— The biggest disagreements center on whether the treaty should focus on reducing overall plastic production or whether it is sufficient simply to improve recycling practices.
— Even before the meeting began Monday, South Korean Environment Minister Kim Wan-sup was trying to dial back expectations, telling reporters: "I believe it may be more realistic to pursue stepwise measures."
— Gilead has developed a new form of PrEP called Lenacapavir. Unlike many other forms of PrEP that come in pill form, Lenacapavir is an injection administered twice a year. In trials, the injection was found 100 percent effective at HIV prevention and superior to daily-administered Truvada.
— The good news is that Gilead has announced that it has signed licensing agreements with generic manufacturers to provide the injections to 120 low and middle-income countries. The bad news is that for everyone else, the price tag is $42,000 per year.
— Countries in Eastern Europe, North Africa, and Latin America are still experiencing increasing numbers of HIV infections, many of them were left out of Gilead's licensing agreement. Brazil is one such example
— Most early-stage research when clinical trials are the most likely to fail is funded by taxpayer money. The pharma industry spends $379m a year lobbying Congress to keep its R&D costs a secret.
— Fossil fuels are largely missing from the decisions adopted in Baku. Any decision hinting at transitioning away from fossil fuels was deferred, notably the operationalization of the dialogue on the implementation of the GST outcomes, guidance on NDC features, and the just transition work programme. In each case, the final drafts barely whispered about fossil fuels. The GST dialogue text—which wasn't adopted—referred to the energy transition paragraph in last year's GST decision. That's all. A SIDS negotiator noted that she "was so upset in Dubai over the weak energy language" and "floored" that she had to fight to keep it alive in Baku.
— Globally, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2023. 60 per cent of these homicides — 51,100 were committed by an intimate partner or a family member. The data shows that 140 women and girls die every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative, which means one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes.
— In 2023, Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide, followed by the Americas, and then by Oceania. In Europe and the Americas, most women killed in the domestic sphere (64 per cent and 58 per cent, respectively) were victims of intimate partners, while elsewhere, family members were the primary perpetrators.
— "Violence against women and girls is not inevitable—it is preventable. We need robust legislation, improved data collection, greater government accountability, a zero-tolerance culture, and increased funding for women's rights organizations and institutional bodies. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, it is time for world leaders to UNiTE and act with urgency, recommit and channel the resources needed to end this crisis once and for all", highlighted UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous.
— The campaign was launched by activists at the inaugural Women's Global Leadership Institute in 1991, and has since mobilized individuals and organizations, including the United Nations and partners worldwide to advocate for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls (VAWG).
— Around 1.3 million people contracted the disease in 2023, according to the new report from the UNAIDS agency. That is still more than three times higher than needed to reach the UN's goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
— Around 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses last year, the lowest level since a peak of 2.1 million in 2004, the report said ahead of World AIDS Day on Sunday. Much of the progress was attributed to antiretroviral treatments that can reduce the amount of the virus in the blood of patients.
— Out of the nearly 40 million people living with HIV around the world, some 9.3 million are not receiving treatment, the report warned.
— And despite the global progress, 28 countries recorded an increase in HIV infections last year.
— A new drug called lenacapavir, which early trials have found is 100 percent effective in preventing HIV infection, has been hailed as a potential game-changer in the battle against the disease. sBut concerns have been raised over its high price — US pharmaceutical giant Gilead has been charging around $40,000 per person per a year for the drug in some countries.
— Only $300bn will come in the form they are most in need of — grants and low-interest loans from the developed world. The rest will have to come from private investors and a range of potential new sources of money, such as possible levies on fossil fuels and frequent flyers, which have yet to be agreed.
— Two groups of particularly vulnerable nations, the Alliance of Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries, walked out of one meeting in protest late on Saturday afternoon, but later returned.
— Two groups — the Alliance of Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries — walked out of key meeting on Saturday, saying they were not being consulted by the presidency.
— A Saudi Arabian delegate has been accused of directly making changes to an official Cop29 negotiating text, it can be revealed.
— Cop presidencies usually circulate negotiating texts as non-editable PDF documents to all countries simultaneously, and they are then discussed. Giving one party editing access "risks placing this entire Cop in jeopardy", one expert said.
— Oil-rich Saudi Arabia is regarded by many as a persistent obstructor of action at UN climate summits to cut the burning of fossil fuels and has been described as a "wrecking ball" at Cop29.
— Earlier on Saturday, a document was circulated by the Azerbaijani presidency with updates to the negotiating text on the just transition work program (JTWP). This aims to help countries move to a cleaner and more resilient future, while reducing inequalities.
— The document was sent with "tracked changes" from the previously circulated version. In two cases, the document showed edits were made directly by Basel Alsubaity, who is from the Saudi ministry of energy and the lead on the JTWP. It was not sent to other countries to edit, the Guardian was told.
— On Nov. 1, the organization published a new independent study on the subject, titled "The Future of Peacekeeping, New Models, and Related Capabilities." It was written by three experts hired by the UN's Department of Peace Operations: El-Ghassim Wane, who headed the peacekeeping mission in Mali before it was ousted by the country's military-led government in 2023; Paul Williams, a professor at George Washington University; and Ai Kihara-Hunt, a professor at the University of Tokyo.
— The paper seeks to stir reflection ahead of the Peacekeeping Ministerial, an intergovernmental conference on UN peacekeeping held every two years. The next gathering is scheduled to take place in May 2025, in Berlin.
— "Our view is that the track record of peacekeeping is actually quite good," Williams told PassBlue. "As a result, it's still very much a worthy investment."
— Countries scheduled for review in the eighty-third session in July 2025; Albania, Argentina, Bahrain and Israel.
— Cameroon: "deep concern at the numerous allegations of serious human rights violations, including acts of torture and ill treatment, summary executions, murders and mass graves, forced displacements and sexual and gender-based violence, committed against civilians by the defence and security forces, the Rapid Intervention Battalion, the police and gendarmerie forces and other allied groups in the context of counter-insurgency operations and by non-State armed groups in the Far-North, North-West and South-West regions.[...] Reports of intimidation, harassment, torture and ill treatment, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions of human rights defenders, members of civil society, journalists, political opponents and peaceful demonstrators."
— Jordan: "significant gaps remained in ensuring the full and effective exercise of detainees' rights."[...] " new cybercrime law adopted in August 2023[...]'s vague and broad provisions could be misused to criminalise legitimate online activities and lead to the arbitrary detention of journalists and others engaged in lawful online discourse."
— Kuwait: "concern about consistent reports that persons in custody were subjected to torture or ill treatment by law enforcement officers and other members of the security forces, especially during the arrest, interrogation and investigation phases." [...] "eep concern about reports of widespread abuse, exploitation and ill treatment of migrant workers, including cases involving the murder of migrant domestic workers, and reports of physical, sexual and psychological abuse and denial of annual paid leave, which could amount to forced labour and resemble slavery."
— Mongolia; "concern about the delays in the establishment of an independent body to investigate complaints of torture and ill treatment."
— Namibia; "concerned about the lack of progress made in codifying torture as a specific criminal offence in its criminal legislation." [...] "Reports of prolonged pretrial detention that routinely exceeded legal limits and that the majority of pretrial detainees were held in police detention facilities in poor, dilapidated and severely overcrowded holding cells, with inadequate facilities and services."
— Thailand: "concerns over the definition of torture [... 2022 Act] did not prohibit amnesties for torture and ill treatment, nor did it adequately punish superiors who ought to have known that torture or ill treatment was occurring, or was likely to occur, but failed to take reasonable and necessary preventive measures against it." [...] "concerned over the occurrence, investigation and prosecution of enforced disappearance in the State party, particularly the disappearance of Thai political activists abroad and of foreign political activists within Thailand itself."
— Alliance set out to reduce the amount of plastic flowing into the environment by around 15 million metric tons by the end of 2023. But according to a new report by Unearthed, a Greenpeace investigative journalism team, the initiative members have actually produced more than 1,000 times the amount of plastic than they've cleaned up in the 2019 to 2023 timeframe.
— The Unearthed team examined data provided by Wood Mackenzie, a consultancy firm, and found that five companies that are major players in the alliance, including Shell, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, ChevronPhillips and Dow, were producing more plastic in just two days than the total amount of plastic the alliance has cleaned up since 2019.
— Only $300bn will come in the form they are most in need of — grants and low-interest loans from the developed world. The rest will have to come from private investors and a range of potential new sources of money, such as possible levies on fossil fuels and frequent flyers, which have yet to be agreed.
— Two groups of particularly vulnerable nations, the Alliance of Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries, walked out of one meeting in protest late on Saturday afternoon, but later returned.
— "AI can reduce trade costs, reshape trade in services, increase trade in AI-related goods and services, and redefine economies' comparative advantages."
— The report also highlights the increasing fragmentation of approaches to AI regulation, which may have a particular impact on trade opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized businesses. The report provides an overview of government initiatives taken at the domestic, regional and international levels both to promote and to regulate AI.
— The report argues that AI could help to overcome trade costs associated with trade logistics, supply chain management and regulatory compliance. For instance, AI can assist in automating and streamlining customs clearance processes and border controls, navigating complex trade regulations and compliance requirements, and predicting risks. By lowering trade costs, AI can help level the playing field for developing economies and small businesses, helping them to overcome trade barriers, enter global markets and participate in international trade, the report says.
— The report estimates that, under an optimistic scenario of universal AI adoption and high productivity growth up until 2040, global real trade growth could increase by almost 14 percentage points. In contrast, a cautious scenario, with uneven AI adoption and low productivity growth, projects trade growth of just under 7 percentage points.
— The draft left out a crucial sticking point: how much wealthy nations will pay poor countries. A key option for the lowest amount donors are willing to pay was just a placeholder "X". Part of that is because rich nations have yet to make an offer in negotiations.
— The 2024 honorees are: Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand; TIME, accepted by Jessica Sibley, Chief Executive Officer; Amanda Gorman, Poet and Activist; Angélique Kidjo, Grammy-Winner and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador; Louise Mabulo, Founder of the Cacao Project; and UN Emergency First Responders, accepted by team members from United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) and the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG).
— Champion for Global Change: Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand In recognition of her trailblazing and empathetic leadership, commitment to championing the rights of women, and fostering of unity and peace. Elizabeth Cousens, UN Foundation President and CEO, presented the marquee award.
— Goal 17 Innovation in Partnership Award: TIME. In recognition of TIME's commitment to journalistic integrity for over a century, earning a reputation across the globe as a consistent and unflinching source of truth, debate, and critical thinking. Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon and UN Foundation Board Member, presented the award, which was accepted by Jessica Sibley, Chief Executive Officer of TIME.
— Unite our Strength Award: Amanda Gorman, Poet and Activist. In recognition of her advocacy for education and equity, and her unparalleled ability to move people to change through the power of her words. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, presented the inaugural award.
— SDG Vanguard Awards
Angélique Kidjo, Grammy-Award-winning Singer-Songwriter, and International UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. sIn recognition of her defense of children's rights globally, her fearless and unwavering support of girls and young women across Africa, and her commitment to using her platform and voice for good. Inés Yábar, Lead of the UN Foundation's Next Generation Fellows program, presented the award.
Louise Mabulo, Founder of the Cacao Project: In recognition of her impactful advocacy and support for vulnerable communities affected by climate change in the Philippines and beyond through sustainable, resilient agricultural practices. Marc-André Blanchard, Executive Vice-President and Head of CDPQ Global and Global Head of Sustainability, CDPQ, and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, United Nations Foundation, presented the award.
— Each year, the UN Foundation has honored the compassion, courage, and determination of UN frontline workers with the UN Heroes Award. This year's honor went to UN Emergency First Responders. In recognition of their brave and selfless work to save others when disasters strike, the UN Heroes Award was presented to team members from UN OCHA's United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system and the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG). Baroness Valerie Amos, Master of University College, Oxford and UN Foundation Board Member, presented the award.
— Under the agreement they will "support the implementation of UNEA resolution 6/5 through the development of joint capacity-building opportunities, such as online and in-person training and workshops on enhancing environmental sustainability of minerals and metals management, including on the topics of circularity as well as net-zero, nature-positive, and pollution-free mine closure and rehabilitation".
— Most recently, UNEP and IGF provided technical expertise and best practices on mine closure and rehabilitation at a two-day workshop for policy-makers and other stakeholders from Africa on environmental and social aspects of critical energy transition minerals and the African mining vision.