UNEP
Facing Floods and Landslides, Afghans Turn to Nature for Protection
Amir Beg Khusrawi still has vivid memories of a flash flood that swept through his village in Afghanistan’s rugged northeast a decade ago. “[It] destroyed around 20 houses, claimed livestock, and damaged our agricultural lands so that even now we…
As Climate Changes, World Grapples With a Wildfire Crisis
Whether it’s the Australian coast or the rainforests of Brazil, unrestrained wildfires – shrouded by black smoke and punctuated by the crackle of burning vegetation – have laid waste to some of the world’s most-iconic landscapes in recent years. These…
WWF Commends UN Environment Assembly’s Watershed Decision to Start Negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty
UN Member states at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) have unanimously agreed to develop a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution, making it one of the world’s most ambitious environmental actions since the 1989 Montreal Protocol which effectively phased…
UNEP head Responds to Questions on Global Plastics Agreement
Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme does a Q&A on the deliberations by Member States on a global agreement on plastic pollution at the upcoming UN Environment Assembly Do you have a specific agenda for what will…
Eleven Additional Governments Commit to New Plastics Economy
Eleven new governments have announced today at the One Ocean Summit that they will join the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme, the Global Commitment has united governments…
Why Children and Youth Hold the Key to a Sustainable Future
In a world where climate change-induced environmental emergencies, such as floods, extreme temperatures and fires, are increasingly becoming the norm, the future can often look uncertain. This future is particularly uncertain for children, youth and future generations, who experts recognize…
Another Wake-Up Call: Sea Ice Loss is Speeding Up
Last week, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed the highest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic, 38C, on 20 June 2020. This warming is causing previously permanently frozen permafrost below ground to thaw. The Arctic is now amongst the fastest-warming regions on…