World news in brief: Ukraine rescue effort, kidnapped Libyan activist, climate change impact on fish stocks, SDG ‘wake-up call’
The attacks also damaged 130 buildings – rescue workers are still working to clear the rubble.
Rescue operations
Airstrikes on Monday hit and damaged the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, where rescue operations have ended.
According to government officials and partners at the scene, six children injured in the attack are being rescued and about 600 children have been transferred to various medical facilities in the city and surrounding areas for care.
OCHA reported Relief organizations have provided emergency medical and psychological support, drinking water, hygiene kits and other supplies to people.
The report added that “aid workers registered people receiving cash assistance, including families whose loved ones were killed or injured, as well as those whose homes were damaged”.
Other United Nations agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), is continuing to work with medical teams to provide medical aid and equipment.
Libya: Call for release of kidnapped political activist
United Nations Support Mission in Libya (NO SMILE) said on Wednesday that it was deeply concerned by reports of the recent abduction of a political activist whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Al-Moatassim Al-Areebi, 29, was kidnapped on Monday in the northwestern city of Misrata, about 187 kilometers east of the capital Tripoli.
IN statement, UNSMIL reiterates the call of members of the Misrata City Council and community representatives, urging the city’s security and law enforcement agencies to urgently investigate the kidnapping, disclose his whereabouts and ensure his immediate and safe release.
The Mission has documented at least 60 cases of individuals currently detained across Libya for actual or perceived political reasons.
“The delegation calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained and holds accountable those responsible for such arbitrary detention,” the statement concluded.
Thai fishermen bring their catch ashore.
New report warns of climate impacts on fish biomass
A new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Food and Agriculture Organization) warns that climate change could have a serious impact on fish stocks in almost every ocean region, affecting major fishing nations and countries that rely heavily on seafood.
FAO report claims Global estimates of exploitable fish biomass suggest a decline of more than 10 percent by mid-century for many regions, especially under high emissions scenarios.
Under a high emissions scenario, Earth’s temperature is expected to warm by three to four degrees Celsius by the end of the century, causing 48 countries and territories to see fish biomass decline by 30 percent or more.
However, if emissions remain low, 178 countries and territories would see little or no change, with fish populations falling by no more than 10 percent.
Adapt to change
Understanding the potential impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems is essential to promoting adaptation programmes at the right scale, said Manuel Barange, FAO Assistant Director-General.
“Lower emissions significantly reduce biomass loss by the end of the century for most countries and territories compared to the high emissions scenario,” he said. “This highlights the benefits of climate change mitigation measures for fisheries and seafood.”
Emission reductions could benefit many countries and territories, including small island developing states (SIDS), where ecological and socio-economic concerns related to climate change are greatest and where people rely heavily on fisheries for food and income.
Senior UN official calls for change in roadmap to achieve Sustainable Development Goals
The world needs to change its trajectory to achieve Sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030, says Assistant Executive Director UN-HabitatMichal Mlynár on Wednesday.
The call was made at the Local2030 Union Special Event during the ongoing High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2024 (HLPF) in New York.
The SDG 2024 report shows that only 17 percent of targets are on track to be achieved by 2030 and about 30 percent have made little progress, Mr. Mlynár said.
Additionally, he added that progress on more than 30 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) “has either stalled or even regressed.”
“These alarming numbers [are] “It is really a wake-up call that urges us to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said, “a wake-up call that shows us that we need to scale up impactful initiatives with multiplier effects and multi-stakeholder nature.”
Localization Key
Initiatives with big impacts must start at the local level, Mr. Mlynár said.
He said implementing the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level involves adapting the goals to local circumstances and ensuring that all stakeholders are actively involved. Agenda 2030.
The UN official said the Local 2030 coalition has made “significant transformational progress” towards the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level, and this is done to create a positive impact for the people they serve.
“Because the people we serve are of course… people who need to benefit from the practical cooperation that we can streamline in this particular context,” said Mr. Mlynár.
