From K-Pop Champions to Net Zero: 5 Things to Look for at UNGA 76 |

1) To be or not to be (at the General Assembly in person)

The format of this year’s UN General Assembly session (UNGA 76) is a reflection of the current state of the world: a gradual return to in-person meetings, with many delegates remaining online, but also the desire to return to a certain version of normality, after recognizing that COVID-19 The epidemic is not over yet.

After last year’s virtual UN General Assembly, some heads of state will come to the UN headquarters in New York to deliver their speeches in the general debate on the podium, while most of them stay at home to deliver their messages via video.

One of the most important aspects of the UN General Assembly for heads of state and other senior government officials, is the opportunity to hold informal one-on-one meetings with their counterparts, away from prying eyes. This opportunity was badly missed last year, and special “bio booths” were set up.
While it remains unclear which government leaders will be attending in person, you can of course follow our coverage of the discussion on the main UN news site, and watch the proceedings live as ever, at Web TV.

2 K-Pop Moment, and a Booster Vaccine

On the topic of COVID-19 vaccines, the slogan of the World Health Organization (Who is the) “No one was safe until everyone was safe”: In other words, rich countries, making great strides in vaccinating the majority of their citizens, need to ensure that the populations of poor countries are also protected.

However, this is clearly not happening, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization. On September 20, as part of “SDG momentFrom the Decade of Action (Pushing the United Nations to Provide Sustainable Solutions to the World’s Greatest Challenges), will discuss the current state of global vaccination, with Achim Steiner, Head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)United Nations Development Programme), and Vera Songwe, who runs the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Will BTS break the internet? once again?

The all-day event will also feature a performance by the stars of Korea and Friends of the United Nations, BTS.
The seven-piece K-Pop group has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)UNICEF) since 2017 on I love my self A campaign to end bullying and boost self-esteem.

The UN IT team will undoubtedly be very worried as September 20 approaches, considering the massive online traffic that attracted BTS during their previous visit to the General Assembly in 2018, and when their video message was released at their virtual GA year. Past – both are something that has left the system struggling to come to terms with.

3) Hunger for Change: Cooking New Diets

The past year has seen new momentum at the United Nations on the need to reform food systems, which is defined as everything about getting healthy, nutritious meals, from crops to meat, on our plates.

This new batch was prompted by the decision of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to establish the first United Nations Food Systems SummitWhich will take place on September 23.

Many experts have warned that the current global diet is effectively harming the planet and the world’s population. Announcing the summit, Mr. Guterres said food systems are “one of the main reasons we fail to stay within our planet’s ecological limits”.

Food systems emit about a third of global greenhouse gases; They cause deforestation and cause the loss of about 80 percent of biodiversity.

On top of the environmental devastation, shockingly, about a third of all food produced each year is lost or wasted.
The aim of the summit is to develop strategies to combat global challenges such as hunger, climate change, poverty and inequality. and creating new food systems that benefit all people and protect the planet.

4) Weathering the “double-threat” storm: climate and security

It is now recognized that the climate crisis is not just an environmental problem, but an existential one that affects us all: the United Nations has described climate change as “Threat multiplier‘, which adds stresses to the economic, social and political systems of every country.

For example, drought in the Sahel region of North Africa is a contributing factor to conflict, displacing people who face hunger and limited livelihood prospects.
Studies have linked climate change to the Sudanese civil war, as well as recent events such as the war in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, and the growth of armed conflict in the Lake Chad Basin, a water resource shared by several nations, which has shrunk. nearly 90 percent since 1960.

UN News will provide a special report Security Council On climate and security, scheduled for September 23.

5) Zero-sum game: clean and reliable energy

Energy-related questions are at the heart of efforts to tackle the climate crisis, so it may be surprising that the last global meeting on energy held under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly, 40 years ago.

So, it’s time for a new event, the United Nations High Level Energy Dialogue on September 24th. It takes place in a world that views the use of fossil fuels and renewable energy, very differently than it did in the 1980s.

Access to modern, reliable, sustainable and affordable energy for all, is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up 2030 Agenda For sustainable development, the United Nations blueprint for a cleaner and more just future.

Another challenge slated to be discussed at this event is how to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, the drivers of climate change, down to net zero by 2050.

It is a big task that requires ambitious actions that begin now. This is why countries, regions, companies, NGOs, etc. will be required to submit “Energy Agreements‘, outlining voluntary commitments and concrete plans that explain how to achieve this.

Find the event’s LIVE UN News blog, which receives contributions from activists, senior officials and leaders.