UN Secretary-General declared that the Pacific region was threatened by climate change, the European Commission announced record funding for education in emergencies and more than one million Palestine refugees risk food shortage. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
“The Pacific region is on the frontline of climate change”
Visiting Fiji for the first time as Secretary-General, António Guterres outlined two “fundamental challenges” facing leaders attending the Pacific Islands Forum, namely climate change and the world’s rising ocean, which threatens to submerge low-lying nations. In the Pacific specifically, he said that sea-levels are set to rise in some countries four times above the global average, posing “an existential threat to some island States”.
The UN chief also spoke of his Climate Action Summit in September at UN Headquarters, as an opportunity to address the intertwined challenges of climate change and ocean health.
EU announces record humanitarian funding for education in emergencies
The European Commission has announced an unprecedented €164 million for Education in Emergencies projects in 2019.
“Education in emergencies is an absolute priority for the European Union. (…) We are making a concrete investment to peace by helping every child get access to school, anywhere and at all times,” said Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management said.
To raise awareness about the need to guarantee access to education for all crisis-affected girls and boys worldwide, the #RaiseYourPencil campaign was also launched to encourage young Europeans to express solidarity with their peers around the world who cannot go to school because of emergencies.
More than one million people in Gaza may not have enough food by June
Unless UNRWA secures US$ 60 million by June, its ability to continue providing food to more than 1 million Palestine refugees in Gaza will be severely challenged.
“This is a near ten-fold increase caused by the blockade that lead to the closure of Gaza and its disastrous impact on the local economy, the successive conflicts that razed entire neighborhoods and public infrastructure to the ground, and the ongoing internal Palestinian political crisis that started in 2007 with the arrival of Hamas to power in Gaza,” said Matthias Schmale, Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza.
More than half the population depends on food aid from the international community in Gaza.
Here is what else has happened
Maritime GHG emissions: A major international project to support the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s initial strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping has been launched. More than 50 countries in 14 sub-regions across the globe are expected to participate, with the project aiming to build capacity in developing countries, including small island developing states.
Women entrepreneurs: Global partners announced a $61.8 million allocation to boost an African Development Bank initiative for women entrepreneurs. The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative contribution is expected to improve access to finance for 40,000 women-owned/led small and medium enterprises in 21 African countries.
Rohingya refugees: Over 250,000 Rohingya refugees have been jointly registered and provided with identity cards by the Bangladesh authorities and UNHCR. Despite living in Myanmar for generations, the Rohingya lost their citizenship following a change in Myanmar laws in 1982, leading to them continuing to be stateless while sheltering in Bangladesh.
EU Solidarity Fund: The European Commission proposed €293.5 million under the EU Solidarity Fund for Austria, Italy and Romania following natural disasters that occurred in 2018. The funds will finance recovery works following heavy rains, strong winds, floods and landslides in the three countries.
Pollution: A landmark decisions to protect people and the planet from hazardous chemicals and waste, including plastic waste was agreed upon. 180 Governments amended the Basel Convention to include plastic waste in a legally-binding framework which will make global trade in plastic waste more transparent and better regulated. Other far-reaching decisions included the elimination of two toxic chemical groups, which together total about 4,000 chemicals.
Reports
Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2019
The world faces new and much larger threats than ever before, linked to climate change, environmental degradation, and the growing potential for one disaster to produce or exacerbate another, says a new report from the United Nations.
The Global Assessment Report warns that unsustainable patterns of economic activity hide the build-up of systemic risks across sectors.
“We witness severe inequalities of burden sharing between low and high-income countries, with the poorest bearing the highest toll and greatest costs of disasters. Human losses and asset losses relative to GDP tend to be higher in the countries with the least capacity to prepare, finance and respond to disasters and climate change, such as in small island developing States,” the report argues.
Moreover, according to IOM, last year alone more than 17 million people were displaced following disasters – accounting for 61 percent of all internal displacements globally.
Events announced
18th Responsible Business Summit Europe 2019
London, UK
10-12 June 2019
The 18th Responsible Business Summit will address six key themes: strategy, innovation and impact; climate action and investment; responsible supply chains; investor focus; measure, evidence and report; and communicate and engage.
The Summit will include a half-day Circular Economy Forum, as well as numerous workshops that will discuss issues such as integrating the SDGs in future business strategies, SDG reporting, and reducing, recycling and replacing plastics.
XIII UNESCO Creative Cities Conference (UCCN)
Fabriano, Italy
10-15 June 2019
The foreseen theme of the meeting is “Culture – Creativity – Innovation – Inclusion: The Ideal City” echoing to the well-known painting “La città Ideale” (The Ideal City), which conveys the values that in a well-ordered society, architecture stands as a metaphor for good city planning and government.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
