UN News Today 13 November 2024 |

COP29: Energy transition must not trigger a ‘stampede of greed’ that crushes the poor

At the COP29 climate talks in Baku on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned against a “stampede of greed” in the rush to source raw minerals that are essential to producing electric vehicles and solar panels.

The energy transition that the world needs to cut emissions by moving away from our reliance on fossil fuels must be just, Mr. Guterres said.

Poor communities in developing countries risked being exploited and crushed by unregulated mining companies, the UN chief added, as he urged greater participation in his Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, created at last year’s climate summit.

He said that there was a “huge opportunity” to help developing countries that are rich in the minerals needed for renewable energy sources, before recommending traceability measures, transparency and an accountability framework for the entire mineral value chain, to “drive responsible production”, safeguard human rights and the environment.

Lebanon’s displaced are exhausted and face constant danger: UNHCR

In Lebanon, meanwhile, UN aid agencies warned that at least 241 people have been killed and 642 injured in the week to 11 November, owing to Israeli airstrikes.

Citing the Lebanese authorities, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that a total of almost 3,300 people have died – including 203 children and 644 women – with 14,222 injured since 8 October 2023.

“At least one child was killed and 10 children were injured every day in Lebanon, in October 2024 alone,” the UN agency noted.

Mass displacement has also continued across the country as communities flee evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military, amid continued bombing.

According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, 1.3 million people have been uprooted. Here’s Rula Amin, Senior Communications Advisor for UNHCR:

“We have seen very dramatic and tragic videos of whole villages being blown up of a lot of destruction in these villages that people had to flee. So even if the war stops tomorrow. these people have a very major concern and fear on where will they return to?”

Ms. Amin told UN News that “every day there are more bombings and every day there are more people displaced”. She said that those impacted by the crisis are tired and vulnerable; some have no shelter and others have to sleep out in the open.  You can hear the full interview on the UN News audio hub now.

Gaza: Markets are ‘in decay’ as starvation looms

Meanwhile in Gaza, reports of ongoing bombardments, likely starvation and despair continued to emerge from the enclave, where many basic daily staples now “barely exist”, UN humanitarians have warned.

In an alert, the World Food Programme (WFP) described food markets “in decay” across Gaza. “Fresh foods, eggs and meat barely exist and the prices of any food available have reached record highs,” the UN agency said on X.

The development follows a new dire assessment from UN-backed hunger experts that famine thresholds may have already been crossed in northern Gaza – or will be soon.

Echoing those concerns, OCHA noted in its latest update that so far in November, “every attempt by the UN to access besieged areas of north Gaza governorate with food and health missions to support tens of thousands of people remaining there was either denied or impeded”.

Staying in northern Gaza, UN aid teams reiterated deep concern that people fleeing attacks and evacuation orders in Beit Hanoun for Gaza City have no option but to shelter in unsafe schools that could collapse at any time.

In October alone, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recorded 64 attacks against schools, “the majority sheltering displaced people”.

It’s estimated that up to 130,000 people have been displaced from northern Gaza amid intensifying Israeli attacks targeting residential buildings and repeated evacuation orders.

Daniel Johnson, UN News

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