Astrid Schomaker: Steering Global Action to Protect Life on Earth
Astrid Schomaker was appointed Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in April 2024 by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. In this role, she leads global efforts to address one of humanity’s greatest challenges: the loss of biodiversity. A Career in Diplomacy and Environmental Leadership Before joining the CBD, Astrid Schomaker served at […]
U.N. Warns Extreme Heat Is Putting Workers’ Lives and Livelihoods at Risk
22 AUGUST 2025 – The United Nations is warning that rising global temperatures are already taking a serious toll on workers’ health and productivity, and is urging governments to act before conditions worsen. A new report from the World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Organization shows that billions of workers are exposed to unsafe […]
EU Backs €116 Million Wave of Ocean and River Restoration Projects
The European Union has approved funding for 13 projects under its Mission Ocean and Waters initiative, committing €116 million to efforts ranging from fish-friendly river pathways to a digital twin of the ocean. The aim: to restore Europe’s waters and the livelihoods they sustain. The new projects will span the continent’s major sea basins — […]
SDG News Spotlight: H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf – Steering Africa’s Economic Renaissance
ADDIS ABABA — In a year when the global economy is searching for new engines of growth, H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf is betting on Africa. As Chairperson of the African Union Commission, he has made it his mission to ensure the continent is no longer seen solely through the lens of aid and humanitarian need, […]
UN Summit in Turkmenistan Adopts Awaza Declaration to Accelerate Development in Landlocked Nations
Key Impact Points: The Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) concluded Friday in Awaza, Turkmenistan, with the adoption of the Awaza Declaration—a political commitment to accelerate sustainable development and resilience in the world’s 32 LLDCs. Held under the theme Driving Progress Through Partnerships, the four-day summit gathered heads of state, senior UN officials, […]
Troy Armour’s Junk Kouture: Where Teen Creativity Meets Climate Action
A Stage for the Next Generation Troy Armour has never been one to think small. As the Founder and CEO of Junk Kouture, he is working toward an audacious goal: to inspire 1 billion teenagers through a powerful blend of creativity, sustainability, and self-expression. Junk Kouture is a global, youth-led “Sport for Creatives,” where students […]
Lobbyists, Geopolitics and a “Last Chance” Pact: Inside the UN’s Plastic Treaty Talks in Geneva
Geneva — August 2025: In a cavernous conference hall overlooking Lake Geneva, delegates from more than 170 nations filed into their seats this week, some clutching thick binders of draft text, others accompanied by advisers in tailored suits. Officially, they are here to finalize the world’s first legally binding treaty to curb plastic pollution — […]
UN Urges Lawmakers in 32 Landlocked Nations to Deliver on Development Plan for 600 Million People
Key Impact Points: Political Will Meets Legislative Action At Monday’s Parliamentary Forum of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), senior UN leaders stressed that without national legislative follow-through, a new decade-long development plan will fail to deliver. She noted LLDCs face deep structural disadvantages: 30% higher trade costs than coastal states, electricity […]
Final Talks on Global Plastics Treaty Open in Geneva, With High Stakes and Deep Divisions
Geneva, August 5, 2025 — Delegates from more than 170 nations gathered today at the United Nations’ Palais des Nations to begin the final scheduled round of negotiations for a landmark Global Plastics Treaty. The talks, known formally as INC-5.2, are widely seen as the world’s last best chance to secure a legally binding agreement […]
The Power List: Who’s Leading Sustainable Finance Now
As capital shifts toward sustainable finance, these 10 institutions shape the financial landscape through innovation, market influence and regulatory power. Key Impact Points The New Rules of Finance Financial institutions face intensifying pressure to direct capital toward environmentally responsible projects. Tightening regulations, rising investor demand, and evolving market expectations are pushing banks, asset managers, and […]
