Ugandan minister accuses West of pushing LGBTQ agenda
7/12/2023: Uganda has pushed back against criticism of its draconian anti-gay laws. US President Joe Biden as well as the European Union and UN chief Antonio Guterres have slammed the legislation, warning that foreign aid and investment for Uganda could be jeopardised unless the law is repealed.
Source: The East African
US tests Congress with $3bn Green Climate Fund pledge
2/12/2023: In a bid to overcome its record of under-delivery that angers developing countries, the US has promised $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund. However, President Biden will have to persuade Republicans in Congress to approve the money, unless he takes control of Congress himself through elections in 2024.
Source: Climate Home News
Rising malaria cases heighten concern about global warming
1/12/2023: Implementation of global malaria strategy is off-track and health experts are concerned that climate change could further increase incidence of the disease. Malaria cases and deaths have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Source: Devex
Countries pledge $400m to set up loss and damage fund
30/11/2023: A new loss and damage fund for the victims of climate disaster has been approved by negotiators on the first day of COP28 in Dubai. Germany and COP28 hosts United Arab Emirates have committed $100 million each to the start-up phase of the fund.
Source: Climate Home News
Aid rankings for sexual and reproductive health
1/12/2023: The US is the only country to allocate more than 10% of its aid budget towards sexual and reproductive health programmes. However, a new donor funding atlas takes into account the policies pursued by each donor nation, as well as the amount of finance.
Source: Devex
Campaigners warn of $343 billion climate finance ‘black hole’
30/11/2023: Donor countries are expected to announce at COP28 that they have hit a target to deliver $100 billion of annual climate finance. New analysis of data reported to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development casts doubts on whether the figures really stand up.
Source: Devex
Security Council agrees to terminate UN mission in Sudan
1/12/2023: The Security Council has decided to terminate the mandate of the UN political mission in Sudan, after Khartoum said that it was failing to meet expectations. It was established in June 2020 as a special political mission, to provide support to Sudan during its political transition to democratic rule.
Source: UN News
Central Niger celebrates junta’s repeal of migration law
29/11/2023: Niger's military junta has signed an order revoking a law to curb the smuggling of migrants from West Africa heading north toward Europe. The law was enacted in 2015, under heavy pressure from the European Union, at the height of the European migrant crisis.
Source: DW
Richest 1% emit as much as two-thirds of humanity
20/11/2023: A new Oxfam report, drawing on research by the Stockholm Environment Institute, exposes the stark gap between the carbon footprints of the super-rich and the bulk of people across the world. Oxfam calls on governments to dramatically reduce inequality.
Source: Oxfam International
Greenpeace identifies nine principles for societies beyond GDP
23/11/2023: Greenpeace has published “Growing the Alternatives: Societies for a Future Beyond GDP”, a set of principles that put the wellbeing of nature, people and society before the need for making profit and growing Gross Domestic Product. GDP rewards waste and pollution and does not take into account vital aspects such as people’s wellbeing or the limits of nature.
Source: Greenpeace International