Tag: United Nations

US vetoes widely supported resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine, a goal the Palestinians have long sought and Israel has worked to prevent.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions, from the United Kingdom and Switzerland. U.S. allies France, Japan and South Korea supported the resolution.

The strong support the Palestinians received reflects not only the growing number of countries recognizing their statehood but almost certainly the global support for Palestinians facing a humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Gaza, now in its seventh month.

The resolution would have recommended that the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, approve Palestine becoming the 194th member of the United Nations. Some 140 countries have already recognized Palestine, so its admission would have been approved, likely by a much higher number of countries.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the Security Council that the veto “does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties.”

The United States has “been very clear consistently that premature actions in New York — even with the best intentions — will not achieve statehood for the Palestinian people,” deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.

His voice breaking at times, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the council after the vote: “The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will and it will not defeat our determination.”

“We will not stop in our effort,” he said. “The state of Palestine is inevitable. It is real. Perhaps they see it as far away, but we see it as near.”

This is the second Palestinian attempt for full membership and comes as the war in Gaza has put the more than 75-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at center stage.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas first delivered the Palestinian Authority’s application for U.N. membership in 2011. It failed because the Palestinians didn’t get the required minimum support of nine of the Security Council’s 15 members.

They went to the General Assembly and succeeded by more than a two-thirds majority in having their status raised from a U.N. observer to a non-member observer state in 2012. That opened the door for the Palestinian territories to join U.N. and other international organizations, including the International Criminal Court.

Algerian U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council who introduced the resolution, called Palestine’s admission “a critical step toward rectifying a longstanding injustice” and said that “peace will come from Palestine’s inclusion, not from its exclusion.”

In explaining the U.S. veto, Wood said there are “unresolved questions” on whether Palestine meets the criteria to be considered a state. He pointed to Hamas still exerting power and influence in the Gaza Strip, which is a key part of the state envisioned by the Palestinians.

Wood stressed that the U.S. commitment to a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine live side-by-side in peace, is the only path for security for both sides and for Israel to establish relations with all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia.

“The United States is committed to intensifying its engagement with the Palestinians and the rest of the region, not only to address the current crisis in Gaza, but to advance a political settlement that will create a path to Palestinian statehood and membership in the United Nations,” he said.

Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, reiterated the commitment to a two-state solution but asserted that Israel believes Palestine “is a permanent strategic threat.”

“Israel will do its best to block the sovereignty of a Palestinian state and to make sure that the Palestinian people are exiled away from their homeland or remain under its occupation forever,” he said.

He demanded of the council and diplomats crowded in the chamber: “What will the international community do? What will you do?”

Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have been stalled for years, and Israel’s right-wing government is dominated by hard-liners who oppose Palestinian statehood.

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the resolution “disconnected to the reality on the ground” and warned that it “will cause only destruction for years to come and harm any chance for future dialogue.”

Six months after the Oct. 7 attack by the Hamas militant group, which controlled Gaza, and the killing of 1,200 people in “the most brutal massacre of Jews since the Holocaust,” he accused the Security Council of seeking “to reward the perpetrators of these atrocities with statehood.”

Israel’s military offensive in response has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and destroyed much of the territory, which speaker after speaker denounced Thursday.

After the vote, Erdan thanked the United States and particularly President Joe Biden “for standing up for truth and morality in the face of hypocrisy and politics.”

He called the Palestinian Authority — which controls the West Bank and the U.S. wants to see take over Gaza where Hamas still has sway — “a terror supporting entity.”

The Israeli U.N. ambassador referred to the requirements for U.N. membership – accepting the obligations in the U.N. Charter and being a “peace-loving” state.

“How can you say seriously that the Palestinians are peace loving? How?” Erdan asked. “The Palestinians are paying terrorists, paying them to slaughter us. None of their leaders condemns terrorism, nor the Oct. 7 massacre. They call Hamas their brothers.”

Despite the Palestinian failure to meet the criteria for U.N. membership, Erdan said most council members supported it.

“It’s very sad because your vote will only embolden Palestinian rejectionism every more and make peace almost impossible,” he said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

International Day of Human Space Flight 2024: History, theme, significance, and more

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The International Day of Human Space Flight is celebrated on April 12. The day is celebrated to honour the first person, Yuri Gagarin, to go to space. The day is also dedicated to the beginning of the space era for mankind, the contribution of space science and technology, and ensuring to conservation of outer space for peaceful purposes. On April 7, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly finalised April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Flight.

International Day of Human Space Flight 2024: History

On October 4, 1957, a human-made satellite named, Sputnik I, was sent to space. This was the first ever human effort to explore space. After understanding space and enhancing the technologies, on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin from the Soviet Union became the first human to travel around the earth in space. Later, on June 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person on Earth to set foot on the moon.

International Day of Human Space Flight 2024: Significance

Exploring space has enabled the world to understand the fields of communications, navigation, and weather forecasting, among others. As a result, the United Nations acknowledges the benefits that outer space can have for mankind. As space scientists are making continuous innovations with technology, it has helped mankind understand the potential threats that might be freely moving in the solar system and approaching our planet Earth.

In the end, it is also an appreciation for the technological advancements that have been made to better understand space. It is also a reminder to keep exploring and using our knowledge to make the world a better place for everyone.

International Day of Human Space Flight 2024: Theme

The theme of this year’s International Day of Human Space Flight is ‘Encourage Scientific Curiosity’. This year, the world will focus on promoting peaceful exploration and maintenance of outer space.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US pressures Russia to embrace UN push against nukes in space

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Joe Biden administration pushed Russia to support a US-backed resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would warn countries against placing nuclear weapons in orbit, after reports emerged that President Vladimir Putin may be planning to do so.

“We have heard President Putin say that Russia has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space,” White House spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday. “So we look forward to Russia voting in favor of this resolution. There should be no reason why not, and if they do, then I think that should open up some really legitimate questions to Mr. Putin about what his intentions really are.”

The resolution from the US and Japan would underscore that countries “should not develop nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction designed to be placed in orbit.” If adopted, the proposal would reaffirm expectations that countries must “fully comply” with their obligations under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which bans nuclear weapons in orbit.

The US unveiled plans for the resolution weeks after Washington said Moscow had plans to develop an anti-satellite space weapon. People familiar with the matter have said the US told allies that Russia could deploy a nuclear weapon or a mock warhead into space as early as this year. Putin has denied the claims.

Kirby said the resolution would be brought to a vote next week. Russia has veto power as a permanent member of the Security Council, and one of its diplomats said in March that the draft was a propaganda stunt by Washington.

Also Read: Joe Biden tells Benjamin Netanyahu US support hinges on protecting civilians

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Palestinians want April vote on UN membership despite US saying peace with Israel must come first

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Palestinians want the Security Council to vote later this month on their revived request for full membership in the United Nations, despite the United States reiterating Wednesday that Israel and the Palestinians must first negotiate a peace agreement.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, said 140 countries recognise the state of Palestine, and “we believe it is high time now for our state to become a full member at the United Nations.”

The Palestinians are making a fresh bid for U.N. membership as the war between Israel and Hamas that began Oct. 7 nears its sixth month, putting the unresolved decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the spotlight after years on the back burner.

During the Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the United States, Mansour said, countries were blocked from joining the U.N., but they all eventually became members, including North Korea. The U.S. doesn’t recognize North Korea but didn’t block its admission, he said, and asked why conditions should be placed on Palestinian membership.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered the Palestinian Authority’s application to become the 194th member of the United Nations to then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sept. 23, 2011, before addressing world leaders at the General Assembly.

That bid failed because the Palestinians failed to get the required support of nine of the Security Council’s 15 members. Even if they did, the United States, Israel’s closest ally, had promised at that time to veto any council resolution endorsing Palestinian membership, saying this should follow a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Palestinians then went to the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, and by more than a two-thirds majority succeeded in having their status raised from a U.N. observer to a non-member observer state in November 2012.

Mansour asked the Security Council on Tuesday to consider during April the Palestinians’ renewed application for membership, which was supported by the 22-nation Arab Group at the United Nations, the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the 120-member Nonaligned Movement.

He told several journalists Wednesday that he expects the council’s Standing Committee on New Members, which includes all 15 council nations, to meet behind closed doors to consider the application before the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on April 9.

Mansour said he then expects the Security Council to vote on the Palestinian request for full U.N. membership at its monthly meeting on the Middle East, being held at ministerial level April 18.

Seven of the council’s 15 members recognize the state of Palestine — China, Russia, Ecuador, Mozambique, Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone.

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller was asked Wednesday whether the United States would veto full membership for Palestinians. “I am not going to speculate about what may happen down the road,” he replied.

He said intensive diplomacy has taken place over the past few months to establish a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel, which the United States supports. But Miller said that should be done through direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, “something we are pursuing at this time, and not at the United Nations.”

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood pointed to another obstacle: The U.S. Congress has adopted legislation “that in essence says that if the Security Council approves full membership for the Palestinians outside of a bilateral agreement between Israel and the Palestinians … (U.S.) funding would be cut off to the U.N. system.”

“We’re bound by U.S. laws,” he told several reporters Wednesday. “So our hope is that they don’t pursue that, but that’s up to them.”

Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador, said it is the Palestinians’ “natural and legal right” to seek full U.N. membership and declared, “Let the process unfold.”

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Households wasted 1 billion meals a day in 2022, says UN report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Households around the world binned one billion meals a day in 2022, the United Nations has said. The global organisation has called it a “global tragedy” of food waste. In its latest Food Waste Index Report, the UN stated that over $1 trillion worth of food was thrown away by businesses and households when about 800 million people were going hungry.

In 2022, over 1 billion tonnes of food — which is nearly one-fifth of the produce available on the global market — was wasted by people, most of it by households, news agency AFP reported.

Such a huge quantity of food wastage was not just a moral but ‘environmental failure,’ the UN report, co-authored with non-profit organisation WRAP, stated.

“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, said.

Food waste necessitates the conversion of vast areas of land for the production of crops that are never eaten and it emits five times as many greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as the aviation industry.

It is just the second report compiled by the UN on global food waste and gives a more complete picture to date.

Clementine O’Connor from UNEP noted that as data collection has improved, the true scale of the food wastage problem has become much clearer.

The UN report further mentions that the ‘billion meals’ figure is just a “very conservative estimate”, while “the real amount could be much higher”.

Richard Swannell from WRAP said people can feed those who are hungry in the world “just from the food that is wasted every single year”.

The report further noted that restaurants, canteens, hotels and other food chains were responsible for 28% of all wasted food in 2022, while retailers like greengrocers and butchers dumped 12%.

However, the biggest culprits were the households, as they accounted for 60% and dumped some 631 million tonnes of food.

One of the major reasons behind this was that people were buying more food than they needed, and they even misjudged portion sizes and did not prefer eating the leftovers.

Expiration dates were another reason behind the food wastage.

Mainly in developing countries, a lot of food was not so frivolously wasted, but instead, it was lost in transportation or spoiling because of lack of refrigeration, the report stated.

It stated that contrary to popular belief, food wastage was not just a rich country problem and was observed worldwide, adding that this has had ‘devastating effects’ on the planet and the people.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Israel cancels DC trip after US allows Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Israeli government called off a US trip by senior officials after the Biden administration decided not to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, a decision reflecting a shift of approach by Washington.

Fourteen of 15 Security Council members voted in favour of the resolution, which was jointly proposed on Monday by the 10 elected members of the council. The US abstained, citing the measure’s failure to explicitly condemn Hamas for its October 7 attack on Israel.

The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had demanded a US veto of the resolution, and said it would “suspend” the visit by two of his top aides to Washington in response.

Monday’s resolution marks the first time the Security Council has openly endorsed a ceasefire since Israel began its campaign to wipe out Hamas after the attack by the militant group, which is considered a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union.

Meanwhile, China on Monday said it has supported a fresh draft resolution at the UN Security Council calling for an “immediate” ceasefire in Gaza, following its veto, along with Russia’s, on the earlier text proposed by the USChina’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China supports the draft resolution and commends the Arab countries for their hard work regarding the same, AFP reported. The minister said that they were hoping the UN Security Council would pass it at the earliest and send a strong signal for the cessation of hostilities.

Until now, President Joe Biden’s administration had blocked multiple resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in the almost six months since the Israel-Hamas war began. The US has long been steadfast in championing Israel at the UN, voting against dozens of resolutions seen as going against its ally’s interests.

The last time the US openly defied Israel’s position in a major UN debate came in 2016, when the Obama administration abstained on a Security Council resolution that called Israeli settlements illegal and demanded a halt to their expansion.

The text that was adopted Monday demands “an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan,” which started March 10, and contends that should lead to a “lasting” and “sustainable” ceasefire. It also calls for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” but doesn’t call that a requirement for a ceasefire.

Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the US failure to veto the resolution “gives Hamas hope that international pressure will force Israel to accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages, thus harming both the war effort and the effort to release the hostages.”

Without condemning Hamas by name, the resolution deplores “all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism,” adding that the “taking of hostages is prohibited under international law.”

Samuel Žbogar, the Slovenian envoy to the UN and one of the co-authors of the text, called it “a small step in rebuilding trust” at the Security Council. “We will need more of this unity for Gaza as well as for many other conflicts,” Žbogar said.

Rafah Invasion

After the action at the UN, Netanyahu’s office called off a US visit by Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi. They were due to leave Monday evening for meetings with Biden administration officials on Israel’s planned invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah and ways to greatly increase humanitarian aid to the embattled area.

“There’s no reason for this to be seen as some sort of escalation,” John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, told reporters after the UN vote. “Nothing has changed about our policy, nothing. We still want to see a ceasefire. We still want to get hostages out.”

Kirby added that the US is “very disappointed” the Israeli delegation won’t be visiting Washington “to allow us to have a fulsome conversation with them about viable alternatives to going in on the ground in Rafah.”

The Biden administration was perplexed by Israel’s backlash to the US abstention at the UN, according to a US official, who described Netanyahu’s response as a total overreaction. The official said the US stance at the UN didn’t mark a major change in US policy toward the war and suggested Israel’s reaction may have been the result of domestic political pressures. Netanyahu didn’t call Biden ahead of time to inform the president of his decision, according to the official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant did visit Washington on Monday to meet with officials including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House. Commenting on the UN vote, Gallant said “we have no moral right to stop the war while there are still hostages held in Gaza. The lack of a decisive victory in Gaza may bring us closer to a war in the north.”

The US had hinted at its evolving position at the UN on Friday, when it proposed a resolution that cited “the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire” — while not openly calling for one. Russia and China vetoed that text, alleging it was still too weak and one-sided toward Israel.

Netanyahu told visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday that Israel would go ahead with that invasion even without US support because taking apart the remaining Hamas battalions there is necessary to destroy its military and governing structure.

The US and other governments have been urging Israel to hold off on any Rafah attack because more than 1 million Palestinians are taking shelter there. At the same time, talks are underway in Qatar for a possible exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners as part of a six-week ceasefire.

French President Emmanuel Macron told Netanyahu Sunday any forced transfer of people out of Rafah would be a war crime, and said his country intends to propose its own Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The French text would be complementary to Monday’s resolution and would offer a framework for the post-war reconstruction of the strip.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US warns against Israeli assault on Rafah in draft UN Security Council text

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The US proposed a UN Security Council resolution warning against an Israeli assault on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and calling for a temporary cease-fire, according to a copy of the draft text seen by Bloomberg.

A major offensive in Rafah “would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighbouring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security,” the text says.

The US has so far been reluctant to back cease-fire proposals in the four-month old conflict. But frustration has grown with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has signaled he would move ahead with a full-scale invasion of the city despite demands from US President Joe Biden and European leaders to first establish a plan ensure the safety of civilians.

Rafah’s population has swelled from some 250,000 to more than 1 million as Palestinians from across the territory seek refuge there. The UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said last week an invasion would be “catastrophic.”

The draft proposal follows previous signals from the US, which holds council veto power, that it would likely block a push from Algeria demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, saying this could jeopardize ongoing negotiations for a pause in the war. That vote could come as soon as Tuesday.

Israel has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 invasion of southern Israel, during which some 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. Since the fighting began, more than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UN migration agency seeks $7.9 billion for migrant support

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The United Nations migration agency aims to raise $7.9 billion this year through a new funding push to bolster efforts to protect migrants, reduce displacement and expand avenues to migrate legally, it said on Monday.

The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration (IOM) is seeking funds from governments, private sector companies and individual donors, according to the announcement.

“The evidence is overwhelming that migration, when well-managed, is a major contributor to global prosperity and progress,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said in a written statement. “We can and must do better.”

IOM is responding to the world’s biggest crises. But we cannot do it alone.

It will take Member States, private sector, civil society, and individuals to alleviate suffering and create a better future for all.

Let us #ActToday. https://t.co/xirt4eqq0G

— Amy Pope (@IOMchief) January 22, 2024

The funding effort comes as the number of people forced to move reached 117 million by the end of 2022, including a record 71 million forcibly displaced within their own countries, IOM said in a report accompanying the appeal.

We need to give more people the chance to flourish in peace and safety.@IOMChief calls on all of us to #ActToday to respond to the needs of communities, and to fulfil the promise of migration.

Learn about our appeal: https://t.co/eqV9qNqd8i
Donate: https://t.co/AY1J7S0rLM pic.twitter.com/IzqKLHXyh3

— IOM – UN Migration 🇺🇳 (@UNmigration) January 22, 2024

Illegal immigration and asylum have become contentious political issues in Europe, the United States and other nations in the past decade as more migrants have taken dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean and to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Pope, a former senior White House official, took the helm at IOM in October 2022 pledging to partner with the private sector to address migration issues.
As part of its fundraising goal, IOM is seeking $2.7 billion to prevent forced displacement, including in cases where people move due to climate change.

Also read: Why is International Migrants Day observed on December 18: Check history, significance

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India votes in favour of UN General Assembly resolution seeking ceasefire in Gaza

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly called for a ceasefire in Gaza, with 153 nations, including India, in favour of the resolution.

The resolution demands an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, release of hostages, protection of civilians and ensuring humanitarian access.

A total of 153 to 10 nations voted in favour of the resolution, while 23 of them abstained. Austria and Czech Republic were the only two nations from the European Union who voted against it.

Last week, the US had vetoed the resolution by the UN Security Council that would have called for a ceasefire.

During a General Assembly vote in October, as many as 120 nations voted in favour of calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israel and the US were joined by 12 countries who voted against, while 45 nations had abstained.

Earlier on Tuesday (local time), US President Joe Biden acknowledged the world opinion was moving against Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israel Prime Minister. He said that while Israel continues to have the support of the US and important allies in Europe, it is “starting to lose that support.”

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

World coal body wants “reality-based assessment” in COP28, says most coal pollutants can be abated

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In anticipation of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), due to commence in the UAE later this month, FutureCoal – The Global Alliance for Sustainable Coal, has underscored the necessity for a reality-based assessment at every COP. They contend that all fuels and technologies, as initially proposed in the Paris Agreement, ought to be included.

Michelle Manook, Chief Executive of FutureCoal, in a CNBC-TV18 interview, stated that 99% of coal pollutants can be abated by utilising known technologies. She advocated for the inclusion of coal to establish a level playing field in abatement technologies, which would genuinely reduce emissions and decarbonise.

Manook also commented on the energy transition in underdeveloped and developing economies. She emphasised the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of nations and noted that all nations her organisation has collaborated with strive to achieve the best economic and environmental outcomes for themselves.

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She advised against a one-size-fits-all approach, emphasising that whilst the world is one, all nations and economies have different starting points. She added that pragmatism and reality-based messaging are crucial.

The global coal body, recently renamed from the World Coal Association (WCA) as part of its transformative rebranding, has advocated for a “realistic and sensible” energy transition.

Manook highlighted the vital role of coal in the future energy transition. She stressed the importance of examining its value chain before, at, and beyond combustion, considering factors like efficiency, waste management, and recycling.

Manook called for the inclusion of all fuels in government policy and financing to create a level playing field. She praised India’s role in deploying technologies in the coal industry, stating that the Indian coal industry is already implementing best practices in digitisation, methane management, innovation, and underground mining. She also noted that issues critical to the upstream sector are being considered.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow