Top Stories
U.N. report warns of ‘catastrophic’ climate failure

Governments must be far more ambitious about cutting greenhouse gases to avoid catastrophically overheating the planet, according to a new U.N. report.

In Depth
Europe leads on ESG as global rules sought

The rise of ESG investing creates an “urgent demand for global standards,” says an organization working on them as the next U.N. climate summit nears.

Under The Radar
With Biden, NATO warns on China, Russia

NATO agreed to address China’s military goals along with Russia’s aggressiveness at a summit on threats and challenges “from all strategic directions.”

How It Works
WHO chief urges treaty and ‘lot of work’

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus closed out the World Health Assembly with a warning against complacency and an appeal for a global pandemic treaty.

In Brief

K-pop superstars BTS were appointed South Korea’s celebrity diplomats to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The U.N. Environment Program said the health-damaging era of leaded gasoline ended in July, when Algeria stopped selling it.

The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning Myanmar’s military coup and urging a halt in arms sales to the nation.

U.N. climate officials reported some progress in talks but “a significant amount of work” remains before a November summit.

ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda called on Sudan to hand over Omar al-Bashir and other Darfur war crime suspects.

The ILO reported first-quarter employment losses globally were equivalent to 140 million full-time jobs.

Featured Graphic
A Selection of ESG Indicators

Image credit: World Bank

Inside International Organizations
U.N. raises billion-dollar ‘lifeline’ for Afghans

Donors pledged more than US$1.2 billion in emergency aid for Afghanistan at a U.N.-sponsored fundraiser as the Tabilan consolidates power.

Pandemic brings ‘short-lived’ air quality gains

Lockdowns and travel restrictions resulted in a “dramatic short-lived fall in emissions of key air pollutants” last year, the U.N. weather agency reported.

Organizations turn to airlift for Afghanistan

The U.N. health agency and other international organizations began airlifting emergency supplies to Afghanistan through neighboring Pakistan and its airline.

Extreme climate risks for 1 billion children

Almost half of the world’s 2.2 billion children face an “extremely high” potential for deadly exposure to multiple shocks, according to UNICEF.

Taliban’s grip imperils aid for Afghan civilians

Humanitarian aid agencies and U.N. leaders scrambled to protect civilians in Afghanistan while calling on the Taliban to end fighting and provide assurances.

IPCC warns some warming is locked in

The U.N. chief called a major new report on human-caused global warming ‘a code red for humanity’ though a brief window exists to avoid the worst.