United Nations peacekeepers make a tangible difference in the lives of millions of people every day. At a time when we are witnessing a trend of deteriorating security and political situations, more than 87,000 peacekeepers from over 120 countries are helping save lives, preventing conflict, and creating conditions for lasting peace. And they are doing so while increasingly coming under attack. These peacekeepers are part of a collective investment in global peace and security, which starts with the commitment of all partners that make up UN peacekeeping. This includes Member States, the Security Council, General Assembly, host countries, and regional and international organizations -- all of whom have the unique ability to shape our response in some of the world’s most complex settings. If UN peacekeeping is the international community’s most effective tool to help countries transition to peace, what do our operations need to successfully face emerging and growing threats? What is required from this partnership to ensure that we meet the expectations of those we serve and can deliver on what we have set out to accomplish? The answers to these significant questions lie at the heart of the 2021 Seoul UN Peacekeeping Ministerial on December 7 and December 8 that will bring together more than 100 countries. The Ministerial will now be organized virtually by the Republic of Korea due to concerns surrounding the pandemic. From New York to London to Vancouver, this is the latest in a series of high-level events dating back to 2014 that has witnessed world leaders pledge substantial resources to strengthen and reinvigorate UN peacekeeping.
India’s economy will become carbon neutral by the year 2070, the country’s prime minster has announced at the COP26 climate crisis summit in Glasgow. The target date is two decades beyond what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts. India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target, with China saying it would reach that goal in 2060, and the United States and the European Union aiming for 2050.
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
A crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions. World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday. The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments at the weekend.