Category Archives: News

Ensuring a Robust and Reliable Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System For The PICT Region.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)- Pacific Tsunami Warning Systems (PTWS) Working Group on Tsunami Warning and Mitigation for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT’s) has successfully completed its 5th regional meeting that was held in Honiara, Solomon Islands from the 7th to the 9th of August.

The meeting which was attended by close to 30 representatives from Pacific countries and invited experts and observers, was the opportunity for tsunami warning and mitigation focal points to share the progress of national efforts to ensure effective and reliable tsunami warning and mitigation services for their countries.

The meeting allowed the participants to review tsunami detection, warning and response capabilities of the PICT’s and tsunami mitigation activities in the region. This meeting was also very important for the Working Group to discuss their priorities and future actions.

 

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Five Asia/Pacific activists reach Young Champions of the Earth regional finals

  • UN Environment has selected five young environmental change makers from the Asia/Pacific region as regional finalists of the inaugural Young Champions of the Earth prize.
  • The public is invited to rate the finalists’ ideas to save the environment.
  • A global jury will award one Young Champion per region with $15,000 in funding and technical support to bring their ideas to life.

15 Aug. 2017 – Today, the United Nations Environment Programme announced a shortlist of regional finalists for the Young Champions of the Earth prize – a global competition aiming to identify, support and celebrate outstanding individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 with big ideas to protect or restore the environment.

From over 600 applicants, 30 regional finalists—all with emphatic track records of environmental commitment—were selected for having the most innovative, scalable and potentially impactful ideas.

Five of the 30 regional finalists hail from the Asia/Pacific regions, with projects submitted from China (Siting Zhuang), Bangladesh (Shougat Nazbin Khan), India (Ankit Agarwal), Indonesia (Awaludin Aryanto), and the Pacific island of Kiribati (Eritai Kateibwi).

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International Day Of Youth

Youth have an important role to play in building peace. Today’s generation of youth is the largest the world has ever known and youth account for many of those affected by armed conflict.

International Youth Day August 12, 2017
celebrates Youth Building Peace and recognizes the significant role that young people play in the maintenance and promotion of international security.

More about International Youth Day

Realizing the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – A Decade in Review – Press Conference (9 August 2017)

Press conference by Ms. Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine, Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Ms. Chandra Roy-Henriksen, Chief of the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and Mr. Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild, Cree Chief, Canada, on “Realizing the rights of indigenous peoples – a decade in review”.

Indigenous Peoples Still Face Exclusion, Vulnerability Despite Recent Progress, More than 40 United Nations Agencies Say in Joint Statement

Ten years after the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, progress has been made in terms of the formal recognition of indigenous peoples in several countries, but they overwhelmingly continue to face discrimination, marginalization and major challenges in enjoying their basic rights.

“While indigenous peoples have made significant advancements in advocating for their rights in international and regional fora, implementation of the Declaration is impeded by persisting vulnerability and exclusion, particularly among indigenous women, children, youth and persons with disabilities,” more than 40 United Nations system entities and other international organizations said in a joint statement.

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Join Our Exciting Campaign with Twitter – UN International Day for the World’s Indigenous People’s August 9

This year marks the 10 Year Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 13 September 2007. The Declaration established a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity, and well-being of indigenous peoples. The landmark document is the most comprehensive international instrument on indigenous peoples’ rights, including the rights to
self-determination, traditional lands, territories and resources, education, culture, health and development.

To elevate the profile of the anniversary on social media, the United Nations Department of Public Information is partnering with Twitter to create and promote a branded emoji that will be live from 8 August to 15 September, covering both International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (9 August) and the actual date of the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (13 September).

Join in the conversation and help us raise awareness of this important day by doing the following:

Use hashtags: We have ten hashtags that will activate the special emoji. Tweet and include one (or more!) of the following hashtags to join in the conversation!

#WeAreIndigenous #SomosIndígenas #autochtones #IndigenousDay #UNDRIP #DIPI2017 #PueblosIndígenas #DíaPueblosIndígenas #SomosIndígenas #SoyIndígena

Tweet with photos: We’ve created a number of photos featuring the emoji and important facts about International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Tweet using these photos to get the message out there. Link for photo download here.

Follow on Twitter: Make sure to follow follow @UN4Indigenous, @UN, and @UNICCanberra for updates. Twitter will be also be driving this conversation through their official handles @Policy, @TwitterGov, @TwitterAU, and @TwitterLatAm.

For more information about International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, visit the UN website to find out more.

Note to Correspondents on the Paris Climate Change Agreement

In answers to questions received, I can confirm that today, 4 August 2017,
the Secretary-General received, in his capacity as Depositary of the Paris Agreement, a communication from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America expressing the intention of the United States to exercise its right to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, as soon as it is eligible to do so under the Agreement, unless it identifies suitable terms for reengagement. The Secretary General welcomes any effort to reengage in the Paris Agreement by the United States.

Under article 28 of the Paris Agreement, a Party may withdraw at any time after three years from the date on which the Agreement has entered into force for that Party, and such withdrawal takes effect upon expiry of one year from the date of receipt by the Depositary of the notification of withdrawal. The United States accepted the Paris Agreement on 3 September 2016 and the Agreement entered into force for the United States on 4 November 2016.

The Secretary-General will circulate the text of this communication as a depositary notification, in English and French, early next week.

As the Secretary-General said in a statement on 1 June 2017, the decision by the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is a major disappointment for global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote global security. It is crucial that the United States remains a leader on climate and sustainable development. Climate change is impacting now. He looks forward to engaging with the American government and all other actors in the United States and around the world to build the sustainable future for our children and future generations.

Stéphane Dujarric
Spokesman for the Secretary-General

New York
4 August 2017

ISIL’s ‘genocide’ against Yazidis is ongoing, UN rights panel says, calling for international action

Marking three years since the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) attacked the Yazidis in Syria, a United Nations-mandated inquiry has called for justice and rescue plans.

“The Commission of Inquiry calls on the international community to recognize the crime of genocide being committed by ISIL against the Yazidis and to undertake steps to refer the situation to justice,” said the expert panel in a statement marking the third anniversary of ISIL’s attack on the Yazidis.

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