July to December — World Points

July: Is a second half comeback potential?

2023 marked the halfway level for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a blueprint for a greater future adopted by all UN Member States in 2015. The half-time rating confirmed that the world is falling behind on all the 17 Objectives and can wrestle to realize any of them by 2030.

The Excessive-Stage Political Discussion board (HLPF) – the large mid-year occasion at UN Headquarters to guage progress on the SDGs, held from 8 to 17 July – might be a possibility to guage how a lot political will there may be to show them right into a actuality. Count on a concentrate on starvation and poverty, local weather change, and sustainable improvement.

In different information: Look to the celebrities

When you caught the Brad Pitt film Advert Astra in 2019, you may bear in mind a seemingly outlandish shootout on the floor of the Moon. But, because the prospect of a lunar base being established within the subsequent few years turns into extra probably, there’s a rising realization that, to keep away from a possible free-for-all, there should be worldwide agreements on easy methods to exploit the Moon’s sources.

The contemporary consideration prompted the Basic Meeting to designate 20 July – the anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar touchdown –as International Moon Day, in a 2012 Decision on “worldwide cooperation within the peaceable makes use of of outer area”. Curiosity has grown since then, and this 12 months round 42 occasions befell all over the world, from workshops to panel discussions.

Humanitarian employees are recognised yearly on World Humanitarian Day on 19 August for his or her contribution to the survival, well-being, and dignity of individuals affected by crises all over the world.

The commemoration was established 21 years in the past, after the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, was bombed and 22 assist employees, together with the Particular Consultant of the Secretary-Basic for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, had been killed.

The day which additionally focuses on the security of humanitarians will acknowledge all these, together with a report quantity in Gaza, who’ve misplaced their lives serving others.

In different information: Beat the drum

August will mark three years because the de facto Taliban authorities seized energy in Afghanistan. The UN continues to supply humanitarian reduction and crucially to advocate for human rights, particularly these of ladies and women.

When you may have lemons, make lemonade. When you may have an oil drum…make music! The thought of turning oil drums into steelpans started in Trinidad & Tobago within the early 20^th Century, and the steelpan music that may now be heard all over the world is a hyperlink to the West African percussive traditions saved alive by slaves taken to work on Caribbean plantations. The facility and custom of steelpan music is widely known on 11 August, on World Steelpan Day.

September: Look to the longer term, it’s solely simply begun

Look out for the Summit of the Future on 22 and 23 September, which goals to “forge a brand new worldwide consensus on how we ship a greater [DD2] current and safeguard the longer term”. A “pact for the longer term” might be adopted, within the hope that it’s going to result in the worldwide group successfully tackling present challenges, in addition to those who have emerged in recent times or might but be over the horizon.

The Summit would be the centrepiece of Basic Meeting Excessive-Stage week, historically the busiest time of the 12 months at UN Headquarters.

The Excessive-Stage Debate, through which the leaders of Member States are invited to talk within the Basic Meeting constructing, will start on Tuesday 24 September.

In different information: All moderately

We’ll by no means be capable of stay in concord with the planet, with out taking a detailed take a look at the best way we produce and eat. The One Planet Network, which incorporates UN businesses, governments, NGOs and tutorial establishments, goals to encourage a worldwide motion for sustainable consumption and manufacturing, by sharing information and inspiring motion for change.

After holding its preliminary Discussion board in Stockholm in 2022, the second version will happen on 12 September, and can establish contemporary options, instruments, and techniques for a sustainable future.

October: Bringing biodiversity again from the brink

The pure world is going through a harmful decline, and round a million species are beneath risk. Between 21 October and 1 November, the UN biodiversity conference will happen in Turkey, the place delegates will focus on easy methods to flip restore lands and seas in a approach that protects the planet, and respects the rights of native communities.

The occasion will construct on the historic achievement of a historic agreement reached by the worldwide group, to guard nature, and set world targets to safeguard biodiversity. The problem might be to show these formidable targets into motion by 2030.

In different information: Feed the world

The world presently produces sufficient meals to feed everybody, however final 12 months greater than 810 million individuals went hungry. To offer contemporary impetus for a remodeled world meals system, the UN held the primary World Food Forum in Rome in 2023, a four-day youth-led occasion, that includes Heads of State, meals influencers, artists, and UN specialists.

The second version, which begins on 14 October, will construct on the success of the inaugural Discussion board, and proceed the expansion of a worldwide motion to revive and renew agri-food methods, and get rid of starvation.

November: The local weather bandwagon strikes to Azerbaijan

After three a long time of UN local weather conferences, the nations of the world lastly expressed an aspiration to transition away from fossil fuels, on the 2023 convention in Dubai. This was hailed by some as some by a breakthrough, and the start of the top for soiled energy sources, however many individuals, together with António Guterres, the UN Secretary-Basic, had been pissed off on the gradual tempo at which the world is shifting in direction of a carbon-free future.

“A fossil gas section out is inevitable. Let’s hope it doesn’t come too late,” stated Mr. Guterres in response to the declaration. With the concentrate on the local weather disaster solely prone to intensify subsequent 12 months, all eyes might be on Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 24 November, host of the 2024 convention (COP29), to see if the tempo of change might be sped up.

In different information: Cities on the agenda

The inexorable motion of populations from rural areas to city conurbations exhibits no signal of slowing down, rising the stress on municipal authorities to supply satisfactory providers for his or her residents.

Over the previous 20 years, the World City Discussion board, established by the UN, has develop into the important thing world occasion on sustainable urbanization. The 12^th version might be held from 4–8 November 2024 in Cairo, Egypt, simply earlier than the large COP29 assembly in Baku, and guarantees to be as inclusive as earlier occasions, giving a variety of individuals with a stake in making cities habitable, clear and thriving, the chance to have their say.

December: Nuclear security within the highlight

Nuclear vitality has been touted as an vital device within the transfer to a zero-carbon vitality system. Nonetheless, fears concerning the security of the vitality sources persist: many nonetheless bear in mind the environmental penalties of the Fukushima catastrophe in 2011, and the Chernobyl explosion in 1986.

From 2 – 6 December, the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA) will maintain the fourth International Conference on Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Security in Vienna, Austria. The occasion will play an important half in nationwide and worldwide efforts being made to make sure the effectiveness of nuclear and radiation security, and the safety of services and actions.

In different information: Hoops for peace?

There are dozens of basic elections anticipated to happen internationally in 2024 together with in South Sudan. The primary post-independence elections which had been resulting from be held in 2015, had been delayed and can hopefully happen earlier than the top of the 12 months. The UN peacekeeping mission, UNMISS, is implementing proactive measures geared toward mitigating the dangers of violence earlier than, throughout and after voting.

In the meantime, basketball which was first performed within the US in 1891, is being acknowledged for its function in supporting the empowerment of ladies and women, selling peace and improvement, and respect for human rights.

The second World Basketball Day celebrations will happen on 21 December.