UN chief says Ukraine, Gaza inertia harms Security Council
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday deplored what he said were inadequate responses to the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine by the Security Council, saying its authority had been "perhaps fatally" undermined.
Speaking at the opening of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Guterres said the Security Council was often "unable to act on the most significant peace and security issues of our time."
What else did Guterres say?
"The Council's lack of unity on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and on Israel's military operations in Gaza following the horrific terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October, has severely — perhaps fatally — undermined its authority," he said.
"The Council needs serious reform to its composition and working methods."
He that the world is becoming "less safe by the day."
"Our world is changing at warp speed," he told the Human Rights Council. "The multiplication of conflicts is causing unprecedented suffering. But human rights are a constant."
Disputes on Gaza and Ukraine at the UN Security Council
Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, has used its veto right to block several resolutions calling for Moscow to stop its invasion, or those condemning its "annexations" of Ukrainian regions.
The United States last week again vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Israel's offensive against Gaza. Washington said the resolution would interfere with negotiations on a deal to release hostages.
It was the third US veto of a draft resolution since the start of the current fighting on October 7.
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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.
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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.
Deliver on promises, developing world tells rich at climate talks
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.