Global energy demand and CO2 plummet
Global CO2 emissions are on track to decline by almost 8% this year from the pandemic causing the biggest downturn in energy use since World War II.
Global Issues
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Coalition offers schools reopening advice
Humanitarian organizations offered guidelines to help 1.5 billion students who face "an unprecedented risk" if the pandemic keeps schools closed for long.
Using the pandemic to 'rebuild our world'
Some good can come out from the pandemic if world leaders use it to "rebuild our world for the better" by investing in clean energy, the U.N. chief said.
Global COVID-19 cases exceed 3 million
Global confirmed cases of COVID-19 passed 3 million as New Zealand, several European nations and a few U.S. states took steps to ease lockdowns.
U.N. finds abuses with some lockdowns
The U.N. human rights chief warned some governments are abusing emergency powers to fight the pandemic by resorting to police brutality and other tactics.
WHO aid is latest U.S.-China battleground
China raised its donations for the WHO's pandemic efforts to US$50 million a week after U.S. President Donald Trump halted the U.N. agency's U.S. funding.
U.N. resolution calls for global virus effort
The U.N. General Assembly urged all nations to join in ensuring universal access to medical supplies, drugs, future vaccines and testing for the pandemic.
IRENA says renewable energy boosts GDP
Governments could use energy transformations to create jobs, meet climate targets and produce GDP gains of US$98 trillion by 2050, according to a new report.
Global COVID-19 cases soar past 2 million
It took more than three months for global coronavirus infections to surpass the 1 million mark, and just over two weeks more to add another 1 million cases.
Leaders decry Trump cuts to WHO funding
World leaders and public health authorities denounced U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to halt funding for the World Health Organization.
IMF warns of worst recession since 1930s
The global economy will likely suffer the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression due to pandemic disruptions and shutdowns, IMF forecast.
UNESCO battles 'disinfodemic' over rise of false pandemic information
Disinformation and misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic pose a 'grave danger' to people around the world.
WHO chief repudiates Trump scapegoating
Two weeks after praising U.S. leadership in the pandemic, the U.N. health agency chief pushed back against White House attempts at scapegoating.
ILO sees 195 million jobs lost to recession
The world's employees will lose working hours equivalent to 195 million jobs in the second quarter of 2020 due to the pandemic, the U.N. labor agency said.
Domestic abuse rises with virus lockdowns
The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating domestic violence as half the world's population grapples with stay-at-home orders to keep the virus from spreading.
Alarm as COVID-19 cases surpass 1 million
Infections surpassed 1 million and deaths exceeded 52,000 in the coronavirus pandemic, forcing lockdowns for half the world and economic collapse.