Talks open on plastics treaty to defuse environmental 'time bomb'
About 69% of all the plastics produced, mainly through fossil fuel burning, are used just once or twice before they are thrown away. About 22% is mismanaged. Just 9% is recycled.
UNESCO
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U.N. proposes global 'roadmap' to 80% cut in plastic pollution by 2040
The estimated annual social and environmental costs of plastic pollution range from $300 billion to $1.5 trillion.
Faking content is getting easier. Digging for truth is getting harder.
There's a growing industry and more tools for producing and distributing disinformation. Meanwhile, authorities are getting more aggressive and hostile toward journalists.
World marks horrific slave trade history to guard against more abuses
The idea is to preserve and teach an ugly chapter of history that might help ward off humanity’s worst impulses.
Odesa historic center added to UNESCO's World Heritage List
The listing means 194 nations must commit to not deliberately cause direct or indirect damage to Odesa, and to help protect it.
Passing of Pelé mourned as his legacy of sport for peace lives on
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Pelé was unique in so many ways: the only player to have won the FIFA World Cup three times; an athlete with incomparable skills and imagination; and the ability to rise above racism and poverty.
Researchers seek greater Indigenous peoples' voice in climate policy
Indigenous communities have long coped with climate uncertainties. Researchers suggest tapping that knowledge.
Nations approve first guidelines for valuing nature
The IPBES guidelines could prod decision-making beyond just politics and economics to deal with our massive loss of species and rising temperatures.
Mammoth digital effort aims to resuscitate League of Nations' legacy
Ten million pages scanned, five million more to go. The digitization project for the archives hit the two-thirds mark.
IUCN finds climate top threat to UNESCO sites
Climate change is damaging one-third of the world's UNESCO sites and has become the single-biggest threat they face, IUCN warned.
Biden U.N. pick signals U.S. return to alliances
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s selection of Linda Thomas-Greenfield to serve as ambassador to the U.N. signals America's pivot back to multilateralism.
IPBES ties pandemic risks to nature crisis
Pandemics will become more frequent, faster-spreading and deadlier than COVID-19 if Earth’s natural life support systems are not restored, IPBES reported.
WMO reports world near Paris accord 1.5° limit
WMO reported that global warming has made it 70% likely one or more months between 2020 and 2024 will exceed a Paris Agreement limit.
WADA dispute could entangle U.S. athletes
WADA said it will consider amending its rules to prevent the United States from jeopardizing the global anti-doping system.
Rebuilding tourism industry a U.N. priority
The pandemic could eliminate 40% of global tourism's 300 million jobs — one of every 10 — and trillions of dollars essential to developing economies.
Generation of students at risk from school closures
A generation of children could suffer major setbacks if nations fail to sufficiently contain the coronavirus so schools can reopen, according to UNESCO data.