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"Climate change is running faster than we are. The commitments made so far by parties to the Paris Agreement represent just one third of what is needed. We risk irreversible catastrophe if we don't act more quickly and with more ambition" - Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations (Climate Finance Ministerial Meeting)

UN OCEAN CONFERENCE, Lisbon, Portugal. 27 June - 1 July 2022

At the end of the month, world leaders, youth, entrepreneurs, and civil society will gather in Lisbon, Portugal, for the second UN Ocean Conference, to mobilize action and jumpstart science-based innovative solutions aimed at starting a new chapter of global ocean action. Co-hosted by Portugal and Kenya, the event will be a platform to effectively address the challenges that the ocean is now facing.

UN Names Sir David Attenborough "Champion of the Earth"

The United Nations has recognized Attenborough’s outsized impact on the global environmental movement, presenting him with the UN Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. The award is the UN’s highest environmental honour and celebrates those who have dedicated their lives to tackling crises like climate change, species loss and pollution.

“You have been an extraordinary inspiration for so many people,” said Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), as she presented Attenborough with the award. “You spoke for the planet long before anyone else did and you continue to hold our feet to the fire.”

Along with his work in the media, Attenborough is one of the leading voices of the global environmental movement. He has appeared at landmark summits, like the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference, where he has called for a unified global effort to combat the threats to the Earth.

UN Day to combat desertification and drought - 17 June 2022

Drought is one of the most destructive natural disasters in terms of the loss of life, arising from impacts, such as widescale crop failure, wildfires and water stress. Exacerbated by land degradation and climate change, droughts are increasing in frequency and severity, up 29% since 2000, with 55 million people affected every year. By 2050, droughts may affect an estimated three-quarters of the world’s population. It’s a global and urgent issue.

Between 1900 and 2019, droughts impacted 2.7 billion people in the world, and caused 11.7 million deaths.

Drought, with a focus on early action to prevent disastrous outcomes, is the theme of the Desertification and Drought Day marked on 17 June 2022.

This year’s global observance of Desertification and Drought Day will take place in Madrid, Spain. Spain is vulnerable to drought, water shortages and connected climate change impacts. The Spanish Government is at the forefront of dealing with these issues and has best practice to share.

UN Climate Change Conference, Bonn, Germany, 6 - 16 June 2022

In a powerful address, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary, Ms. Patricia Espinosa announced the end of her term in office after six years at the helm of the UN climate change secretariat. She urged delegates to continue to support its work, and “inclusive multilateralism”, which encompasses the work of all key stakeholders to address climate change.

In Bonn, this week, world governments will focus on work in the key areas of mitigation, adaptation, support to developing countries - particularly finance - and loss and damage, according to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat, UNFCCC. The UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn will Lay the Groundwork for Success at COP27.

UN World Oceans Day - 8 June 2022

The purpose of UN World Oceans Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans.

This year, the United Nations will host the first hybrid celebration of the annual event on 8 June 2022, hosted in-person at the UN Headquarters in New York to be broadcasted live. It will highlight the 2022 theme of “Revitalization: collective action for the ocean”.

Join the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, join our Network!

For more information, please follow this link Generation Restoration

World Environment Day 2022

What is World Environment Day?

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on 5 June since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world. This year it is hosted by Sweden.

International Day for Biological Diversity, 22 May 2022

The theme in 2022 is “Building a shared future for all life”. Fitting within the context of the ongoing United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which highlights that biodiversity is the answer to several sustainable development challenges, the slogan conveys the message that biodiversity is the foundation upon which we can build back better.

UK Government Climate & Oceans policy: Science, Formation and Implementation of offshore renewable energy

This webinar aims to shed light on the science driving UK Government climate policy, its formation, and how policy then informs the push for UK offshore renewable energy. Offshore wind accounts for 13% of the UK's total energy budget (ONS, 2020.). With spiralling energy costs looming and a concerted push towards renewables, it is essential to understand how this growing source will shape the energy sector in the next few decades.

For more information please visit the following link HERE

The Global Biodiversity Framework: Is extinction inevitable?

The United Nations Association Climate & Oceans hosted this interesting online event that addressed the issues regarding the loss of Biodiversity on the planet. Dr Adriana Ford explained what the Global Biodiversity Framework has achieved so far since 2020, what we need from COP15 in 2022, and what can you do about it at local level.

Our Isles and Oceans

The spring programme 2022 has been launched!

Our Isles and Oceans offshore sailing project works with partners and organisations to achieve a key objective - to help young people build sustainable livelihoods through personal and professional development.

For more information please visit the link HERE

Response Letter from the Minister of State for School Standards to our Youth Statement Report

Read Letter HERE

UNA Youth Ambassador, Gail Sant, meeting with H.E. Abdulla Shahid, President of the UN General Assembly (Delegate to COY16 and COP26, Glasgow, November 2021)

UN COP26 - the outcome: The Glasgow Climate Pact

After extending the COP26 climate negotiations an extra day, nearly 200 countries meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, adopted an outcome document that, according to the UN Secretary-General, “reflects the interests, the contradictions, and the state of political will in the world today”.

Read full article HERE

United Nations Association Climate and Oceans partners with Our Isles and Oceans

The United Nations Association Climate and Oceans has announced its partnership with the recently launched Our Isles and Oceans offshore sailing project.

Our Isles and Oceans launched at the beginning of June 2021 and is an organisation built to create funded training programmes for young people affected by the pandemic and lockdown. Our Isles and Oceans is also one of the first organisations announced as a Clipper Race Team Partner in the Clipper 2023-24 Round the World Yacht Race.

Our Isles and Oceans’ mission statement is ‘Youth Opportunity and Professional Development for Sustainable Livelihoods.’ It intends on, through the vehicle of sport and business, highlighting the importance of a sustainable future for the next generation and has now secured a partnership with the United Nations Association Climate and Oceans as the UN heads into a Decade of research on Ocean Science for sustainable development (2021 - 2030).

Biodiversity and Climate Crisis Summit - Digital Environmental Exhibition 2021

Visit the Digital Environmental Exhibiton HERE

READ ARTICLE HERE

Making Peace with Nature

The first UNEP synthesis report is titled: “Making Peace With Nature: A scientific blueprint to tackle the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies” and is based on evidence from global environmental assessments.

The resulting synthesis communicates how climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution can be tackled jointly within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. The report serves to translate the current state of scientific knowledge into crisp, clear and digestible facts-based messages that the world can relate to and follow up on. It first provides an Earth diagnosis of current and projected human-induced environmental change, by putting facts and interlinkages in perspective, including by using smart infographics. In building on this diagnosis, the report identifies the shifts needed to close gaps between current actions and those needed to achieve sustainable development. The analysis is anchored in current economic, social and ecological reality and framed by economics and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By synthesizing the latest scientific findings from the global environmental assessments, the report communicates the current status of the world’s urgent issues and opportunities to solve them.