Tag: Sustainable Development Goals

COVID-19 fuels slowest rate of childhood vaccination in three decades, leaving millions at risk — Global Issues

The figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, show the percentage of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) – a marker for immunization coverage within and across countries – fell five points between 2019 and 2021, to 81 per cent.

The 25 million children who missed out on doses of DTP through routine immunization services last year, is two million more than in 2020, and six million more than in 2019, “highlighting the growing number of children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases”, said a press release issued by the UN agencies.

‘Red alert for health’

The decline was due to many factors including an increased number of children living in conflict and fragile settings where immunization access is often challenging.

Increased misinformation on social media and COVID-19 related issues such as service and supply chain disruptions, resources being diverted, and containment measures that limited access to jabs, also played a part. 

“This is a red alert for child health. We are witnessing the largest sustained drop in childhood immunization in a generation. The consequences will be measured in lives,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.

“While a pandemic hangover was expected last year as a result of COVID-19 disruptions and lockdowns, what we are seeing now is a continued decline.

COVID is no excuse

“COVID-19 is not an excuse. We need immunization catch-ups for the missing millions, or we will inevitably witness more outbreaks, more sick children and greater pressure on already strained health systems.”

Some 18 million of the 25 million children missing out, did not receive a single dose of DTP during the year, the vast majority of whom live in low and middle-income countries, with India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia and the Philippines recording the highest numbers, the agencies note.

Myanmar and Mozambique are among the countries with the largest relative increases in children who did not receive a single vaccine between 2019 and 2021.

Grave consequences

Globally, over a quarter of the coverage of HPV vaccines that was achieved in 2019 has been lost.

This has grave consequences for the health of women and girls, as global coverage of the first dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is only 15 per cent, despite the availability of a vaccine for the past 15 years on the global market.

The agencies said they had hoped 2021 “would be a year of recovery during which strained immunization programmes would rebuild” following the first year of the pandemic, but instead, DTP3 coverage was set back to its lowest level since 2008 which, along with declines in coverage for other basic vaccines, pushed the world off-track to meet global goals, including the immunization indicator for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNICEF/Asad Zaidi

A 13-day-old baby receives the polio vaccine in Gadab town, Karachi Sindh Province, Pakistan.

Rising malnutrition

The decline in immunization is happening against a backdrop of rapidly rising rates of severe acute malnutrition.

“A malnourished child already has weakened immunity and missed vaccinations can mean common childhood illnesses quickly become lethal to them. The convergence of a hunger crisis with a growing immunization gap threatens to create the conditions for a child survival crisis.”

Regional picture

Vaccine coverage dropped in every region, with the East Asia and Pacific recording the steepest decline, down nine per cent in just two years.

“Planning and tackling COVID-19 should also go hand-in-hand with vaccinating for killer diseases like measles, pneumonia and diarrhoea,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It’s not a question of either/or, it’s possible to do both”.

Some countries successfully maintained a high rate of coverage in routine immunizations, such as Uganda, which managed to roll out a targeted COVID-19 vaccination programme to protect priority populations, including health workers.

Pakistan returned to pre-pandemic levels of coverage thanks to high-level government commitment and significant catch-up immunization efforts.

Monumental efforts will be required to reach universal levels of coverage and to prevent outbreaks, the WHO and UNICEF warned.

Inadequate coverage levels have already resulted in avoidable outbreaks of measles and polio in the past 12 months, underscoring the vital role of immunization in keeping children, adolescents, adults, and societies healthy.

Global Immunization Agenda

WHO and UNICEF are working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other partners to deliver the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), a strategy for all countries and relevant global partners to achieve set goals on preventing diseases through immunization and delivering vaccines to everyone, everywhere, at every age.

“It’s heart-breaking to see more children losing out on protection from preventable diseases for a second year in a row. The priority of the Alliance must be to help countries to maintain, restore and strengthen routine immunization alongside executing ambitious COVID-19 vaccination plans, not just through vaccines but also tailored structural support for the health systems that will administer them,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Solutions for recovery

The UN and partners are calling on governments and health partners worldwide to:

·Intensify efforts for catch-up vaccination to address backsliding on routine immunization, and expand outreach services in underserved areas.

·Implement evidence-based, people-centred, and tailored strategies to build trust in vaccines and immunization, counter misinformation and increase vaccine uptake particularly among vulnerable groups.

·Ensure current pandemic preparedness and response and the global health architecture strengthening efforts lead to investment in primary health care (PHC) services.

·Ensure political commitment from national governments and increase resources to strengthen and sustain immunization programmes.

·Prioritize health information and disease surveillance systems to provide the data and monitoring needed for programmes to have maximum impact.

·Leverage and increase investment in research to develop and improve new and existing vaccines and immunization services that can achieve community needs and deliver on IA2030 goals.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

New UN resilience project paves ‘pathway to peace and sustainable development’ — Global Issues

The Resilience and Social Cohesion project, launched by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP), will enhance peace, increase livelihood opportunities, and provide education, health, nutrition, child protection, and sanitation support to vulnerable populations in Borno and Yobe states.

“This is a pathway to peace and sustainable development,’’ said the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins.

Targeting the vulnerable

Funded to the tune of €40 million from the German Government, the three-year humanitarian package targets children from birth up to two years of age, pregnant women, school-age children, adolescent girls, female-headed households, and people with disabilities.

While leveraging ongoing humanitarian support in Bade Local Government Area (LGA) of Yobe state and Shani LGA of Borno state, the UN lead agencies will also provide interventions to address drivers of conflict and fragility throughout various sectors.

The project will help to strengthen local governance, promote community-based social cohesion and build government partnerships.

“Children and other vulnerable groups will have a lifeline, and an opportunity to survive and thrive in communities where livelihood and peace building activities are present,” the UNICEF Representative spelled out.

Conflict prevails

Now in its thirteenth year, armed conflict in the volatile northeast Nigeria – where the extremist militant group Boko Haram first surfaced – has levelled communities, destroyed livelihoods, and disrupted essential services for children and adults.

And protracted insecurity, high food prices and COVID-19 lockdowns have left more than four million people in need of food assistance.

The accompanying impact of violence and unrest has fuelled mental health, nutrition, education and child protection concerns.

According to the UN agencies, 1.14 million children across the region are acutely malnourished, on a scale not seen since 2018.

“Conflict in any region is potential instability in the rest of the world,’’ said Mr. Hawkins. “UNICEF is grateful to the German Government for supporting pathways to child survival and peace in northeast Nigeria”.

Bolstering the global goals

The programme will also contribute to seven of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely, poverty eradication (SDG-1), zero hunger (SDG-2), good health and wellbeing (SDG-3), access to quality education (SDG-4), gender equality (SDG-5), climate action (SDG-13), peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG-16) as well as partnership for the goals (SDG-17).

With a focus on building peace, strengthening governance, restoring infrastructures, and providing life-saving services, it is hoped that close to 157,000 people will benefit directly and over 362,000 indirectly, across both LGAs.

German support

Giving thanks for the “timely and generous support” from Germany, the WFP Deputy Country Director in Nigeria, Simone Parchment, hailed the value of the project for those “facing the peril of conflict and hunger in northeast Nigeria”.

“In these affected states, persistent conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and reduced household purchasing power undermine people’s ability to feed themselves and sustain their livelihoods,” she said.

Against this backdrop, Germany’s contribution will “go a long way in building resilience, social cohesion and peace in the affected communities”.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

ECOSOC President — Global Issues

Collen V. Kelapile, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), was delivering opening remarks to the ministerial segment of its ongoing High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). 

Countries are meeting in the General Assembly Hall to examine how recovery policies can reverse the pandemic’s negative impacts on the common goal of creating a more equitable future for all people and the planet. 

Opportunity for transformation 

The current global challenges must not dampen their resolve and determination, said Mr. Kelapile, underscoring that nations must act together in solidarity. 

“After two years of a surreal struggle against the pandemic, it is true that we now live in a world of increased conflict, inequality, poverty, and suffering; of economic instability; energy and imminent food crisis; increasing debt levels; of a slowing of progress towards gender equality and the empowerment of women,” he said.  

“And yet, one of the key messages that we have heard in the past few days of the High-Level Political Forum is that – despite our grim times – there is a continued air of optimism that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides us a framework for building back better.” 

Vaccine equity 

The world is in deep trouble, but “we are far from powerless”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the gathering.   

He outlined four areas for immediate action, starting with recovery from the pandemic in every country.  

“We must ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines, therapies and tests. And now it is very important to have a serious effort to increase the number of countries that can produce vaccines, diagnostics, and other else technologies thinking about the future,” he said. 

Countries must also ramp up efforts to make sure future disease outbreaks are better managed by strengthening health systems and ensuring Universal Health Coverage. 

© UNICEF/Seyba Keïta

A health worker in Mali prepares one of 396,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses supplied to the West African country through the COVAX Facility.

Food and energy crisis 

The UN chief also underscored the need to tackle the food, energy and finance crisis, stating that Ukraine’s food production, and the food and fertilizer produced by Russia, must be brought back to world markets, despite the ongoing war.  

“We have been working hard on a plan to allow for the safe and secure exports of Ukrainian produced foods through the Black Sea and Russian foods and fertilizers to global markets,” he said.  “I thank the governments involved for your continued cooperation.” 

Video player

Address economic inequality 

However, today’s crises cannot be solved without a solution to the crisis of economic inequality in the developing world, he added, calling for greater resources, “fiscal space”, as well as flexibility and understanding on the part of global financial institutions. 

“We should not forget that the majority of poor people do not live in the poorest countries; they live in Middle Income Countries.  If they don’t receive the support they need, the development prospects of heavily indebted Middle Income Countries will be seriously compromised,” he added. 

The Secretary-General also called for a New Global Deal so that developing countries can have a fair chance at building their own futures, and for reforming the global financial system to one that “works for the vulnerable, not just the powerful.” 

Invest in people 

The pandemic has revealed glaring inequalities, both within and between countries, and as with all crises, it is the most vulnerable and marginalized who are worst affected. 

“It is time to prioritize investment in people; to build a new social contract, based on universal social protection; and to overhaul social support systems established in the aftermath of the Second World War,” said Mr. Guterres.  

Any hope of solving the world’s challenges starts with education, he added, but it too is “racked by a crisis of equity, quality and relevance.”  The Secretary-General will convene a summit in September for world leaders to recommit to education as a global public good. 

UNDP Afghanistan

A health centre in Afghanistan is using renewable energy reducing the reliance on fossil fuels which are contributing to climate change.

‘Renewable energy revolution’ 

For his final point, the UN chief pushed for ambitious climate action, warning that the battle to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels will be won or lost this decade. 

“Ending the global addiction to fossil fuels through a renewable energy revolution is priority number one,” he said. “I have been asking for no new coal plants and no more subsidies to fossil fuels because funding fossil fuels is delusional, and funding renewable energy is rational.” 

The President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, focused on the importance of hope and solidarity, so that the world will emerge from this period stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable. 

“To break the vicious cycle of crises we must do more than ‘look’ towards a more sustainable future, we must put it into practice,” he said. 

Learn from the pandemic 

Mr. Shahid called for placing greater investments in areas such as social protection, poverty reduction and climate action, in addition to empowering young people as “agents of a sustainable transformation.” 

Countries must also learn from the pandemic, particularly where systems and policies proved dysfunctional. 

Like the Secretary-General, he also pressed for reforming the international finance system, particularly in regard to debt relief and vulnerabilities, Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), and humanitarian relief.  

Video player

Common challenges, common solutions 

Mr. Shahid also appealed for commitment to address both the situation of the most vulnerable countries and for the sustainable development of Africa, including support for achieving universal vaccination, food security and energy access across the continent. 

Although the pandemic tested the limits of international solidarity, “multilateralism prevails and international solidarity persists”, said the General Assembly President, pointing to initiatives such as the COVAX vaccine equity mechanism, and the negotiations on a global pandemic treaty. 

“We have seen countries and communities come together to find common solutions to common challenges. We must build on this in every way we can,” he said. 

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

2030 development agenda ‘fails’ on racial equality and non-discrimination — Global Issues

“Despite the 2030 Agenda’s promising rhetoric, it largely fails to fulfil its pledge to ‘leave no one behind’ when it comes to the principles of racial equality and non-discrimination,” said E. Tendayi Achiume, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Limiting progress

Presenting the conclusions of her report on the 2030 Agenda, SDGs and the fight against racial discrimination, Ms. Achiume acknowledged that while opening the door to important improvements on earlier development initiatives, more commitments are needed to effectively combat racism.

“Racial justice commitments are largely absent from the operationalization of the SDGs, as seen through the lack of racial disaggregation in the SDG Targets and Indicators,” she said.

“The persistent lack of resources, failure to collect disaggregated data and dearth of political willpower still limit progress toward racial justice in virtually all national and international contexts”.

Entrenched challenges

The Special Rapporteur attributed the entrenched challenges of promoting racial equality and justice through development initiatives, to the “racialised origins” of today’s international development structure.

Citing the deep racial inequalities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic, she explained how global economic and financial systems continue to be engines of racially discriminatory “underdevelopment”.

This serious fault has left mainstream international development architecture ill-suited to challenging the status quo, she said.

Relentless cycle of inequity

A vast body of research available, has demonstrated that the international economic, development and financial order has perpetuated human rights problems and economic inequality.

As such, it has served to dismantle social safety nets in the global South and increase the dependency of formerly colonized peoples, she added.

Her report emphasized the urgent need to decolonize global economic, legal, and political systems.

To achieve this goal, international hierarchies must be disrupted and shifted beyond Euro-centric visions, models and means of economic development.

Altering the debate

During her presentation, the Special Rapporteur highlighted racial justice uprisings in 2020, which mobilized the global community and significantly shifted the terms of debate at the United Nations and elsewhere.

She noted that racially and ethnically marginalized employees in particular, were voluntarily taking on institutional anti-racism work – providing vital leadership without compensation.

Ms. Achiume expressed her unwavering support for those actively challenging systemic racism within international institutions.

“For anti-racism initiatives to be successful, institutional leaders must commit necessary resources and political willpower to transformation,” underscored the independent expert.

This can only be achieved by “making institutions more representative of the populations they serve, especially at decision-making levels,” she added.

Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not paid for their work.

UN News

Tendayi Achiume, Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism and Racial Discrimination.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

The Caribbean is ‘ground zero’ for the global climate emergency: Guterres — Global Issues

The Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an immense protected area covering around 11 percent of the national territory, is recognized for its tabletop mountains and endless biodiversity – some believed to be undiscovered – and remains for the most part inaccessible and unaffected by human activity.

From above, the rainforest canopy was painted with countless shades of green, with some treetops covered in waves of orange or even purple flowers. Along the way, the mighty Coppename River, as well as the upstream parts of the Lucie, Saramacca, and Suriname Rivers flowed by the trees in what looked like a landscape painting.

UN News/Laura Quiñones

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, pictured here, comprises 1.6 million ha of primary tropical forest of west-central Suriname.

However, before reaching the protected area, the UN chief could see that Suriname’s forests are seriously threatened by the activities of the mining sector and timber production, both fuelled by incentives to boost economic activities. Strikingly visible above the deep green canopy, the brownish patches of deforestation, evidence of destructive gold mining and flooding were difficult to miss.

UN News/Laura Quiñones

Suriname is the most forested country in the world, but its pristine rainforests are being threatened, among others, by mining for gold, bauxite and kaolin.

A moment of ‘maximum peril’

Although Suriname is part of the South American continent, it is considered a Caribbean nation due to its history, culture, and the similar challenges it faces with the small island nations.

Later on Sunday, the UN chief arrived at the Assuria Event Centre in Paramaribo, to attend the opening of the 43rd Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) Conference.

Mr. Guterres’s arrival was met with four distinct music and cultural performances. The short walk showcased Suriname’s unique ethnic diversity, a product of its long history and Dutch colonization. Afro-Surinamese, East Indian, Indigenous natives, Chinese and Javanese descendants presented their traditional dances and folkloric sounds

At the podium, the Secretary-General highlighted the region’s diversity and climate action leadership, while outlining a series of actions to be taken in the face of the planetary crisis, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and global financial challenges. 

“Rich in diversity, uniting land and sea, and protecting fragile coastal ecosystems, mangroves are a fitting symbol of Caribbean nations – facing challenges, seizing opportunities, preserving natural gifts,” the UN chief told the region’s Heads of State and Government on Sunday, inspired by his isit to these coastal carbon-sink wonders in Paramaribo a day before.

Mr. Guterres recognized that the small island low-lying coastal states of the Caribbean are especially vulnerable to what he called “the biggest challenge facing our world today” — the climate crisis.

“The Caribbean is ground zero for the global climate emergency,” he said, underlining that unfortunately, it is not the only challenge that the region is facing.

“This year’s CARICOM summit comes at a moment of maximum peril – for people and planet alike,” he added, referring to the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems and tourism, as well as on economic growth and foreign investment, now exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.

UN News/Laura Quiñones

A group of Chinese-Surinamese dance and sing while Heads of State and Government arrive to the 43rd CARICOM Conference in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Bold solutions

The Secretary-General told the CARICOM leaders that bold solutions were necessary to tackle these issues, highlighting three.

1. Match climate action to the scale and urgency of the crisis

Mr. Guterres called for urgent and transformative emissions reduction to halt global warming at a 1.5C, support for adaptation from climate impacts, and financial assistance to secure resilience.

“I thank Caribbean leaders for helping to show the way. I am inspired by your many efforts to safeguard your incredible biodiversity and natural gifts, including by the efforts of the indigenous communities,” he said.

He added that more ambition and climate action are needed by all, but specially the G20 who account for 80 per cent of global emissions.

“The war in Ukraine cannot lead to short-sighted decisions that shut the door on 1.5C. With the commitments presently registered, emissions are still predicted to grow by 14 per cent through 2030. This is simply suicide – and it must be reversed.”

The UN chief stressed that wealthier countries need to lead the way in a just and equitable “ renewables revolution ”, and they need to fulfil their promise to deliver $100 billion in climate finance for adaptation starting this year.

“And it is time for a frank discussion and space for decision-making regarding the loss and damage that your countries are already experiencing,” he emphasised.

UN News/Evan Schneider

UN Secretary-General António addresses the opening ceremony of the 43rd regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which is taking place from July 3-5 in Paramaribo, Suriname.

2. Reform ‘morally bankrupt’ global financial system and spur sustainable recovery

The Secretary General underlined that developing economies need access to financing at no or low costs, as well as debt relief and restructuring.

“On the debt side, we need immediate relief for developing countries whose debt is about to become due,” he said.

The UN chief added that he fully supports the creation of a Caribbean Resilience Fund and the reform of the international financial system to help the region better respond and prevent massive vulnerability to external shocks.

“Clearly, our old metrics have failed us. It’s time to change them,” Mr. Guterres said, proposing to move beyond the financial system’s preoccupation with per capita income, and establishing a ‘multidimensional vulnerability index’ to determine access to financial support.

“For your countries, this would mean ensuring that the complex and interdependent factors of debt and climate change impact are captured in any eligibility analysis for debt relief and financing,” he told the Caribbean Heads of State and Government.

3. Keep up the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic

The Secretary-General made a push for governments, organizations and pharmaceutical companies to work better together to locally produce tests, vaccines and treatments.

“We’re not out of the woods yet… And we need to continue working closely together to stop the spread of the virus across the Caribbean through proven public health measures and prepare for future pandemics through bold investments in preparedness and training,” he stated, and stressed that countries must never again be so unprepared.

Finally, Mr. Guterres reaffirmed the support of the United Nations to the Caribbean to work towards these solutions.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

UN Ocean Conference ends with call for greater ambition and global commitment to address dire state of the Ocean — Global Issues

Recognizing the past “collective failure” in the Conference’s final declaration, world leaders called for greater ambition to ensure that the dire state of the ocean is addressed, and admitted frankly to being “deeply alarmed by the global emergency facing the ocean”.

At the closing, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Miguel de Serpa Soares, commended co-hosts – Portugal and Kenya – for the conference’s enormous success.

“[The Conference] has given us the opportunity to unpack critical issues and generate new ideas. It also made clear the work that remains, and the need to scale up that work for the recovery of our ocean”, Mr. Serpa Soares said, adding that it is essential to now turn the tide.

More than 6,000 participants, including 24 Heads of State and Government, and over 2,000 representatives of civil society attended the Conference, advocating for urgent and concrete actions to tackle the ocean crisis.

Collective failure

Recognizing a “collective failure to achieve Ocean related targets” so far, leaders renewed their commitment to take urgent action and to cooperate at all levels, to fully achieve targets as soon as possible.

Among the challenges the Ocean faces are coastal erosion, rising sea levels, warmer and more acidic waters, marine pollution, overexploitation of fish stocks and decrease of marine biodiversity.

Acknowledging that climate change is “one of the greatest challenges of our time”, and the need to “act decisively and urgently to improve the health, productivity, sustainable use and resilience of the ocean and its ecosystems”, top politicians gathered in Lisbon stressed that science-based and innovative actions, along with international cooperation, are essential to provide the necessary solutions.

Calling for transformative change, leaders stressed the need to address the cumulative impacts of a warming planet, on the ocean, including ecosystem degradation and species extinctions.

Reaffirming commitments

Reaffirming that the ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future, the signatories emphasized the particular importance of implementing the Paris Agreement of 2015, and last November’s Glasgow Climate Pact to help ensure the health, productivity, sustainable use, and resilience of the ocean.

“We are committed to halting and reversing the decline in the health of the ocean’s ecosystems and biodiversity, and to protecting and restoring its resilience and ecological integrity.

Voluntary commitments include:

  • The Protecting Our Planet Challenge will invest at least USD $1 billion to support the creation, expansion, and management of marine protected areas by 2030.
  • The European Investment Bank will extend an additional EUR 150 million across the Caribbean Region as part of the Clean Oceans Initiative to improve climate resilience, water management and solid waste management.
  • Portugal committed to ensure that 100 per cent of the marine area under Portuguese sovereignty or jurisdiction is assessed as being in Good Environmental State and classify 30% of the national marine areas by 2030.
  • Kenya is currently developing a national blue economy strategic plan, inclusive and multistakeholder-oriented. Kenya also committed to developing a national action plan on sea-based marine plastic litter.
  • India committed to a Coastal Clean Seas Campaign and will work toward a ban on single use plastics.

“We call for an ambitious, balanced, practical, effective, robust, and transformative post-2020 global biodiversity framework”, the Lisbon declaration continued.

Resilient and healthy marine environments are the foundations of climate regulation and sustainable development, with the potential to produce food and energy for billions.

At the conference, more than 150 Member States made voluntary commitments to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the global ocean within Marine Protected Areas, and other effective area-based conservation measures, by 2030.

“I am impressed by the new commitments [countries made], Mr. Serpa Soares said at the closing ceremony, adding that “commitments must be implemented at pace and monitored”. Some examples include:

  • Protecting or exceeding 30% of national maritime zones by 2030
  • Achieving carbon neutrality by 2040
  • Reducing plastic pollution
  • Increasing renewable energy use
  • Allocating billions of dollars to research on ocean acidification, climate resilience projects and to monitoring, control and surveillance

Beyond 2030

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) aims to achieve the science we need, for the ocean we want.

With the mission to generate and use knowledge for the transformational action needed to achieve a healthy, safe, and resilient ocean for sustainable development by 2030 and beyond, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UN Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is driving development for the Decade of action.

For that, the Decade framework is designed to produce better-informed ocean management, restore fish stocks; mobilize actions for sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture for sufficient, safe and nutritious food.

Ocean Image Bank/Thomas Horig

One of the biggest threats to our oceans is man-made pollution.

It’s also geared to reducing marine pollution of all kinds, from both land and sea based sources, and work towards more effective marine protection, and develop and implement measures to adapt to climate change, reducing disaster risk, and the impacts of sea level rise, together with reducing emissions from maritime transportation.

Recognizing that developing countries, in particular small island developing States (SIDS) and least developed countries, face particular capacity challenges, political leaders are committing to strengthen data collection efforts, and enhancing cooperation at all levels to share knowledge.

After Lisbon

Financing is another particular focus of the declaration. The seven-page document states that innovative financing solutions must be found to drive the transformation towards sustainable ocean-based economies, and scale up nature-based solutions, as well as ecosystem-based approaches to support the resilience, restoration, and conservation of coastal ecosystems.

Declaring that the Conference proved the Blue Economy is now a huge part of the future security of humanity, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson, called for more financial resources for it.

UNDP/Pierre Michel Jean

Sustainable fishing is improving livelihoods in Haiti.

He noted that the Secretary-General had pushed for consensus, after launching a red alert for humanity, and Mr. Thomson added that 2022 was proving to be a “super year”, calling for young people to be at the table for all the discussions on the ocean’s future, moving forward.

Speaking to UN News, Miguel de Serpa Soares added that the UN Ocean Conference was not the sole focus for ocean action this year.

“In the next several months, we will have several crucial events that hold many opportunities to demonstrate our commitments and ambition to turn the tide in favour of ocean sustainability”.

Following the event in Lisbon, the path to save our ocean will continue through the Intergovernmental Conference on a treaty on marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework negotiations, and the negotiations for increased climate finance and adaptation actions at COP27 in Egypt.

Empower youth, women, and indigenous people

Recognizing the important role of indigenous, traditional, and local knowledge, innovation and practices held by indigenous peoples, as well as the role of social science in planning, decision-making and implementation, leaders are calling to meaningful participation of local communities.

UN News/Eleuterio Guevane

Young volunteers supporting the Ocean Conference in Lisbon.

“Empower women and girls, as their full, equal and meaningful participation is key in progressing towards a sustainable ocean-based economy and to achieving Goal 14”, the declaration highlights, stressing the importance of giving the power to youth to enable them to understand the “need to contribute to the health of the ocean, including in decision-making, through promoting and supporting quality education and life-long learning for ocean literacy”.

Calling on stakeholders to urgently take ambitions and concerted action to accelerate implementation to achieve Goal 14, the Conference concluded saying that “restoring harmony with nature through a healthy ocean is critical for the planet”.

Hope, and urgency

Encouraged by a renewed sense of hope and urgency about our future ocean, Mr. Serpa Soares concluded: “as we leave, we must follow-up on our commitments”.

“As the famous Tongan and Fijian writer Epeli Hau‘ofa said, we are the ocean. The ocean is in all of us, it is what sustains us, and it is the basis for our future survival on this planet Earth.”, he said.

The power of science

Building on the scientific focus of the week, UNESCO launched its key State of the Ocean Report on Friday.

The report was developed to provide new and revealing data on the current state of the ocean, structured around the initial 10 challenges of the Decade.

UNESCO’s Chief of the Ocean Science Section, Henrik Enevoldsen, spoke to UN News and said that the report complemented the scientific work of the conference, enhancing our capacity to manage the ocean.

Talking about the outcome of the conference he said it “highlighted the areas where we need more knowledge to provide a proper basis for decision makers [and to] better manage the ocean.

UN News has been on the ground in Lisbon, Portugal, all week, bringing you multimedia coverage of the Ocean Conference. You can access all our reports and interviews, here.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Sustainable blue economy vital for small countries and coastal populations — Global Issues

The world’s coastal populations contribute significantly to the global economy – an estimated $1.5 trillion per year – with expectations pointing to some $3 trillion by 2030.

Ensuring ocean ecosystem health, supporting livelihoods and driving economic growth requires targeted support for key sectors, including fisheries and aquaculture, tourism, energy, shipping and port activities, and seabed mining, as well as innovative areas such as renewable energy and marine biotechnology.

Marine resources ‘essential’

This is particularly important to small island developing states (SIDS), for whom marine resources are critical assets, providing them with food security, nutrition, employment, foreign exchange, and recreation.

Further, through evidence-based policy interventions, these assets can also make enhanced and sustained contributions to the economic growth, and prosperity of SIDS and least developed countries (LDCs).

Participating in the main interactive dialogue of the second-day of the Conference, former President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, explained to UN News that it is “extremely important that small States have a place at the table, to ensure that they can put forward their aspirations and move in the right direction”.

Acknowledging that climate change continues to affect his own country, and several SIDS, Mr. Faure called on the international community to continue to support countries like Seychelles.

“The blue economy is essential for the livelihoods of our people and nations. I see [investment] coming very slowly and I believe it is very important that, internationally, we continue to maintain the focus, so we can build partnerships between civil society and private sector,” he stated.

© FAO/Luis Tato

Fish is sun dried at a landing site in Kigoma, Tanzania.

What does a truly sustainable blue economy mean?

Despite of the lack of a universally accepted definition of the term blue economy, the World Bank defines it as “the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.

A blue economy prioritizes all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. When talking about sustainable development, it is important to understand the difference between a blue economy and an ocean economy. The term implies that the initiative is environmentally sustainable, inclusive and climate resilient.

In addition to providing goods and services measurable in monetary terms, coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows and wetlands deliver critical ecosystem services such as coastal protection and carbon sequestration.

© Unsplash

Seagrass, which evolved over 70 million years ago from terrestrial grass, is one of the most diverse and valuable marine ecosystems on the planet.

Action now

Small island developing states control 30 per cent of all oceans and seas. But how can SIDS and the private sector build equitable and accountable partnerships for sustainable ocean?

Calling for the implementation of the promises set out in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action, known by the shorthand SAMOA Pathway and the ambitions of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14), on conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, experts on the second day of the Conference reiterated the importance of harnessing private sector collaboration to make it possible.

Impacts of climate change

Speaking to UN News, the Secretary to Government of Tuvalu, Tapugao Falefou, said that his country was “not just beginning to understand what climate change is and how impacts [the world] but also physically understanding how it impacts [us].”

Describing major coastal erosion, drought and inland inundated by seawater, Mr. Falefou said “that didn’t happen 20 years back. These are the impacts of climate change that I can attest to, that larger countries may not experience.”

The path of multilateralism

With millions employed worldwide in fishing and fish farming, most in developing countries, healthy and resilient marine and coastal ecosystems are fundamental to sustainable development.

Other sectors that are critical to the resilience of developing countries include the coastal tourism sector, which contributes up to 40 per cent or more of the global gross domestic product (GDP) in some SIDS, and the marine fisheries sector, which provides nearly 20 per cent of the average intake of animal protein consumed by 3.2 billion people, and more than 50 per cent of the average intake in some least developed countries.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General, added that without multilateralism, no one can solve the problem of the Ocean.

“SIDS have the potential to be large ocean economies (…) if we do so sustainably, we can unlock development prospects”, she added, emphasizing the blue economy path.

© FAO/Sylvain Cherkaoui

A fisherwoman on her way to sell the fish she caught at Joal port in Senegal.

Women and the ocean

Focusing on the interlinkage between the SDG14 and SDG 5 (gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls) a panel of experts advocated for increasing women’s participation and leadership at all levels.

With women critically under-represented in the field of ocean actions, particularly in decision-making roles in ocean science, policy-making, and blue economy, the panel called for more action and a radical change in society.

“We have an enormous responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure the sustainability of our planet, and an event like this [Conference] is probably one of the most important in terms of the future of life,” said Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of the World Maritime University, based in Sweden.

Reiterating the importance of looking into women’s working conditions and pay-gap in fisheries, Ms. Doumbia-Henry added: “We need to focus on some of these questions, and what I am tired of is the lip service, we need to make the changes, and implement, to take it forward.”

Mainstream women’s participation

For Maria Damanaki, founder of Leading Women for the Ocean, concrete action plan is needed, along with legislation.

“We need to see women as part of the blue economy, we need to see them everywhere, to mainstream their participation, because without their leadership, humanity as a whole is going to lose a lot,” Ms. Damanaki said.

With the expected participation of over 12 thousand ocean advocates, including world leaders, entrepreneurs, youth, influencers, and scientists, the Conference will continue to ignite fresh impetus for advancing SDG14, at the heart of global action to protect life under water. Concrete measures will be adopted to build ocean resilience and more sustainable communities, underpinned by a new wave of commitments to restore the ocean’s health.

During the week, UN News will bring you daily coverage on the Conference as well as interviews, podcasts, and features, which you can access here.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Seafarers’ Day honours maritime journeys and voyages — Global Issues

Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted both their critical role, as well as the challenges they face, In his message to mark the Day of the Seafarer on Saturday.

“The world counts on seafarers,” he said.

“Ships transport a remarkable 90 per cent of the world’s commodities — from grains and energy, to consumer goods and much more. Without ships and the women and men who work on them, economies would stall and people would starve.” 

Pandemic challenges

However, seafarers have faced immense challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UN chief listed some of these issues, which include contracts extended long beyond their expiry dates and maximum periods of service, and problems related to vaccinations, medical care and shore leave. 

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) continues to advocate for seafarers during the pandemic by urging countries to designate them as key workers.

Kitack Lim, the IMO Secretary-General, stated that without seafarers, there would be no shipping.

Sharing the journey

The theme for this year’s international day celebrates maritime journeys and voyages, providing a chance “to recognize and pay tribute to seafarers everywhere, whatever their voyage”, he said.

As part of an IMO campaign, seafarers from around the globe are using social media to share images and information about what truly resonates with them, whether a positive experience or challenging circumstances.  

“Shipping and the call of the oceans, form a way of life,” said Mr. Lim. “It is a meaningful, important career that provides a solid foundation for life and offers endless opportunities to learn and progress.”

A greener future

The international day is also an opportunity to look to the future, and for the UN Secretary-General, this means listening to seafarers.

“They know better than anyone their needs and what this industry needs to do to address key challenges. This includes the expansion of social protection, better working conditions, addressing the crew-change crisis, adopting new digital tools to enhance safety and efficiency, and making this industry greener and more sustainable,” he said.

The UN chief concluded his message by calling for renewed commitment to supporting seafarers everywhere, and honouring their knowledge, professionalism and experience.
 

Video player

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Ocean literacy and unlocking a revolution in ocean science solutions — Global Issues

As a part of this push, the UN Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is asking the world to join the revolution to unlock innovative ocean science solutions. UN News spoke to experts within and outside the UN system to reveal the importance of ocean literacy.

Empowering people to take action

Ocean literacy is commonly defined as an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean.

Francesca Santoro, who is in charge of ocean literacy at UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), explained however that the definition goes beyond that.

“It is really about empowering people with tools, to better use that ocean knowledge to become more responsible and able to take decisions that involve ocean resources, in a more knowledgeable way. It is really about being capable of understanding how much the oceans influence our life and how much we can influence the ocean in both positive and negative ways.” 

© Ocean Image Bank/Ben Jones

Moken children swim in the Myeik Archipelago in Myanmar.

 

As the focal point for ocean science within the United Nations system, the IOC leads the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021 to 2030), and supports ocean research institutions around the world to strengthen public engagement.

“IOC works mainly to strengthen the international collaboration on ocean science and ocean research – as no single country can undertake research on all ocean basins, by itself”, Ms. Santoro continued.

Critical moment

The Decade of Ocean Science is an opportunity to change the state of the ocean for the next 100 years.

Earlier this year, UNESCO launched a campaign to empower people to join the Generation Ocean global movement.

The idea is to use transformative storytelling to connect citizens with ocean knowledge and drive action to restore, protect, and live better with the ocean.

In an interview with UN News, Vinicius Grunberg Lindoso, Communications Officer at UNESCO’S Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, described how you can be a game changer at this critical moment.

Students as active agents of change

Some of IOC’s flagship programmes examine the particular impacts of climate change on the ocean, and how the ocean can be considered the best ally in fighting climate change.

Working closely with schools, teachers and educators, the UN Scientific agency uses results from its ocean research to develop lesson plans.

© Unsplash/Tim B. Motivv

Aquarium’s help young children to discover the aquatic realm in an immersive environment.

“We develop a number of resources – booklets, videos or games – and we use them to collaborate with schools all around the world in order to engage people from an early age, from elementary school to high school. We use an approach that doesn’t include only learning objectives, it also includes what we call social emotional learning objectives, and behavioral learning, because we want the students to become active agents of change – so they can take part in initiatives that support ocean protection”, Ms. Santoro highlighted.

Blue schools

In Portugal, co-host along with Kenya of the UN Ocean Conference, which is taking place from 27 June through 1 July, the Oceano Azul Foundation has an important role in developing literacy and conservation practices there.

Working towards children’s climate education in Portugal, the Foundation aims to have more kids learning about ocean issues and their impact on the ocean, so when they grow to be decision makers, no matter what profession they choose, they will have an important role to play.

Samuel Collins, Programme Manager at Oceano Azul, explained to UN News how the initiative works: “We must deliver information in a way that is digestible for different age groups. But considering the importance of these issues, and the impact they will have on the near future of the current generations, we have the responsibility to deliver certain information to the youth.”

Together with Oceanario de Lisboa, Oceano Azul has a programme to educate the blue generation, training teachers and providing them with the curriculum and resources to pass the message in the first cycle of education.

“They will do math, but they will speak about fish, they’ll learn French, speaking about the ocean, they’ll do history, but integrating oceanography, so it’s just reinforcing the curriculum, looking through a blue lens. They come to the Oceanario, and they do a lot of fantastic activities, and get excited, because there’s a huge amount of potential in a healthy ocean, and reinforcing that is important.”.

The programme envisages to bring ocean literacy to all children, resident in Portugal, with a special focus on the group between the ages 5 to 9 years old.

According to the Foundation, using Portugal as a starting point in the case of literacy will, nevertheless, allow the replication of actions in other countries, namely in Portuguese speaking countries and developing states.

Kindergarten of the Lagoon

Not so far away in Italy, Venice has for centuries illustrated the dynamic interaction between humankind and nature, underlining its capacity to act as a model for other similar ecosystems.

Due to its ideal characteristics and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site, ‘Venice and its Lagoon’ were selected as the implementation site of the pilot edition of the “Kindergarten of the Lagoon” Initiative, which was launched last May.

The new educational programme based on promoting ocean literacy principles and interaction with the environment, aims to foster a close connection between children and nature, using outdoor activities and interactions with the local community.

IOC-UNESCO

Children participate in drawing activities at an ocean awareness event, in Venice, Italy.

Thematic lessons are given to classes of 25 kindergarten students, conducted using outdoor education and aimed at discovering the lagoon ecosystem. This is then followed by creative stimulation and drawing at the end of each lesson.

In partnership with the Prada Group, UNESCO, hopes to empower youth in becoming the future Generation Ocean.

“The international community must make education one of the pillars of its action for the ocean and engage in education to help today’s youth become responsible and aware citizens of tomorrow,” said Ana Luiza M. Thompson-Flores, UNESCO Regional Bureau’s Director.

Lisbon: scale it up

The ocean literacy community will convene in Lisbon, Portugal, for the UN Ocean Conference, ensuring that ocean literacy is seen as a central element of ocean action.

“The last UN Ocean Conference [in 2017, in New York], ocean literacy was in its infancy, but now we can really prove that we have been able to achieve important results such as promoting the presence of ocean literacy in formal education, and we have an increasing network of blue schools around the world. But we need to scale this up, make sure that ocean literacy initiatives are happening around the world, and strengthen the collaboration to share good practices among different actors,” Ms. Santoro told UN News.

In Lisbon, on the first day of the 2022 Conference, there will be a high-level Ocean Decade Alliance Meeting, followed by an Ocean Decade Forum on 30 June, to convey a message of action, partnership, and inclusivity.

“My other expectation is to see our community include more and more stakeholders. Right now, we mainly have scientists and educators, but I think we need, for example, journalists, the media, to help us make sure the ocean is present in media outlets, and that people are more aware of the importance of the ocean for the future of this planet,” she added.

Creative community is ‘crucial’

UNESCO has a series of events lined up for the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon – which include exhibitions such as the Ocean Decade Creative Exhibition at the city’s main Square, and a Generation Ocean Concert at the Rock in Rio Festival, on 26 June. Those events involve the global creative community, aiming to raise more awareness to ocean science and conservation.

For Ms. Santoro, the collaboration with the creative community is “crucial, especially because we are more aware that our emotions drive action. Working [more in depth] with artists, photographers, enhances the capacity of people to feel more connected to the ocean or to rediscover how much we are connected to it. The creative community is really helping us in finding this emotional part of our connection with it – so we need to work together, scientists and artists, to co-design and co-develop projects. No matter if you are a scientist or a journalist or an artist or a policymaker, or somebody working in the private sector. We should all come together and have a common vision and a common goal,” Ms. Santoro concluded. 

Video player

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Disabilities convention supports ‘inclusive, accessible, and sustainable world’ — Global Issues

“Together, we can make sure that every person…can fully participate in every aspect of life – social, economic, cultural, and political”, said Secretary-General António Guterres, adding that “we can, and we will, advance our common future.”

Forward motion

He hailed the progress driven by the disability convention as being “broad, swift, and tangible.”

“With 185 ratifications since its adoption in 2006, the Convention has crystallized the commitment of the international community to realize an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable world for all”.

Mr. Guterres noted that 92 per cent of States Parties has adopted national disability laws, more than 60 per cent have taken actions to prohibit discrimination in the labour market, nearly 90 per cent have passed laws protecting the rights of children with disabilities to education, and the percentage of countries with school materials supporting the inclusion of students with disabilities has more than doubled.

COVID factor

Unfortunately, the UN chief said, that progress has been overturned by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exposed existing inequalities and given rise to new threats. 

“Even before the pandemic, persons with disabilities were less likely to enjoy access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods…[and] when COVID-19 struck communities, persons with disabilities were among the worst affected”, he said.  

This is also true in armed conflicts, the Secretary-General said, pointing out that “persons with disabilities are often unable to flee the violence and do not receive adequate humanitarian support.” 

Reminding that the Convention as well as Resolution 2475 called on Member States to ensure the equal protection of persons with disabilities and provide safe, timely and unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance, he urged States to “fulfil those obligations”.  

Steep climb ahead

Fifteen years since the adoption of the Convention, Mr. Guterres highlighted “three critical avenues” to move on, beginning with harnessing technology to enhance inclusion. 

“Embracing the promise of technology means closing the digital divide; expanding accessibility and inclusivity; and better protection for people against its perils”, he said.

Second, is to promote economic empowerment and entrepreneurship to advance the participation of persons with disabilities in the labour market on equal terms.

Finally, he called for progress in the climate action arena.

“Persons with disabilities are two to four times more likely to die during hurricanes, tsunamis and other natural disasters,” he pointed out. 

‘Cornerstone’ of cooperation

Across all three priorities, the UN chief raised the need for broader cooperation between Governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector. 

“But the cornerstone…must be the active participation of persons with disabilities in their full diversity, and their full inclusion in all decision-making-processes,” Mr. Guterres said.

“We need the leadership of persons with disabilities, particularly women, and their representative organizations”.

He said action needed to be guided by the “clear and vital call” of persons with disabilities themselves -“Nothing about us, without us”.

UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Emmanuel Elisha Ford, using paper printed in the Braille alphabet, speaks at the launch of the preparatory process of the High-level meeting of the General Assembly on disability and development. (2012)

Walking the talk

Committed to leading by example, he reminded that the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy is in its third year of implementation, providing “a concrete framework” to comprehensively advance inclusion.

“From headquarters to the field,we are taking a hard look at how we have addressed disability inclusion and accessibility, from our programmes to our internal operations,” he said, attesting that “with the strategy as our roadmap, we are building disability inclusion into our humanitarian, peace and security work”.

He said the UN was working with governments to collect data on persons with disabilities, support the Convention’s implementation. and achieve the 2030 Development Agenda.  

And by improving physical and digital accessibility and establishing accessible work systems in UN offices, Mr. Guterres hopes “to be an employer of choice for persons with disabilities”. 

Accelerate past the pandemic: Shahid

General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid reminded, via video message, that the conference was themed: “Building disability-inclusive and participatory societies in the COVID context and beyond”.

He spoke at length about how persons with disabilities were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, through “loss of employment, non-inclusive social protection systems, and inadequate assistive technologies.

Advocating for incorporating “the viewpoints of the one billion people living with disabilities”, as we embark on a post-COVID agenda, Mr. Shahid urged the international community to include their views in policy design and implementation.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version