Diplomats examine AI risks to peace and potential for global oversight
British diplomats are leading a push at the U.N. that could be a starting point for a multilateral approach to regulating AI.
Global Issues
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It’s here: Global warming takes center stage in season of records
Extreme weather events and new records are becoming the norm as Earth suffers warming oceans, fires and rising floods.
U.N. sounds alarm on universal roadmap to lift people out of poverty
Just 15% of the SDGs – which include 169 specific targets and 17 broad goals that the world agreed to in 2015 – is on track.
AI robots say they won't rebel but can run world better than humans
Nine social robots offered mixed responses to reporters' questions about how strictly they should be regulated.
Nations agree to cut shipping emissions to net zero by 2050
If accomplished, the goals are significant because the industry accounts for 2.9% of global carbon emissions. Diesel powers most of the world's 100,000 cargo ships.
Central bankers urge tax raises or spending cuts to tackle infation
The Bank for International Settlements' general manager said the key policy challenge remains fully taming inflation.
U.N. adopts pioneering treaty to protect high seas biodiversity
Its aim is to protect and sustainably use marine life in high seas covering almost half of Earth's surface.
Just 1-in-5 countries keeping up with U.N. human rights reporting duties
The treaty body that gets the worst cooperation is the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Negotiators say it will 'take time' but are optimistic for a pandemic treaty
The co-chairs of a negotiating panel said there's been a healthy exchange of ideas and concerns among 194 nations.
In plea for clean energy, U.N. chief says Big Oil + fossil fuels = extinction
"Let's face facts. The problem is not simply fossil fuel emissions. It's fossil fuels – period," he said.
Record 110 million worldwide uprooted by conflict and climate
Some 52% of all refugees and others who needed international protection came from Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine.
U.N. chief backs creation of a new international AI watchdog agency
A new organization to supervise artificial intelligence could be modeled after the U.N. atomic watchdog agency.
Nuclear diplomacy suffers major setback in Russia’s war on Ukraine
The total number of nuclear warheads fell worldwide, but the amount of operational nuclear weapons started to rise.
Net zero targets on rise to achieve U.N. goals, but won't get the job done
Some 1,475 out of 4,000+ governments and businesses had net zero emissions targets, but "integrity" measures are lacking.
For many of the world's poorest nations, economic outlook is bleak
As interest rates soar and the economy slows, the World Bank sees an 'enduring setback' for many developing economies.
Low-income countries 'far behind' in pandemic recovery from job losses
High debt, inflation and interest rates are blamed for "a significant divergence" in labor markets around the world.