UN Wire Tue, Oct 22, 2013 - Act now on climate change to avoid dooming future generations, UN's Figueres says

October 22, 2013 FOLLOW THE UN FOUNDATION   News covering the UN and the world SIGN UP | FORWARD | ADVERTISE | DONATE Top Story Act now on climate change to avoid dooming future generations, UN's Figueres says A global treaty on climate change can be achieved by the 2015 even though negotiations are proceeding slowly, says Christiana Figueres, head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. An agreement must be reached or the world is "condemning future generations before they are even born," she argues. BBC (10/22), CNN/Amanpour blog (10/21) Share: Above the Fold DR Congo, M23 to reconvene talks soon, UN envoy says Global food-waste protocol to be launched Report: Spending to counteract climate change below needed levels Syrian opposition expresses doubts about attending peace talks UN Radio Quote of the Day @UNFoundation: .@mcarthur: What can individuals do to help end extreme poverty? trib.al/BMfdMOm Share: UN Dispatch "The US and rebel groups cannot count on keeping Assad on board. 'The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has said that "factors are not yet in place" for peace talks despite efforts by world powers to convene a meeting next month.' " UN Dispatch (10/22) Share: United Nations DR Congo, M23 to reconvene talks soon, UN envoy says The Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels talks fell apart Monday over the disarming and integration of M23 as well as amnesty for the rebels. The two parties "have agreed to reconvene soon in order to overcome their differences," United Nations special envoy Mary Robinson told the Security Council. Thomson Reuters Foundation/Reuters (10/21) Share: Ban urges Maldives to hold elections "as soon as possible" The Indian Express (New Delhi)/Press Trust of India (10/21) Share: Middle Eastern countries show support for Saudi decision on Security Council seat Voice of America (10/21) Share: Health & Development Global food-waste protocol to be launched A global initiative to create a "food loss and waste protocol" is being launched by the World Resources Institute. The protocol, expected to be ready in 2015, will create "a consistent, global standard to measure food loss and waste," thus aiding sustainability efforts, says Andrew Steer, WRI's president. Thomson Reuters Foundation (10/21), Quartz (10/16), The Guardian (London) (10/21), IRINNews.org (10/21) Share: Are NGOs becoming more risk-averse? Humanitarian-aid groups are becoming more risk-averse and cautious in delivering aid in volatile regions such as Sudan, observers say. Security is becoming a greater issue and, as a result, some populations are not receiving assistance. IRINNews.org (10/21) Share: Discussions continuing on 2014 aid plan for Syria Devex.com (free registration) (10/22) Share: Northern Nigeria polio campaign quietly continues IRINNews.org (10/22) Share: Climate and Energy Report: Spending to counteract climate change below needed levels Funding for climate change initiatives continued to decline last year because of long-lasting economic sluggishness, says the Climate Policy Initiative. "Investment to combat and adapt to climate change is happening around the world, but it's short of where it needs to be and efforts to grow it have not been successful enough," says CPI Executive Director Thomas Heller. Thomson Reuters Foundation/Reuters (10/22) Share: Why won't Angola admit it is suffering from drought? The Guardian (London) (10/22) Share: Peacekeeping and Security Syrian opposition expresses doubts about attending peace talks The Friends of Syria group of countries is meeting in London to persuade Syrian opposition groups to attend the proposed United Nations peace talks. The opposition wants clarification of Syrian President Bashar Assad's role during any negotiated transition. Voice of America (10/22), Reuters (10/22), BBC (10/22), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (10/21) Share: U.S., Afghanistan still apart on bilateral security deal Reuters (10/22) Share: African Union force given go-ahead to eject foreign troops from CAR Reuters (10/21) Share: Boko Haram rebels retaliate, killing 10 Reuters (10/21) Share: Is Mozambique headed for civil war again? Reuters (10/21) Share: South Sudan, Sudan meet to discuss fate of oil-rich region Voice of America (10/22) Share: Position Title Company Name Location Program Manager Social Science Research Council Brooklyn, NY Click here to view more job listings.