Destruction in the suburbs of Beirut. Top news of the day | Wednesday: COP29, Gaza, Lebanon UN
Top news of the day in the UN and in the world: Secretary General calls on developed countries to allocate at least $40 billion a year to adapt to climate change, Gaza running out of food, humanitarian situation worsening in Lebanon, fair use of transition minerals.
Climate Conference
The Secretary-General took part in a number of high-level events on Wednesday as part of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference in Baku. In his speeches, he tried to convince world leaders of the need to act to protect humanity from the devastating effects of climate change. According to him, developed countries must fulfill their commitment to double funding for adaptation measures to global warming to at least $40 billion a year by next year. The UN chief also called for ensuring that the “green” transition reduces inequality – both within and between countries.
Food shortages in Gaza
Six attempts to deliver vital aid to besieged areas in northern Gaza were blocked on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said today. Entire food groups have disappeared from Gaza, he said. Dairy products and eggs are hardly available, while the very limited amount of fruit and vegetables can be found at extremely high prices. The cost of many items has increased by more than 1,000 percent compared to pre-war prices.
Conflict in Lebanon
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the humanitarian situation in Lebanon continues to deteriorate, including due to evacuations from the southern suburbs of Beirut. OCHA reminds that warnings and orders for movement must be clear and allow sufficient time for the safe evacuation of civilians. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reports that 142 health workers have died in the line of duty since October 2023.
Transition minerals
One of the leading topics on the third day of the UN Climate Conference was the issue of extraction and fair distribution of minerals needed, in particular, for the production of electric vehicles and solar panels. In his speech, the UN Secretary-General called on the meeting participants to prevent a “surge in greed” among producers. Growing demand for essential minerals could lead to continued dependence on raw materials, as well as an exacerbation of geopolitical tensions, environmental and social problems. These phenomena can be prevented, but to do so we must ensure that the countries and local communities that possess these resources receive the greatest benefits.