SDGs – More than eight per cent of the world population or around 673 million people are not getting enough to eat and going hungry, according to the UN. Conflict, climate change and inequality are all playing a role, but there are other reasons for what is known rather dryly as “food insecurity.”. Ahead of World Food Day on 16 October, here are five things you need to know about why even though there’s enough food to feed the global population of over eight billion – people still go hungry. – Why are over 670 million people going hungry? | UN News
Climate and Environment – The UN maritime agency opened a special session in London on Tuesday, where nations are debating – and may adopt – a landmark framework to curb greenhouse gas emissions for global shipping, amid intense debate and open US opposition. The framework, developed after years of negotiations and approved in draft form in April, would for the first time establish a mandatory global fuel standard and a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism for ships. Together, they are intended to steer the world’s maritime fleet – which carries about 80 per cent of global trade and produces nearly three per cent of global emissions – toward net zero emissions by 2050. – Nations confront deep divisions over carbon emission cuts to global shipping | UN News
Humanitarian Aid – With the end of the year fast approaching, humanitarians are urging donors to step up support for their operations which remain underfunded due to brutal cuts to aid budgets. The $45.3 billion needed for life-saving activities throughout 2025 was just 21 per cent funded as of September, with nearly $9.6 billion received, the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on Tuesday. This represents “a staggering decrease of over 40 per cent compared to the same time last year.” – Humanitarians call for greater support amid immense needs | UN News
Climate and Environment – In recent years, one of the bright spots amid gloomy predictions about the climate has come from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – an Abu Dhabi-based intergovernmental body – which has consistently pointed out the plummeting costs and soaring efficiency of clean energy sources, such as solar and wind power. On Tuesday, IRENA launched its latest progress report, which reiterated the impressive rise of renewables – 2024 saw a record-breaking additional 582 Gigawatts of renewable energy capacity – but warned that this is still far from the annual increase necessary to wean us off the fossil fuels which are accelerating global warming. – The ‘clean revolution is unstoppable’ but will it arrive too late? | UN News
Libya – The UN’s top envoy for Libya warned on Tuesday that the country’s long-delayed political transition will stay on hold unless rival institutions swiftly resolve differences over election laws and key appointments. Hanna Tetteh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, said that while some progress has been made toward implementing a UN-backed political roadmap, divisions between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State continue to block key steps needed ahead of long-awaited national elections. “The two institutions have yet to achieve this objective,” Ms. Tetteh told ambassadors in the Security Council. “They have not yet discussed jointly the constitutional and legal framework for elections. Achieving political consensus on these matters will be challenging … [but] Libya cannot afford continued delays or disruptions.” – UN envoy warns Libya’s transition at risk amid stalled political roadmap | UN News
Russia/Ukraine – Russian drones hit a “clearly marked” UN convoy on Tuesday which was bringing desperately needed aid to a war-torn frontline town in southern Ukraine. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Matthias Schmale, strongly condemned the attack. “Today, an inter-agency convoy of four humanitarian trucks, clearly marked as belonging to the UN, carrying aid, came under attack by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation when delivering aid to Bilozerka Town in the Kherson Region,” he said in a statement. – Ukraine: Top humanitarian strongly condemns Russian attack on UN aid convoy | UN News
Health – Countries must scale up investment and care to treat neurological disorders, responsible for over 11 million deaths each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. More than 40 per cent of the global population – over three billion people – are affected by neurological conditions, according to WHO’s first-ever report on the issue. The top 10 include stroke, migraine, meningitis, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, as well as neurological complications linked to pre-term birth, autism spectrum disorders, and cancers of the nervous systems. – WHO calls for greater investment in brain health and care services | UN News
Gaza – Around $70 billion will be needed to reconstruct Gaza and make it safe after two years of war, UN development experts said on Tuesday, while aid agencies reported that far too little aid is getting in to meet the needs of desperate Palestinians. At just 41 kilometres long (25.4 miles) and two to five kilometres wide (1.2 to 3.1 miles), few places in the Gaza Strip had been left unscathed by the constant Israeli bombardment before the latest ceasefire came into effect haltingly last Friday. According to the UN Development Programme Special Representative for the Palestinians, Jaco Cilliers, destruction across the enclave “is now in the region of 84 per cent. In certain parts of Gaza, like in Gaza City, it’s even up to 92 per cent.” – Gaza: $70 billion needed to rebuild shattered enclave, says UN | UN News
