Bangladesh has demanded a clear roadmap from the United Nations on the repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya people to neighboring Myanmar
South Asia’s Green Transition: Need for Regional Cooperation to Capture Value
Pakistan has used imported solar technology to respond to immediate energy costs. Bhutan and Nepal can earn from renewable electricity. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have established export-oriented manufacturing capabilities. India is attempting to develop a broader advanced manufacturing base.
Himalayan Disasters Need a Himalayan Solution: The Case for a Regional Alliance to Mitigate Risks
Nepal's PM proposed a "Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism, led by Nepal, India and China. Through this mechanism”, the countries could “share satellite data and expertise.” This could be a good initiative, as it would help predict disasters and prepare for them.
Rethinking Climate Security in South Asia - Through AI
South Asia’s climate risks are shared across countries. Rivers such as the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus do not respect national boundaries, and torrential rains in one country can lead to floods in another. Satellite data, flood forecasts and flood warnings could, therefore, be shared to enhance disaster preparedness across the region.
When the Himalayas Warn Us: Balancing Ecology, Development and Human Security
The disasters at Kedarnath and Nepal should therefore be read not simply as tragedies of the past or isolated episodes of extreme weather. They are warnings from a changing mountain system. The question before South Asia is whether we will continue to respond to each disaster after it occurs, or whether we will listen to what the mountains are telling us beforehand.
More on Climate, Sustainability and Energy
‘Digital dumpsites’ study highlights growing threat to children: UN health agency
The health of children, adolescents and expectant mothers worldwide is at risk from the illegal processing of old electrical or electronic devices, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, in a landmark new report on the toxic threat
Domestic workers among hardest hit by COVID crisis, says UN labour agency
Domestic workers globally have been among the hardest hit by the COVID crisis, losing more jobs and working hours than other sectors, the UN labour agency ILO said on Tuesday
More transparency needed in investigating coronavirus origins: WHO Director-General Tedros
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-Genral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called on China to cooperate on the ongoing investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus
Vaccines should be considered 'global public goods': UN chief
Lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines should be considered “global public goods”, the UN chief told journalists on Friday, covering the G7 Summit of leading industrialized nations taking place in the United Kingdom
UN elects five new members to serve on the Security Council
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were elected by the 75th session of the General Assembly on Friday to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2022-2023 term
UN rights chief urges accountability for escalating ‘catastrophe’ in Myanmar
Escalating violence across Myanmar including attacks on civilians must be halted to prevent even greater loss of life and a deepening humanitarian emergency, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said
UNESCO report highlights need for greater investment, diversity in science
Although spending on science has risen worldwide, greater investment is needed in the face of growing crises, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recommended in a new report published on Friday
UN rights chief urges accountability for escalating ‘catastrophe’ in Myanmar
Escalating violence across Myanmar including attacks on civilians must be halted to prevent even greater loss of life and a deepening humanitarian emergency, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Friday
UN condemns ‘horrendous attack’ on demining partner HALO Trust
The United Nations has called for an investigation into the deadly attack in northern Afghanistan against the HALO Trust, a humanitarian group working to rid the country of landmines
Child labour figure rises to 160 million worldwide, says UN report
For the first time in two decades, the number of children being put to work has risen to 160 million worldwide, representing an increase of 8.4 million over four years, while millions of others are at risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new UN report launched on Thursday
UN experts to G7: Production of safe COVID-19 vaccines must outweigh profit
A group of UN independent human rights experts called on Wednesday for the leaders of the world’s largest economies to ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccines for people in the Global South, urging them not to allow the profit motive to undermine global health and equity
Abdullah Shahid, UNGA president-elect, picks Indian ambassador Nagaraj Naidu in his team
Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, the president-elect of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, has appointed India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu as his Chef de Cabinet
UNICEF expresses deep concern over death and injury of children due to landmine and grenade explosions in Pakistan
UNICEF has expressed deep concern over the death of three children, age 10 to 16, who were reported killed in the detonation of a landmine in South Waziristan, one of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Merged Districts (KPMD) along the Afghan border, on Tuesday
UNICEF and celebrities appeal to G7 countries: Donate COVID vaccinations ‘now’
From David Beckham to Whoopi Goldberg and Angelique Kidjo, Ambassadors for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other agencies, have signed an open letter to the upcoming G7 Summit of world leaders, underscoring the urgency of supplying vaccine donations now
