR said the global refugee population increased by 7 per cent to reach 43.4 million in 2024. The number includes 31.6 million refugees and people in a refugee-like situation and 5.8 million other people in need of international protection under UNHCR’s mandate, as well as 6 million Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate. Compared to a decade ago, the total number of refugees globally has more than tripled.

The largest proportion of refugees globally were from Afghanistan and Syria, both with 6.4 million each, and together equivalent to one-third of all refugees under UNHCR’s mandate. These were followed by Venezuela (6.1 million refugees and other people in need of international protection) and Ukraine (6.0 million refugees).

Most refugees remain near their country of origin, with 69 per cent hosted in neighboring countries at the end of 2023. Low- and middle-income countries continue to host the majority of the world’s refugees, with 75 per cent of refugees living in low- and middle-income countries.

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New York, June 12, 2024 – As leaders of the world’s seven advanced democracies prepared to hold their annual summit in Italy, the UN said the group has a particular responsibility and it can and must wield its power to end famine threatening millions of people from Gaza to Sudan and Myanmar.

The G7 countries are the US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and the UK. They will be joined by leaders of the European Councils and European Commission, the World Bank and IMF, the UN secretary-General, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and leaders of some invited countries at the summit starting on June 13 at Puglia, Italy, which is this year the leader of the group.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the G7 has a prominent position in the global economy and institutions, which gives them a “unique responsibility and opportunity to push for change” and they have a “critical role to play in peace.”

“Peace in the Middle East – and I welcome President Biden’s recent peace initiative and urge all parties to seize the opportunity for a ceasefire and release of the hostages, and prepare the ground for a two-state solution,” Guterres said. “We must also keep working for peace in Ukraine – a just peace, based on the United Nations Charter and international law. Around the world, we must never let up in pursuit of solutions that affirm – and do not undermine – international law, including international humanitarian law.”

Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator said the powerful G7 meets at a time major conflicts in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine and Gaza are raging out of control and pushing millions of people to the “brink of starvation.”

“Only technicalities prevent famines from being declared, as people are already dying of hunger,” Griffiths said. “Famine in the 21st century is a preventable scourge. G7 leaders can and must wield their influence to help stop it. Waiting for an official declaration of famine before acting would be a death sentence for hundreds of thousands of people and a moral outrage.”

He said conflict fuels hunger and in Gaza, over one million or half of the population, are expected to face death and starvation by the middle of July. In Sudan, at least 5 million people are also teetering on the brink of starvation. Communities in more than 40 hunger hotspots are at high risk of slipping into famine in the coming month, including in war-torn parts of Aj Jazirah, Darfur, Khartoum and Kordofan.

“In both Gaza and Sudan, intense fighting, unacceptable restrictions and meagre funding are preventing aid workers from delivering food, water, seeds, health care and other lifesaving assistance at anywhere near the scale necessary to prevent mass starvation. This must change – we cannot afford to lose even a minute,” he said.

Griffiths said the G7 must immediately bring their substantial political leverage and financial resources to bear so that aid organizations can reach all people in need.

We must move large amounts of humanitarian assistance across borders and battle lines today – and mobilize considerable funding to keep the response going tomorrow.

But more than anything, the world must stop feeding the war machines that are starving the civilians of Gaza and Sudan.

“It is time instead to prioritize the diplomacy that will give people back their futures – and tomorrow, the G7 is at the helm,” he said.

UN adopts resolution calling for immediate ceasefire in Gaza – After several attempts to push through a resolution to end the Gaza war, the divided UN Security Council finally adopted on June 10 a US-sponsored resolution that calls for an “immediate, full and complete ceasefire.” The vote was 14-0 with Russia abstaining while the four other permanent council – US, China United Kingdom and France, voted in favor. Terms to implement the resolution remain to be negotiated between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in order to end the eight-month war that exploded on October 7 last year.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who introduced the draft text to the council’s 15 countries said the resolution will work in three phases to ensure a lasting and comprehensive end to the war.

—Phase one includes an “immediate, full, and complete ceasefire with the release of hostages including women, the elderly and the wounded, the return of the remains of some hostages who have been killed, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners”. It calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from “populated areas” of Gaza, the return of Palestinians to their homes and places throughout the enclave, including in the north, as well as the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale.

—Phase two would see a permanent end to hostilities “in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza”.

—Phase three, “a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza” would begin and the remains of any deceased hostages still in the Strip would be returned to Israel. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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Geneva/New York, May 23, 2024 – Roughly 281 million people are fleeing war, climate disasters, economic hardship and food shortage in their own countries, a global trend that is upsetting countries receiving them, the IOM said. But the organization pointed out that those migrants can contribute to the economy of their original and the host countries.

The Geneva-based IOM said it has obtained international support following a two-day 2024 International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) at the UN headquarters in New York. The meeting focused on finding ways to create “more and better opportunities for people to move in a regular and beneficial way as part of a comprehensive approach to human mobility.”

The dialogue, which involved UN agencies and member states, migrants, international organizations, civil society, youth leaders, the private sector and academia, centered on finding ways to leverage migration as “a force for prosperity and progress for all,” the IOM said.

Amy Pope, the IOM Director General, told the meeting: “Migration has shaped our past and holds the key to our future. The evidence is overwhelming that when migration is managed well, it can drive true sustainable development around the world. By facilitating safe and regular pathways for migration, we can enable opportunities for migrants, better protect their rights, and contribute to greater prosperity in the countries migrants come from and those that host them.”  

“Obviously, it brings benefits in terms of economic prosperity,” she said. “But it also leads to the exchange of skills, to the strengthening of the labour force, to investment and cultural diversity. It also brings some really good food, if we’re honest.” See remittances below.

“Global trends point to more migration in the future,” IOM said. The IOM said in its 2024 migration report that roughly 281 million people worldwide are on the move, representing around 3.6 per cent of the global population. This is up from 153 million in 1990, and more than triple the 84 million in 1970.

Read 2024 World Migration Report.

The dialogue resulted in four avenues of action identified as key to success, IOM said in its website:

1. Multilateral action and effective partnerships at all levels are paramount to mobilizing joint action to facilitate regular pathways. The private sector has a key role to play and should be systematically and meaningfully involved in these partnerships.
2. Effective engagement at the local level, with communities and local level authorities, is essential to strengthen these pathways and enhance social cohesion and resilience, ensuring positive longer-term impacts of regular migration.
3. Migrant and diasporas’ voices must be heard, as they have transformative potential in advocacy and development.
4. The role of innovation and technology was underscored in providing migrants with better access to information, resources, training, and skills recognition.  

“Overall, there was consensus on safe and adaptable models for regular pathways, recognition of the need for multi-layered cooperation, acknowledgment of the importance of opening up more opportunities for regular migration to reduce migration risks and vulnerabilities, and strengthen its development impacts,” said IOM. It said it will continue working with partners to advance the 2030 Agenda and the Global Compact for Migration and will bring migration issues to fora such the G7 meeting, the New Agenda for Peace, the Summit for the Future, and the second IDM occurring in Geneva later in 2024.

Remittances increase from $128 billion in 2000 to $831 billion in 2022. The IOM said international remittances are financial or in-kind transfers made by migrants directly to families or communities in their countries of origin.

It said available data showed that in 2022, India, Mexico, China, the Philippines and Egypt, in descending order, were the top five remittance recipient countries. India’s total inward remittances exceeded $111 billion and was the first country to reach and even exceed $100 billion.

(IOM notes that global data on international remittances were compiled by the World Bank “notwithstanding the myriad data gaps, definitional differences, and methodological challenges in compiling accurate statistics. Its data, however, do not capture unrecorded flows through formal or informal channels, and the actual magnitude of global remittances is, therefore, likely to be larger than available estimates.”)

(It notes also that high-income countries are almost always the main source of remittances. “For decades, the United States has consistently been the top remittance-sending country, with a total outflow of $79 billion in 2022, followed by Saudi Arabia ($39 billion), Switzerland ($31.9 billion), and Germany ($25.6 billion).” By J. Tuyet Nguyen

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Nairobi/New York, May 10, 2024 – The annual UN Civil Society Conference was held for the first time in Africa, in the capital of Kenya, with the participation of thousands of participants representing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other entities involved in UN activities.

The Planning Committee of the conference said the event “offers civil society organizations an opportunity to put a global perspective on a specific issue and brings together senior UN System officials, prominent international civil society organizations, youth changemakers, academia, public opinion makers, and international media to discuss issues of global concern.”

It said the conference was held to provide preliminary discussions and data ahead of the Summit of the Future September 22-23, 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The UN defines the Summit of the Future as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments including to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Charter, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system that is better positioned to positively impact people’s lives.”

UN News reported that Maher Nasser, Director of the UN communication department’s Outreach Division, said more than 3,600 civil society representatives from 2,750 entities had registered for the conference, along with around 400 representatives of 64 governments, seven inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), 37 UN entities and over 100 media reporters.  In addition, 70 per cent of those registered were from Africa and 40 per cent of all registrations were youth, in the age group 18 to 34. Climate was the top issue for youth registrants.

UN: Africa is exploited for its minerals

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his address that the conference provides an impetus to the Summit of the Future.

“Civil society is central to the Summit’s aims: advancing sustainable development; unlocking finance; and reshaping multilateralism for the 21st century. I am delighted by the diverse participation at this conference, including many young people and representatives from African countries. Their contribution is vital.”

“Because our world is facing multiple crises. And Africa is suffering – disproportionately. This continent is being blasted by extreme weather, turbocharged by a climate crisis it has done next to nothing to create: From lethal floods in the East, to deadly droughts in the South.”

But he said Africa could be a “renewables giant” as it is home to 30 percent of minerals critical to renewables and 60 percent of the world’s best solar resources while it received just 2 percent of renewables investment in recent decades.

“And too often, countries and communities with critical energy transition minerals are exploited, and relegated to the bottom of the value chain,” Guterres said.

The UN chief said the UN is fighting for climate justice, pointing to the work of the new Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals which is tasked to develop voluntary principles to ensure developing countries receive maximum benefit.

“We are calling for developing countries to honor their promises on climate finance – including funding to help countries prepare for the worst of climate chaos, for significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund, for action to reform the multilateral development banks so that finance flows to climate action, and for the G20 to lead efforts to slash emissions and accelerate a just global phase-out of fossil fuel,” he said.

UN News reported also that Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, said in a video message to the Nairobi conference that civil society has a “strong voice” in its support of UN goals.

“You fight for global justice, for social justice and for climate justice,” she said. “For peace, for gender equality, for human rights and for the Sustainable Development Goals,” Mohammed said, adding: “You stand in solidarity with the vulnerable and the marginalized. This Conference is a testament to the strong voice of civil society, despite rising threats and shrinking space.”

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World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on May 3^rd each year by the United Nations. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 99 journalists and media workers killed in 2023, 21 killed in 2024, 320 imprisoned in 2023 and 65 missing globally. A WorldPress Freedom DayJoint Statement was issued by the Presidents of the UN General Assembly, General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UN Economic and Social Council and the Human Rights Council. (Following is the joint statement).

Santiago de Chile, May 3, 2024 – Thirty years ago, the inaugural World Press Freedom Day was commemorated in Santiago de Chile, marked by the adoption of the historic Santiago Declaration. This event ushered in a new era dedicated to promoting the fundamental right of freedom of expression and press freedom, alongside the promotion of a free, independent, and pluralistic media, building on the United Nations General Assembly’s acknowledgement, in 1946, that freedom of information is a fundamental human right.

Today, inspired by the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, we emphasize the pivotal role of freedom of expression in enabling journalists, media workers, environmental activists, scientists, and citizens to promote the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, and raise awareness about climate change, environmental challenges and degradation, in the pursuit of sustainable development.

In this regard, we emphasize that States have the obligation to respect, protect and promote human rights, including in all actions undertaken to address environmental challenges; and to take measures to protect the human rights of all, as recognized in various international instruments.

Additional measures should also be taken for those particularly vulnerable to environmental degradation, noting the Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment.

Access to accurate and timely information, enabled by a free, independent, and pluralistic media, stands as a cornerstone for raising public awareness, fostering informed debate and decision-making, countering misinformation and disinformation, and ultimately galvanizing collective action towards the attainment of the Goals, in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In this regard, we acknowledge UNESCO’s continued commitment to ensure that World Press Freedom Day is a truly multistakeholder and diverse platform, where all relevant actors can raise their voices to protect and promote freedom of expression and achieve sustainable development.

As we navigate the final years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we call on Member States and all stakeholders to reaffirm their commitments to the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and access to information.

Recognizing the urgent imperative to address climate change, environmental degradation, as well as economic and social challenges that imperil the well-being of present and future generations, we underscore the paramount importance of freedom of expression and access to information in effectively navigating and mitigating these pressing issues. In an era marked by escalating environmental challenges and the triple planetary crises, accompanied by unprecedented levels of mis/disinformation, the media’s role as a watchdog, and a catalyst for action cannot be overstated.

On the World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm our commitment to the safety of journalists, and the defense of freedom of opinion and expression as a fundamental human right. Our ongoing efforts underscore the vital link between press freedom and societies where truth can flourish free from mis- and disinformation. The United Nations Human Rights Council and its Special Procedures rigorously support initiatives that ensure journalists and media workers can work free from harm, recognizing that access to information and the work of journalists and media workers are essential for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

We also recognize the role of journalists and media workers, including women, in raising public awareness about climate change, environmental and disaster issues.

The discussions on the occasion of this World Press Freedom Day are important to inform crucial processes, such as the 2024 High-Level political forum on sustainable development, the Summit of the Future, COP29, and other major United Nations conferences.

We further urge Member States to do their utmost to prevent violence, intimidation, threats and attacks against journalists and media workers. We condemn the killings of journalists and media workers everywhere, including in conflict situations. We also strongly condemn any attempts to harass, intimidate, attack, or arbitrarily detain journalists and media workers.

Furthermore, we advocate for the strengthening of policies that promote free, independent, and pluralistic media, thereby fostering a vibrant and robust public sphere, a pillar of peaceful, just, inclusive, sustainable and prosperous societies.

Finally, we emphasize that the improper or malicious design and use of artificial intelligence systems can undermine information integrity, that human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected, and promoted in this era of artificial intelligence, and further call upon all Member States and other stakeholders to promote safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems in an inclusive and equitable manner, and for the benefit of all.

Francis Dennis, President of the UN General Assembly

Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the General Conference of UNESCO

Paula Narváez, President of the Economic and Social Council

Omar Zniber, President of the Human Rights Council

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Rome/New York, April 27, 2024 – A new study by 16 UN agencies and international organizations said close to 282 million people suffered acute hunger in 2023 in 59 countries, a situation that worsened in recent years with the deadly Covid19 pandemic, wars, climate extremes and economic shocks.

The study, entitled Global Report on Food Crisis 2024 (GRFC), said acute hunger has remained “persistently high” from 2016 to 2023 and it called for action to break the cycle of food crises. The UN, governments and organizations have escalated measures to address acute hunger, but the number of people suffering hunger have remained high beginning of 2024, particularly in Gaza, Afghanistan, and some African nations like Sudan, which cast a worrying shadow over this year.

Read report Global Report on Food Crises 2024 (GRFC).

The Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is a party to the Global Network Against Food Crisis, said in its website that children and women are at the forefront of these hunger crises, with over 36 million children under 5 years of age acutely malnourished across 32 countries. FAO said acute malnutrition worsened in 2023, particularly among people displaced by conflicts and climate disasters.

The global network urgently “calls for a transformative approach that integrates peace, prevention and development action alongside at-scale emergency efforts to break the cycle of acute hunger which remains at unacceptably high levels.”

“This crisis demands an urgent response,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “Using the data in this report to transform food systems and address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition will be vital.”

 The report is “a roll call of human failings,” and that “in a world of plenty, children are starving to death. The conflicts erupting over the past 12 months compound a dire global situation.” Guterres said in the report’s foreword.

“When we talk about acute food insecurity, we are talking about hunger so severe that it poses an immediate threat to people’s livelihoods and lives. This is hunger that threatens to slide into famine and cause widespread death,” said Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva.

The UN said the report is the flagship publication of the Food Security Information Network and is based on a collaboration of 16 partners including U.N. agencies like FAO, UNICEF and WFP, and regional and multinational bodies, the European Union, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and technical organizations.

It said the overall percentage of people defined as dangerously food insecure in 2023 was 1.2 per cent lower than in 2022, the problem has worsened significantly since the COVID-19 crisis. When the coronavirus hit in late 2019, around one in six people in 55 countries faced worrying food insecurity levels, compared with one in five just a year later, the report said.

The report said 105 million people in 48 countries suffered acute hunger in 2016 and the number increased to 137.4 million in 53 countries in 2019. The number increased to 155 million in 55 countries in 2020, 192 million in 53 countries in 2021, 257 million in 58 countries 2022 and close to 282 million in 59 countries in 2023.

“Tackling persistent food crises requires urgent long-term national and international investment to transform food systems and boost agricultural and rural development alongside greater crisis preparedness and critical lifesaving assistance at scale, where people need it most. Peace and prevention must also become an integral part of the longer-term food systems transformation. Without this, people will continue to face a lifetime of hunger and the most vulnerable will starve,” the report said.

It said, “Since 2023, needs have outpaced available resources. Humanitarian operations are now desperately overstretched, with many being forced to scale-down and further cut support to the most vulnerable.  More equitable and effective global economic governance is imperative and must be matched with government led plans that seek to reduce and end hunger.”

Turning to 2024, the report warned that around 1.1 million people in Gaza, where the Israel-Hamas war is on its seven month, and 79,000 people in South Sudan are facing famine. In addition, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Somalia and Mali are also facing catastrophic hunger. In Sudan where conflict erupted in April, 2024, the report said 20.3 million people – or 42 per cent of the population – are struggling to find enough to eat daily.

Climate extremes contributed to food shortage. The report pointed out that the El Nino phenomenon, which peaked in early 2024, is a “full impact on food security – including flooding and poor rain in parts of east Africa and drought in southern Africa, especially Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe – are like to manifest throughout the year.”

Governments and organizations join force to fight hunger

The Italian government has called for a debate to address the problem and to reinforce collective impact after the publication of the report.

“Looking ahead, the convergence of intensifying conflict and insecurity, the devastating impact of extreme weather events driven mainly by El Niño, and inflation casts a shadow over the outlook for 2024, with crises such as the Sudan and Gaza facing the worst deterioration and the highest severity, requiring immediate action to avert the looming threat of famine,” it said.

Italy said a range of bold and innovative commitments and investment in key partnership initiatives designed to facilitate their realization has been made by the international community that includes the G20 Matera Declaration, the G7 Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Crises Compact, the US Road Map for Food Security and the EU Team Europe Response to the global food crisis. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

Read the concept note on the debate: Concept Note_GRFC_NY_220424_v1

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Food waste is a “global tragedy” while millions of people face severe food insecurity. The UN Environment Programme says in a report that an estimated 19% of food produced globally in 2022, or about 1.05 billion metric tons, were wasted. Following is a press release.

Nairobi, 27 March 2024 –  Households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity. Food waste continues to hurt the global economy and fuel climate change, nature loss, and pollution. These are the key findings of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report published today, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste.

The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, co-authored with WRAP,provides the most accurate global estimate on food waste at retail and consumer levels. It provides guidance for countries on improving data collection and suggests best practices in moving from measuring to reducing food waste. 

In 2022 there were 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste generated (including inedible parts), amounting to 132 kilograms per capita and almost one-fifth of all food available to consumers. Out of the total food wasted in 2022, 60 per cent happened at the household level, with food services responsible for 28 per cent and retail 12 per cent.

“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature. The good news is we know if countries prioritise this issue, they can significantly reverse food loss and waste, reduce climate impacts and economic losses, and accelerate progress on global goals.”

Since 2021, there’s been a strengthening of the data infrastructure with more studies tracking food waste. Globally, the number of data points at the household level almost doubled. Nevertheless, many low- and middle-income countries continue to lack adequate systems for tracking progress to meet Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030, particularly in retail and food services.

Only four G20 countries (Australia, Japan, UK, the USA) and the European Union have food waste estimates suitable for tracking progress to 2030. Canada and Saudi Arabia have suitable household estimates, with Brazil’s estimate expected late 2024. In this context, the report serves as a practical guide for countries to consistently measure and report food waste.

The data confirms that food waste is not just a ‘rich country’ problem, with levels of household food waste differing in observed average levels for high-income, upper-middle, and lower-middle-income countries by just 7 kg per capita. At the same time, hotter countries appear to generate more food waste per capita in households, potentially due to higher consumption of fresh foods with substantial inedible parts and a lack of robust cold chains.

According to recent data, food loss and waste generates 8-10 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – almost 5 times that of the aviation sector – and significant biodiversity loss by taking up the equivalent of almost a third of the world’s agricultural land. The toll of both food loss and waste on the global economy is estimated at roughly USD 1 trillion.

Urban areas are expected to particularly benefit from efforts to strengthen food waste reduction and circularity. Rural areas generally waste less food, with greater diversion of food scraps to pets, livestock, and home composting as likely explanations.

As of 2022, only 21 countries have included food loss and/or waste reduction in their national climate plans (NDCs). The 2025 NDCs revision process provides a key opportunity to raise climate ambition by integrating food loss and waste. The Food Waste Index Report underscores the urgency of addressing food waste at both individual and systemic levels.

Robust baselines and regular measurement are needed for countries to show changes over time. Thanks to implementation of policies and partnerships, countries such as Japan and the UK show that change at scale is possible, with reductions of 31 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.

“With the huge cost to the environment, society, and global economies caused by food waste, we need greater coordinated action across continents and supply chains. We support UNEP in calling for more G20 countries to measure food waste and work towards SDG12.3,” said Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP.

“This is critical to ensuring food feeds people, not landfills. Public-Private Partnerships are one key tool delivering results today, but they require support: whether philanthropic, business, or governmental, actors must rally behind programmes addressing the enormous impact wasting food has on food security, our climate, and our wallets.”

UNEP maintains tracking country-level progress to halve food waste by 2030, with a growing focus on solutions beyond measurement towards reduction. One such solution is systemic action through public-private partnerships (PPPs): Bringing the public sector, private sector and non-government to work together, identify bottlenecks, co-develop solutions, and drive progress.

Appropriate financing can enable PPPs to deliver farm-to-fork reductions in food waste, drive down GHGs emissions and water stress, while sharing best practices and encouraging innovation for long-term, holistic change. PPPs on food loss and waste are growing worldwide, including in Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, and in the UK where they have helped cut over a quarter of household food waste per capita from 2007-18.

About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

About WRAP
WRAP is a global NGO based in the UK. It is one of the UK’s top 5 environmental charities and works with governments, businesses and individuals to ensure that the world’s natural resources are used sustainably. Founded in 2000 in the UK, WRAP now works around the world and is a Global Alliance Partner of The Royal Foundation’s Earthshot Prize.

For more information please contact: News and Media Unit UN Environment Programme

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