Ukraine, job prospects, methane emissions, Cities Day… Monday’s news

No ship of the grain export agreement has been used for military purposes

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs informed the Security Council that no ship of the participants in the Black Sea Grain Initiative was in the corridor on the night of October 29, when according to Russia its ships and infrastructure were attacked by Ukraine in the Black Sea.

The alleged attacks have served as a justification for the Russian Federation to announce that it is suspending its participation in the agreement that paves the way for the export of Ukrainian grain and Russian fertilizers.

Martin Griffiths further added that “no military vessels, aircraft or assets are, or have been, involved in support of the Initiative by any party.”

Griffiths said Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the Initiative is “troubling” because there is a thorough process for vessel transit and security in the area.

The UN official stated that such a decision by Russia “would be a serious abuse of the Black Sea Grains Initiative if it were used in any way to gain operational military advantage.”

He also indicated to the Security Council that “the UN has the solemn privilege of helping the Parties to implement this unique agreement” and showed the Organization’s willingness “to investigate, together with the Member States that are part of the Initiative, all and each of the pieces of evidence presented, if so requested.

Global job prospects worsen

The multiple economic crises that the planet is suffering, aggravated by the war in Ukraine, put the recovery of the labor market around the world at risk.

This was announced on Monday by the International Labor Organization which indicated that, if the current evolution continues, job offers will decrease and global employment growth will deteriorate considerably in the last quarter of 2022.

The organization highlights that global instability is compounded by a series of indirect adverse effects that profoundly affect the labor sector, such as the effects of inflation on the price of food and energy, the reduction of wages or the increase in inequality. , Inter alia

The Director General of the Organization, Gilbert F. Houngbo, indicated that to “avoid a significant slowdown in the world labor market, global, integrated and balanced policies will be necessary, both at the national and global levels”.

“We need the application of a broad set of policy tools, including intervening in the prices of public goods; redirecting windfall profits; strengthening income security through social protection; increasing aid to income; and specific measures to help the most vulnerable people and companies,” he detailed.

Oil and gas companies must do more to reduce their methane emissions

A new report from the United Nations Environment Program concludes that many oil and gas companies are increasing their efforts to tackle methane, one of the gases that contributes most to the climate crisis, but that they need to redouble their efforts and to “act more quickly and with more effort”.

The Program’s International Methane Emissions Observatory 2022 noted that more than 80 oil and gas companies around the world have committed to measuring and reducing their methane emissions. Of these, 60 are in the process of reaching the maximum level of disclosure of their emissions.

The executive director of the Program recalled that “reducing methane emissions is the fastest way to combat climate change in the short termas it remains in the atmosphere for far fewer years than carbon dioxide” and called on companies in both sectors to “completely rethink their role as energy companies.”

“To reduce methane emissions, we need to know more. Who emits, where, and how much. A lack of verified emissions data has made it difficult for governments to take targeted action at the scale and speed needed to meet our climate goals, or even to raise political awareness of the problem. What is not measured is not addressed”, Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to at least a quarter of current global warming. According to the report of the Intergovernmental Group on Climate Change Expertsglobal methane emissions must be reduced by 40% to 45% by 2030 if cost-effective pathways are to be found to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Cities are a key factor in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

World Cities Day serves to recognize the fundamental role of urban areas in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, said today the General secretary of the UN in his message for that event.

Despite the fact that next year the half of the deadline to achieve the Goals will be met, António Guterres stressed that we are currently facing a “bleak picture” with setbacks in terms of poverty, hunger, gender equality and education, for which he asked “a change of course” to this situation.

Despite the fact that cities generate more than 80% of global GDP and more than 70% of carbon emissions, “many are leading the transition to renewable energy, setting credible zero emissions goals and building climate-resilient infrastructure,” he said. the head of the UN.

The central act of the celebration took place in the Chinese city of Shanghai.

The slogan chosen this year for the commemoration calls for “Act local to be global” and focuses on the need to promote local action to accelerate the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.