United Nations

Informal talks on climate change reveal broad support for ‘durable’ deal

The agreement will accelerate investments in clean energy and spur a global, low-carbon transformation well before the end of the century, consistent with a below 2 degrees Celsius pathway.

“Leaders expressed their resolve to finalize a durable, meaningful agreement in Paris that applies to all countries,” Ban told reporters following a high-level working lunch held on the margins of the UN Sustainable Development Summit, which opened in New York on Friday and wraps up later today.

UN adopts new Global Goals

The agenda came along with a set of bold new Global Goals, which Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed as a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world.

“The new agenda is a promise by leaders to all people everywhere. It is an agenda for people, to end poverty in all its forms – an agenda for the planet, our common home,” declared Ban as he opened the UN Sustainable Development Summit which kicked off today and wraps up Sunday.

UN adopts ambitious sustainable development goals

The Sustainable Development Goals were signed by 193 countries at the UN summit on Friday night. The event included speeches from Pope Francis and Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who became a Nobel laureate after surviving a Taliban attack, and a performance by the pop star Shakira.

The 17 goals apply to all countries, rich and poor, and include 169 action targets that aim to tackle poverty, climate change and inequality for all people around the world.

They come at the end of more than three years of negotiations between countries.

Pope Francis heads to Philadelphia for Catholic family event

This journey is expected to be  most centered on ordinary Catholics: a Vatican-organized rally for the family that will culminate in an outdoor Mass for a million people.

Francis will spend the last two of his six days in the U.S. in Philadelphia as the star attraction at the World Meeting of Families, a conference for more than 18,000 people from around the world that has been underway as the pope traveled to Washington and New York.

Pope decries environmental damage, then visits ground zero

The Pope then paid tribute to the victims of 9/11 with a prayer service at ground zero.

Francis' agenda for his first full day in New York was packed with contrasts befitting a head of state dubbed the "slum pope."

Pope brings ecology, anti-poverty message to UN

     

Francis' agenda reflected both his global stature and his of-the-people approach, taking him from the solemnity of ground zero to the struggles of East Harlem.

His visit was scheduled to include events as large as a processional drive through Central Park, as personal as meetings with schoolchildren and immigrants, and as inspiring for the faithful as Mass for thousands at Madison Square Garden.

UN readies to announce sustainable development goals

They will replace the 8 Millennium Development Goals, which have been place since 2000, after first being mooted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

World leaders, heads of global financial institutions and other dignitaries have been converging on New York, where the UN is set to launch the new goals framework with its stated aim to end poverty and build a life of dignity for all.

Joining them will be Pope Francis, who is due to address the UN General Assembly during a visit timed for the global gathering.

Global goals for sustainable development a roadmap to Pacific prosperity

The Global Goals for Sustainable Development could get these things done. In all countries. For all people. 

UN Ebola response now planned to continue into 2016

The news comes as health officials struggle to contain a resurgence of cases in both Sierra Leone and Guinea largely because of problems tracing patients.

The World Health Organization and its humanitarian partners indicated Wednesday that Phase Three of their Ebola response would continue into 2016. Those activities include stopping transmission of Ebola, indicating more cases are anticipated.

Fiji will host 2017 UN Summit

It is also continuing its engagement efforts by seeking membership of the UN Human Rights Council by 2017.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola disclosed this in Parliament Monday.

He said – “Fiji is a founding member of the Ambassadorial Group of Friends of Oceans and Seas, and we are a leading  advocate of creating a triennial Summit on Oceans and Seas that would oversee the implementation of Goal 14.”