WWF report: two planets needed to sustain world’s current lifestyles

Source: WWF International

The world is heading for an ecological credit crunch as human demands on the world’s natural capital reach nearly a third more than earth can sustain.

Sir Nicholas Stern: climate inaction vs. world financial crisis

Source: AFP

Nicholas Stern, one of the world’s leading environmental economists, said Monday that the global economy will face a more severe downturn than the current crisis if it fails to halt climate change.

Dalai Lama about to give up on China

Source: Time Magazine | By Simon Elegant

Has the Dalai Lama really given up on hope that China might some day come around and agree to his proposal for some sort of (very) limited autonomy for his homeland, Tibet? That’s what the 73-year-old exiled Tibetan spiritual leader appeared to indicate during an Oct. 25 speech in his exile home of Dharamsala in northern India.

U.N. head: “A crucial year in the life of our United Nations”

By Andreas S. von Warburg

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“This is a crucial year in the life of our United Nations,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a message for the celebration of U.N. Day. “We have just passed the midpoint in the struggle to reach the Millennium Development Goals — our common vision for building a better world in the 21st century.”

Slow progress for women in the United Nations system

by Andreas S. von Warburg

United Nations Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon released today his report to the General Assembly on the improvement of the status of women in the United Nations System, including latest statistics, progress made and obstacles encountered in achieving gender balance, as well as recommendations for accelerating progress.

Top global businesses gather for U.N. climate initiative

Source: United Nations

A United Nations-backed “Caring for Climate” gathering today is drawing representatives from more than 150 corporations, civil society organizations and governments from around the world to discuss business solutions to the problem of global warming and speed up action on climate change.

A better China after the Olympics

Source: The Washington Post | by Maureen Fan and Zhang Jie

The government began taking 30 percent of its cars in the capital off the roads Wednesday in an attempt to make permanent some of the traffic restrictions imposed during the Olympic Games, officials and media reports said.

Attacks against U.N. worldwide are rising

Source: AP on the Washington Times | by Edith Lederer

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Wednesday that United Nations staff and humanitarian field workers are being deliberately targeted for attack by extremists and armed groups at an alarming rate. In a report to the U.N. General Assembly, Ban said the number of deaths of U.N. civilian staff members as a result of malicious acts rose to 25 in the year ending June 30, 2008 up from 16 the previous year.