Opinion: Addis Outcome Will Impact Heavily on Post-2015 Agenda – Part 2

The United Nations is the only universal forum that connects systemic issues to the global partnership for development. The latter recognises North-South cooperation based on historical responsibility and varying levels of development and capacity among member states of the U.N.

Calls Mount for “Bold” Climate Deal in Paris

A diverse coalition of 24 leading British scientific institutions has issued a communique urging strong and immediate government action at the U.N. climate change conference set for Paris in December.

Caribbean Seeks Funding for Renewable Energy Mix

A leading geothermal expert warns that the small island states in the Caribbean face “a ticking time bomb” due to the effects of global warming and suggests a shift away from fossil fuels to renewable energy is the only way to defuse it.

Security Council Defies U.S. Lawmakers by Voting on Iran Nuke Deal

When all 15 members of the Security Council raised their collective hands to unanimously vote in favour of the recently-concluded nuclear agreement with Iran, they were also defying a cabal of right-wing conservative U.S. politicians who wanted the United Nations to defer its vote until the U.S. Congress makes its own decision on the pact.

Opinion: Iran Deal Has Far-Reaching Potential to Remake International Relations

The Vienna agreement between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council acting in concert with Germany has the potential to remake international relations beyond the immediate goal of stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The Myths About the Nuclear Deal With Iran

The single biggest misunderstanding about the nuclear agreement with Iran is that it is a bilateral deal with the United States.

Big Oil Privately Accepted Global Warming, but Publicly Battled Climate Science

For decades, executives and decision makers at major U.S. and European fossil fuel companies were aware that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions caused global warming, but still provided millions in funding to boost disinformation campaigns and sponsor scientists who denied climate change.

2014 Another Record-Shattering Year for Climate

A new report by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Weather and Climate has found that 2014 was the warmest year ever recorded, with Eastern North America the only major region in the world to experience below-average annual temperatures.

Sixty-Five More Years Until Electricity for All in Africa – Report

Sub-Saharan Africa is still far behind in its ability to generate electricity, hampering growth and frustrating its ambitions to catch up with the rest of the world.

Nuclear Deal Takes U.S.-Iran Ties Out of Deep Freeze – Partly, at Least

A historic deal on Iran’s controversial nuclear programme was announced today during the early morning hours in Vienna over a decade after talks between Tehran and world powers began.

Opinion: U.N. Can Help Reform the International Financial System

The growth in global interdependence poses greater challenges to policy makers on a wide range of issues and for countries at all levels of development.

Fishing Families Left High and Dry by Amazon Dams

Small-scale fisherpersons were among the first forgotten victims of mega construction projects like the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam on the Xingú River in the Brazilian Amazon.

Science and Technology a Game Changer for Post-2015 Development Agenda

A group of international scientists, designated as advisers to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, has conveyed a significantly timely message to him: science, technology and innovation (STI) can be "the game changer" for the U.N.’s future development efforts.

Groups Slam Green Climate Fund Approval of Firms Tied to Dirty Energy

Civil society representatives attending the board meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in Songdo, South Korea expressed strong disappointment Thursday with the board's decision to accredit Deutsche Bank - one of the world’s largest financiers of coal - to receive and distribute GCF funds.

Opinion: ASEAN Must Unite Against Climate Change

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) started as a cooperation bloc in 1968. Founded by five countries - Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines - ASEAN has since evolved into a regional force which is slowly changing the landscape in global politics.

Opinion: SDGs, FfD and Every Single Dollar in the World

Ethiopia will host an important meeting on Financing for Development (FfD) Conference next week. One of the most-asked questions is:  How much will it cost us to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Climate Commission Issues Blueprint for Low-Carbon Economy

Up to 96 percent of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 to keep global warming below a critical threshold of two degrees C could be achieved through a series of 10 steps, says a new report released by the Global Commission on the Economy and the Climate.

U.N. Swears by Hefty 100 Billion Dollar Target to Fight Climate Change

The most devastating impact of climate change – including rising sea levels, floods, cyclones and both droughts and heavy monsoons – will be felt mostly by the world’s poorest nations.

Sustainable Use of Biodiversity Could Fill Gap When Belo Monte Dam Is Finished

Some argue that the sustainable use of biodiversity is the best alternative for local development in the area surrounding the enormous Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, now that the construction project is entering its final phase on the Xingú River in Brazil’s Amazon jungle.

Opinion: If You’re Against Coal Mining, Walk In and Stop It

“If you’re against coal mining, why don’t you just walk into a coal mine and stop the excavators?”

A New Climate for Peace

U.N. officials, government leaders and civil society actors gathered Tuesday at the German House for a panel discussion on climate change as a “threat-multiplier”.