The report revealed that only 12 per cent of the 169 SDG targets are on track, while progress on 50 per cent is insufficient and weak. Alarmingly, progress has either stalled or regressed on more than 30 per cent of the goals. The COVID-19 pandemic and the "triple crisis" of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution have exacerbated the situation. The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has also contributed to the challenges. The impact of these crises has resulted in an increase in global poverty and hunger, with hunger levels returning to those seen in 2005. Gender equality is projected to be achieved only in approximately 300 years. Furthermore, record-high inequality and rising greenhouse gas emissions have been observed. Guterres emphasized that many developing countries face challenges in investing in the SDGs due to burdensome debt, and climate finance falls far short of commitments. Wealthier nations have yet to fulfil their promise of providing $100 billion annually in support. He stressed that achieving the 2030 Agenda requires fundamental changes in the global economic order, calling it an agenda of justice, equality, sustainable development, and human rights for all. To address the situation, Guterres called for an SDG Stimulus plan of at least $500 billion per year, as well as deep reforms to the international financial architecture. These recommendations were key points in the progress report. The SDG Stimulus aims to scale up affordable long-term financing, address debt issues, and expand contingency financing. However, Guterres noted that these measures alone will not resolve the fundamental issues of the current unjust and dysfunctional global financial system, which requires comprehensive reforms. Guterres also called for a "new Bretton Woods moment" to ensure greater representation of developing countries in global financial institutions, advocating for a financial system that benefits all by prioritizing the needs of developing countries. The progress report provided additional recommendations, including the call for all UN Member States to reaffirm their commitment to achieving the goals by strengthening the social contract and transitioning to green economies. Governments were urged to set and deliver on national benchmarks for reducing poverty and inequality by 2027 and 2030, focusing on areas such as social protection, employment, education, gender equality, and digital inclusion. The report emphasized the need to end the war on nature and support climate action and biodiversity conservation through the Acceleration Agenda and the Global Biodiversity Framework. Additionally, governments were encouraged to strengthen national institutions, regulatory frameworks, and public digital infrastructure to ensure accountability. Multilateral support for the UN development system and decisive action at the Future Summit, scheduled for next year, was also highlighted. The article concluded by mentioning that world leaders will gather at the UN in September for the SDG Summit. It emphasised the importance of this event as a moment of truth and reckoning, calling for renewed hope and determination to kickstart a new drive towards achieving the SDGs. Guterres emphasized that SDG progress is not just about statistical measurements but tangible improvements in people's lives, such as maternal and child health, quality education, renewable energy, and clean air. He urged collective efforts to embark on the challenging yet necessary journey towards the SDGs for the betterment of all people.
More than 2,000 representatives from around the globe gathered at the United Nations in Geneva to address the escalating crisis of chemical pollution, which poses grave risks to both human health and the environment.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has emphasized the urgent need for countries to come together and establish a
A recent study led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) suggests that the colossal bushfires that ravaged Australia from June 2019 to January 2020 had far-reaching effects, including potentially intensifying the rare triple La Niña weather event.
In a study published in ACS Earth and Space Chemistry, researchers have uncovered that climate change intensifies allergy season by affecting the emission of subpollen particles (SPPs) from common allergen-producing plants, such as ryegrass and ragweed. The research also indicates that intact pollen grains have the potential to enhance cloud formation, impacting climate dynamics.
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the rapid ice melting in Greenland. While studying the Petermann Glacier in northwest Greenland, the team identified a previously unknown interaction between the ice and the ocean, which could have significant implications for future sea level rise predictions.
In a rapidly changing world, understanding the intricate interactions between microbes, viruses, and global warming becomes increasingly important for predicting the consequences of climate change on ecosystems.
The Odisha government has announced plans to build the country's first resettlement colony for people displaced by climate change. The colony will be located in Bagapatia and will provide housing, drinking water, electricity connections, roads, and other facilities for people affected by coastal erosion in the Satbhaya region of Kendrapada district. The project has been sanctioned by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has allocated Rs 22.5 crore for the colony's first development phase
France's Pyrénées-Orientales region, which borders Spanish Catalonia, is to become the first district in the country to ban the sale of garden swimming pools due to worsening water shortages. From May 10, the region will be officially declared at drought
World leaders gathered in Berlin for the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) have pledged to phase out the use of fossil fuels by 2050 in a bid to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
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Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master, it was rightly said. Electronic devices have grown into an inevitable part of our daily lives.