Economic statistics alone paint an inadequate picture of development, experts warn
A new system of accounting that shows both economic and environment data is expected to be adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission at its 2021 session in March. Experts say the move could lead to better decisions for a sustainable recovery from COVID-19 and for the challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change.
Integral to societies, migrants are central to COVID-19 recovery
The ĢƵ marks International Migrants Day on Friday, highlighting their essential contribution to societies everywhere, and underlining migrants' central role in recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
Vaccines for all, an ‘acid test’ in COVID-19 battle
Equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines will represent an “acid test” for the international community, the President of the ĢƵ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) told journalists on Wednesday, highlighting the importance of global cooperation and solidarity in beating back the disease.
More than a game – recovering better with sports
Sport is all about participation. It has the power of bringing together individuals, communities and countries, often bridging cultural, ethnic and national divides. But as COVID-19 has ravaged through our world, it has taken a heavy toll on both professional and recreational sports.
Natural Capital for a Green Recovery
ĢƵ DESA, the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany are hosting a to discuss how incorporating natural capital—or the contributions of nature—into official statistics can help make nature count in business and policy decisions.
The three things that made these countries more successful in fighting COVID
When the outbreak of a new virus in Wuhan, China made world news back in December 2019, few people imagined we were about to face the global crisis that COVID-19 has unleashed. And even those who did, predicted that richer countries would remain relatively unscathed by the virus, with their well-funded health infrastructure with highly trained and experienced personnel and cutting-edge facilities. Developing and least developed countries, on the other hand, were expected to be hit the hardest.
No, the pandemic did not help climate action
As the deadly COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, greenhouse gas emissions plummeted by a record amount. Yet, in the grand scheme of climate change, this historic reduction was but a blip with little impact on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Indigenous peoples’ centuries-long fight against pandemics
For centuries, indigenous peoples worldwide have suffered from epidemics and pandemics brought to their communities by outsiders. This danger only intensified with increased global travel, trade and transportation. In the colonial era, epidemics served as a deadly tool of conquest, leading, in some cases, to the annihilation of entire indigenous populations. Today, they continue to threaten indigenous peoples across the world.
COVID-19 recovery, focus of ĢƵ General Assembly special session
Nations united on Thursday for a special session of the ĢƵ General Assembly to survey the wreckage of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflect on the best response, and forge a path to better days ahead.
Recognize and protect rights of persons with disabilities, ĢƵ chief urges, marking International Day
ĢƵ is commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on Thursday, calling for greater inclusion for persons with disabilities, and recognizing and protecting their human rights.
COVID-19 can spark new generation of social protection measures: ĢƵ chief
While COVID-19 has wiped out important development gains in mere months, with extreme poverty rising for the first time in decades, the pandemic could spark the transformations needed to achieve stronger social protection systems, the ĢƵ Secretary-General said on Tuesday.
Five things you need to know about living with a disability during COVID-19
Every seventh person alive today – more than 1 billion people in total – lives with some form of disability. Despite being so numerous, persons with disabilities are still overwhelmingly overlooked in times of emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ensure safe and hygienic sanitation for all, ĢƵ urges, marking World Toilet Day
The ĢƵ is marking World Toilet Day on Thursday, in a bid to reinforce the need for equal access to sanitation for all. More than a quarter of the global population lack basic facilities, and more than three billion people live in homes without basic hand washing facilities, soap and water.
Internet Governance Forum calls for global unity to bridge digital divides
Advancing digital inclusion and narrowing digital divides will build a strong recovery as the world strives to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, the 15th annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) heard today as it concluded after a series of high-level roundtable discussions.
To recover better from COVID-19, we must invest in… forests
As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on our economies and societies, the United Nations today called for the inclusion of forest financing in efforts to recover from the pandemic.