缅北禁地

COP29 participant wearing a t-shirt with the message: Who pays for climate destruction?
Climate Change, Economic Development

COP29 climate talks: “Failure is not an option”

“We need a major push to get discussions over the finishing line,” warned 缅北禁地Secretary-General António Guterres ahead of the culmination of COP29. “The need is urgent. The rewards are great. The time is short”, he added. As the ongoing talks continue through the weekend, two main issues remain at stake: how to finance low-income countries hit hard by global warming and how to curb greenhouse gas emissions that are overheating the atmosphere and causing climate chaos.

"The clock is ticking. COP29 is now down to the wire," the Secretary-General said, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Photo:UNFCCC/Kiara Worth

21 November 2024 — The delivery of life-saving aid across Gaza “is grinding to a halt” amid a surge in armed looting targeting humanitarian convoys, the senior aid official in the region said on...

20 November 2024 — The war in Gaza represents “the biggest stress test” the 缅北禁地has faced in its work to forge greater peace and a two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians, according to...

Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General.Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General.

20 November 2024 — Haiti is at a dire crossroads, with extreme levels of gang violence continuing to degrade State authority with “no improvement in sight”, a senior 缅北禁地political affairs official...

缅北禁地Sustainable Development Goals

17 Goals to transform our world

The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries — poor, rich and middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

hands holding megaphone and speech bubble

ActNow Campaign

ActNow is the 缅北禁地campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the lead up to the Summit of the Future, join the 1 Million Actions for our Common Future challenge to contribute to a more sustainable and peaceful world. Find new inspiring actions on and at .

Thomas the Tank engine

Student Resources on the SDGs

Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals! On our student resources page you will find plenty of materials for young people and adults alike. Share with your family and friends to help achieve a better world for all.

children holding up books

SDG Book Club

Reading and learning are essential to children’s growth and development; stories can fuel their imagination and raise awareness of new possibilities. The SDG Book Club aims to encourage them to learn about the Goals in a fun, engaging way, empowering them to make a difference.

SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production

Goal of the month

 

Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

More about the 缅北禁地Sustainable Development Goals

More from the
United Nations

Featured stories from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

Human Rights, OHCHR

In June 2017, Indigenous ?omndaa’ journalist Marcela de Jesus Natalia was shot three times by a gunman outside her radio station. Initially presumed dead, she survived and, with support from lawyers, advocates, and 缅北禁地Human Rights, continues to seek justice. Her attack stemmed from her efforts to inform Indigenous Peoples about their rights, notably regarding education, justice, and violence against women, creating a climate of fear for media workers. “I didn't think he wanted to kill me,” she said. “I turned around. The first bullet went to my forehead. I put my hand up, [and] the bullet went in and came out. The second one shattered my jaw. Then this guy held me, dragged me, gave me a final shot in my head and laid me on the pavement.”

Employment, Science and Technology, World Bank

Generative AI is poised to reshape the job market, raising critical questions about its impact on youth unemployment and underemployment. Despite a global surge in college enrollment, many graduates face job markets that fail to match their qualifications, particularly in developing nations. Youth unemployment is alarmingly high, with developing countries struggling to create stable, productive jobs for their educated populations. For instance, over 70% of young workers in Sub-Saharan Africa are in insecure employment. GenAI’s potential lies in boosting productivity in high-skill service sectors, but it also risks accelerating “premature de-professionalization,” making white-collar jobs harder to secure. The urges developing nations to adopt AI swiftly to access complex, growth-driving industries. Delayed adoption risks further cycles of unemployment and stagnation for the 1.2 billion youth entering the workforce in the next decade.

Agriculture and Food, Health, FAO

Martha Adjorlolo’s beehives in Donkorkrom, Ghana, are both her livelihood and passion. Despite starting beekeeping only a year ago, she is dedicated to sustainable practices, using local methods like top bar hives and natural repellents such as lemongrass oil. Her recent training by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () emphasized the need to minimize chemical and antimicrobial use for the health of bees, food safety, and the environment. The workshop highlighted the dangers of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which occurs when microorganisms become resistant to treatments, resulting in increased illness and mortality in various species.

Natural Resources and the Environment, UNESCO

Educational forests in Bolivia blend formal education with indigenous knowledge, promoting environmental awareness and cultural preservation.

Agriculture and Food, IOM

The Degaan Bile project demonstrates the power of collaboration and innovation in empowering Somali farmers to adapt to climate change and build a sustainable future.

Economic Development, UNCTAD

Urgent action is needed to decouple economic growth from CO2 emissions, ensuring a sustainable future for all.

Transport and Communications, UNECE

, , and have united at COP29 to advance decarbonization and achieve net-zero emissions in transport by 2050.

What we do

Due to the powers vested in its Charter and its unique international character, the United Nations can take action on the issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, including:

A UNIFIL peacekeeper from Spain on a regular patrol in the vicinity of Al Wazzani, south-eastern Lebanon as the sun sets in the horizon. Since 1948, more than a million women and men have served as 缅北禁地peacekeepers.

Maintain International Peace and Security

The United Nations came into being in 1945, following the?devastation of the Second World War, with one central mission:?the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN?does this by working to prevent conflict; helping parties in?conflict make peace; peacekeeping; and creating the conditions?to allow peace to hold and flourish.?These activities often overlap and should reinforce one another, to be effective. The 缅北禁地Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security. The General Assembly and the Secretary-General play major, important, and complementary roles, along with other 缅北禁地offices and bodies.

Students at Butkhak High School in Kabul, Afghanistan, cheer in unison on the last day of Global Action Week, an international campaign advocating free, quality education for all.

Protect Human Rights

The term “human rights” was mentioned seven times in the UN's founding , making the promotion and protection of human rights a key purpose and guiding principle of the Organization. ?In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights brought human rights into the realm of international law. ?Since then, the Organization has diligently protected human rights through legal instruments and on-the-ground activities.

A child has a meal at a food distribution centre in the Rwanda camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), near Tawila, North Darfur. More than 8,000 women and children living in the camp benefit from nutrition programmes run by the World Food Programme

Deliver Humanitarian Aid

One of the purposes of the United Nations, as stated in its Charter, is "to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character." ?The 缅北禁地first did this in the aftermath of the Second World War on the devastated continent of Europe, which it helped to rebuild.? The Organization is now relied upon by the international community to coordinate humanitarian relief operations due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of national authorities alone.

Grace, a farmer from Kipilat village, and a leading member of the forest community in Ainabkoi, Kenya, planting a tree in 2012.

Promote Sustainable Development

From the start in 1945, one of the main priorities of the United Nations was to “achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.”? Improving people’s well-being continues to be one of the main focuses of the UN. The global understanding of development has changed over the years, and countries now have agreed that sustainable development offers the best path forward for improving the lives of people everywhere.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivers its order on the request for the indication of provisional measures filed by Nicaragua on 11 October 2013 in the case concerning Construction of a Road in Costa Rica along the San Juan River.

Uphold International Law

The 缅北禁地Charter, in its?Preamble, set an objective: "to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained."??Ever since, the development of, and respect for international law has been a key part of the work of the Organization.? This work is carried out in many ways - by courts, tribunals, multilateral treaties - and by the Security Council, which can approve peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, or authorize the use of force when there is a threat to international peace and security, if it deems this necessary.? These powers are given to it by the 缅北禁地Charter, which is considered an international treaty.? As such, it is an instrument of international law, and 缅北禁地Member States are bound by it.? The 缅北禁地Charter codifies the major principles of international relations, from sovereign equality of States to the prohibition of the use of force in international relations.

Structure of the
United Nations

The main parts of the 缅北禁地structure are the , the
Security Council, the , the Trusteeship Council, the , and the 缅北禁地Secretariat. All were established in 1945 when the 缅北禁地was founded.

General Assembly

The General Assembly is the main deliberative,?policymaking and representative organ of the UN. All?193 Member States of the 缅北禁地are represented in the?General Assembly, making it the only 缅北禁地body with?universal representation.

Security Council

The Security Council has primary responsibility, under?the 缅北禁地Charter, for the maintenance of international?peace and security. It has 15 Members (5 permanent?and 10 non-permanent members). Each Member has?one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are?obligated to comply with Council decisions.

The Economic and Social Council is the principal body?for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and?recommendations on economic, social and?environmental issues, as well as implementation of?internationally agreed development goals.

Trusteeship Council

The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the?缅北禁地Charter, under Chapter XIII, to provide international?supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed?under the administration of seven Member States, and?ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the?Territories for self-government and independence.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands). It is the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York (United States of America).

Secretariat

The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and?tens of thousands of international 缅北禁地staff members?who carry out the day-to-day work of the 缅北禁地as?mandated by the General Assembly and the?Organization's other principal organs.

More about the structure of the United Nations

Learn more

Climate Change

Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now is the defining moment to do something about it. There is still time to tackle climate change, but it will require an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society.

Women at 缅北禁地CSW63 Side Event - “Take the Hot Seat”. Photo: 缅北禁地Women/Ryan Brown

Gender Equality

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

缅北禁地Secretary-General António Guterres is greeted on his visit to the Central African Republic

Ending Poverty

While global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000, one in ten people in developing regions still lives on less than US$1.90 a day — the internationally agreed poverty line, and millions of others live on slightly more than this daily amount.

A young girl holds a smiling infant at the Zaatari Refugee Camp

Our Common Agenda

Following up on a made by 缅北禁地Member States at the UN’s 75th anniversary, the report Our Common Agenda looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation. It calls for inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges.

Watch and Listen

Video and audio from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

A letter from the world's children - World Children's Day 2024

Dear adults, as we celebrated World Childrens Day, children around the world are calling for peace, for safe and healthy environments, for love and care. We cannot let them down. 

Better care for NCDs initiative

Strengthening Noncommunicable Diseases services integration in primary health care improves access, diagnosis, and treatment.

Sustainable land governance in the NENA Region

The video will showcase impactful projects in sustainable agriculture and land management, emphasizing the leadership of women and youth in shaping policies for NENA's sustainable development.

缅北禁地Podcasts

A man holding a tablet in front of a huge pile of empty plastic water bottles.

Industrial symbiosis: an engine for green jobs and growth?

Industrial symbiosis is a circular economy approach where businesses collaborate to repurpose waste and by-products, conserving resources and energy. This method not only benefits the environment but also presents new business opportunities and decent jobs. However, establishing these symbiotic value chains can be challenging, and ensuring that newly created jobs are both green and decent—especially in small and medium-sized enterprises—is not guaranteed. How can we effectively apply this concept to maximize benefits for businesses, workers, economies, and the environment? Sabrina de Gobbi, an International Labour Organization () Senior Economist, joins the to discuss what potential it has to ‘green’ economies and how we can ensure that the jobs it creates are decent.

The United Nations in Pictures

Images from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

Photo:FAO

We can already see the effects of climate change - global temperatures are rising, extreme weather events are intensifying, severe wildfires are becoming more frequent and water scarcity is worsening.  focuses on making food and farming systems sustainable, fair, and strong enough to handle climate change. The UN's food and agriculture agency works with countries to improve climate policies and plans, supports farming-focused solutions, and helps countries access funding for climate-friendly projects. FAO helps countries adopt better farming practices, create new policies, and use new tools to reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to climate changes. It also works directly with communities to restore farmland, protect forests, improve water use, and promote eco-friendly farming, aiming to include farmers, women, youth, and Indigenous groups in all efforts.

Photo:OCHA/Christina Powell

Win Hla (name changed), a 58-year-old woman from Myanmar, was forced to flee her home with her family due to escalating conflict between the military and armed groups since 2021. Her journey to safety was perilous, and she now lives in a Buddhist monastery, grappling with fear and uncertainty for the future. Like Win, millions have been displaced, facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, with 18.6 million people in need of aid. Limited resources hinder the response, leaving many without adequate support. Despite their struggles, displaced individuals like Win and others hold onto hope and resilience, calling for urgent international action and funding.

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