During the COVID-19 recovery period, the UN Resident Coordinator in Malaysia united the UN country team to support the Government in its socio-economic recovery efforts. Building on lessons learned, the UN country team scaled up social protection measures to leave no-one behind, addressing the needs of the most vulnerable communities across the country including informal sector workers, youth older persons, people with disabilities as well as migrants and refugees. The Resident Coordinator also used her convening power across UN agencies and other national stakeholders to advance the human rights agenda. The Resident Coordinator recently signed an agreement on behalf of the UN country team with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia to promote greater knowledge sharing and develop new policy pathways to progress human rights and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Watch the video below from the Resident Coordinator to learn more about results in Malaysia.

    Visit the 8 billion webpage here The global population is projected to reach 8 billion on 15 November 2022, signalling major improvements in public health that have lowered the risk of dying and increased life expectancy. But the moment is also a clarion call for humanity to look beyond the numbers and meet its shared responsibility to protect people and the planet, starting with the
most vulnerable. “Unless we bridge the yawning chasm between the global haves and have-nots, we are setting ourselves up for an 8-billion-strong world filled with tensions and mistrust, crisis and conflict,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. A more demographically diverse world than ever before
While the world’s population will continue to grow to around 10.4 billion in the 2080s, the overall rate of growth is slowing down. The world is more demographically diverse than ever before, with countries facing starkly different population trends ranging from growth to decline. Today, two-thirds of the global population lives in a low fertility context, where the lifetime fertility is below 2.1 births per woman. At the same time, population growth has become increasingly concentrated among the world’s poorest countries, most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Against this backdrop, the global community must ensure that all countries, regardless of whether their populations are growing or shrinking, are equipped to provide a good quality of life for their populations and can lift up and empower their most marginalised people. “A world of 8 billion is a milestone for humanity – the result of longer lifespans, reductions in poverty, and declining maternal and childhood mortality. Yet, focusing on numbers alone distracts us from the real challenge we face: securing a world in which progress can be enjoyed equally and sustainably,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. “We cannot rely on one-size-fits-all solutions in a world in which the median age is 41 in Europe compared to 17 in sub-Saharan Africa. To succeed, all population policies must have reproductive rights at their core, invest in people and planet, and be based on solid data.” Complex linkages between population, sustainable development and climate change While the Day of 8 Billion represents a success story for humanity, it also raises concerns about links between population growth, poverty, climate change and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The relationship between population growth and sustainable development is complex. Rapid population growth makes eradicating poverty, combatting hunger and malnutrition, and increasing the coverage of health and education systems more difficult. Conversely, achieving the SDGs, especially those related to health, education and gender equality, will contribute to
slowing global population growth. Relatedly, although slower population growth–if maintained over several decades–could help tomitigate environmental degradation, conflating population growth with a rise in greenhouse gas emissions ignores that countries with the highest consumption and emissions rates are those where population growth is already slow or even negative. Meanwhile, the majority of the world’s population growth is concentrated among the poorest countries, which have significantly lower emissions rates but are likely to suffer disproportionately from the effects of climate change. “We must accelerate our efforts to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement as well as achieve the SDGs,” said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “We need a rapid decoupling of economic activity from the current over-reliance on fossil-fuel energy, as well as greater efficiency in the use of those resources, and we need to make this a just and inclusive transition that supports those left furthest behind.” The need for a sustainable future built on rights and choices In order to usher in a world in which all 8 billion people can thrive, we must look to proven and effective solutions to mitigate our world’s challenges and achieve the SDGs, while prioritizing human rights. In order to pursue these solutions, increased investment from member states and donor governments is needed in policies and programmes that work to make the world safer, more sustainable and more inclusive.
Key facts and figures at a glance
● It took about 12 years for the world population to grow from 7 to 8 billion, but the next billion is expected to take approx 14.5 years (2037), reflecting the slowdown in global growth. World population is projected to reach a peak of around 10.4 billion people during the 2080s and to remain at that level until 2100.
● For the increase from 7 to 8 billion, around 70 per cent of the added population was in low- income and lower-middle-income countries. For the increase from 8 to 9 billion, these two groups of countries are expected to account for more than 90 per cent of global growth.
● Between now and 2050, the global increase in the population under age 65 will occur entirely in low income and lower-middle-income countries, since population growth in high-income and upper-middle income countries will occur only among those aged 65 years or over Media contacts:
Sharon Birch
United Nations
Department of Global Communications
birchs@un.org
Bela Hovy
United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
hovy@un.org
Zina Alam
UNFPA
zialam@unfpa.org    

The world’s population will reach 8 billion in the middle of November – a testament to scientific breakthroughs and improvements in nutrition, public health and sanitation. But as our human family grows larger, it is also growing more divided. Billions of people are struggling; hundreds of millions are facing hunger and even famine. Record numbers are on the move seeking opportunities and relief from debt and hardship, wars and climate disasters. Unless we bridge the yawning chasm between the global haves and have-nots, we are setting ourselves up for an 8-billion-strong world filled with tensions and mistrust, crisis and conflict.     The facts speak for themselves. A handful of billionaires control as much wealth as the poorest half of the world. The top one percent globally pocket one fifth of the world’s income, while people in the richest countries can expect to live up to 30 years longer than those in the poorest. As the world has grown richer and healthier in recent decades, these inequalities have grown too. On top of these long-term trends, the accelerating climate crisis and the unequal recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic are turbocharging inequalities. We are heading straight for climate catastrophe, while emissions and temperatures continue to rise. Floods, storms and droughts are devastating countries that contributed almost nothing to global heating. The war in Ukraine is adding to ongoing food, energy and finance crises, hitting developing economies hardest. These inequalities take their greatest toll on women and girls, and on marginalized groups that already suffer discrimination. Many countries in the Global South face huge debts, increasing poverty and hunger, and the growing impacts of the climate crisis. They have little chance of investing in a sustainable recovery from the pandemic, the transition to renewable energy, or education and training for the digital age. Anger and resentment against developed countries are reaching breaking points. Toxic divisions and lack of trust are causing delays and deadlock on a host of issues, from nuclear disarmament to terrorism to global health. We must curb these damaging trends, repair relationships and find joint solutions to our common challenges.    The first step is acknowledging that this runaway inequality is a choice, and one that developed countries have the responsibility to reverse – starting this month at the UN climate conference in Egypt and the G20 summit in Bali. I hope COP27 will see a historic Climate Solidarity Pact under which developed and emerging economies unite around a common strategy and combine their capacities and resources for the benefit of humankind. Wealthier countries must provide key emerging economies with financial and technical support to transition away from fossil fuels. That is our only hope of meeting our climate goals.  I also urge leaders at COP27 to agree on a roadmap and institutional framework to compensate countries in the Global South for climate-related loss and damage that is already causing enormous suffering. The G20 summit in Bali will be an opportunity to address the plight of developing countries. I have urged G20 economies to adopt a stimulus package that will provide governments of the Global South with investments and liquidity, and address debt relief and restructuring. As we push for action on these medium-term measures, we are working non-stop with all stakeholders to ease the global food crisis. The Black Sea Grain Initiative is an essential part of those efforts. It has helped to stabilize markets and bring food prices down. Every fraction of a percent has the potential to ease hunger and save lives. We are also working to ensure Russian fertilizers can flow into global markets, which have been severely disrupted by the war. Fertilizer prices are up to three times higher than before the pandemic. Rice, the most widely consumed staple in the world, is the crop that will suffer most.   Removing the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian fertilizers is an essential step towards global food security.  But among all these serious challenges, there is some good news. Our eight-billion-strong world could yield enormous opportunities for some of the poorest countries, where population growth is highest. Relatively small investments in healthcare, education, gender equality and sustainable economic development could create a virtuous circle of development and growth, transforming economies and lives. Within a few decades, today’s poorest countries could become engines of sustainable, green growth and prosperity across entire regions. I never bet against human ingenuity, and I have enormous faith in human solidarity. In these difficult times, we would do well to remember the words of one of humanity’s wisest observers, Mahatma Gandhi: “The world has enough for everyone's need – but not everyone's greed.” This month’s big global meetups must be an opportunity to start bridging divides and restoring trust, based on the equal rights and freedoms of every single member of humanity’s eight-billion-strong family.

Read the original article at UN News here “Humanity has a choice: cooperate or perish. It is either a Climate Solidarity Pact – or a Collective Suicide Pact,” the UN Secretary-General told over 100 world leaders reunited for the first official plenary of the UN Climate Change Conference. The proposed Pact would see all countries taking extra efforts to reduce emissions, wealthier nations and international financial institutions providing assistance to emerging economies, ending dependence on fossil fuels and the building of coals plants, providing sustainable energy for all, and uniting to combine strategy and capacities for the benefit of humankind. “The two largest economies – the United States and China – have a particular responsibility to join efforts to make this Pact a reality. This is our only hope of meeting our climate goals,” he emphasized. Mr. Guterres said that soon the 8 billionth member of the human family will be born, and that milestone puts into perspective what COP27 is all about. “How will we answer when ‘Baby 8 Billion’ is old enough to ask:  What did you do for our world – and for our planet – when you had the chance?”. A crisis of a different scale than the war in Ukraine Reminding the room that the clock was ticking with the planet fast approaching tipping points that can make “climate chaos” irreversible, the UN chief said that “we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator”. He added that while the war in Ukraine and other conflicts have caused so much bloodshed and violence and have had dramatic worldwide impacts, the UN cannot accept that attention is not also focused on climate change. “It is the defining issue of our age. It is the central challenge of our century. It is unacceptable, outrageous and self-defeating to put it on the back burner,” he underscored. The Secretary-General explained that many of today’s conflicts are linked to “growing climate chaos”. “The war in Ukraine has exposed the profound risks of our fossil fuel addiction. Today’s urgent crises cannot be an excuse for backsliding or greenwashing. If anything, they are a reason for greater urgency, stronger action and effective accountability,” he said. Tax oil companies, and help those struggling with climate impacts António Guterres asked governments to tax the pandemic-driven windfall profits of fossil fuel companies and redirect the money to people struggling with rising food and energy prices and countries suffering loss and damage caused by the climate crisis. “The deadly impacts of climate change are here and now. Loss and damage can no longer be swept under the rug. It is a moral imperative. It is a fundamental question of international solidarity – and climate justice. Those who contributed least to the climate crisis are reaping the whirlwind sown by others,” he underscored, adding that during COP27 leaders must agree on a clear, time-bound roadmap reflective of the scale and urgency of the challenge. For Mr. Guterres, getting concrete results on loss and damage is a “litmus test” of the commitment of governments to the success of COP27. More finance for adaptation The UN chief also made a call for progress on adaptation and building resilience to future climate disruption, noting that three-and-a-half billion people live in countries highly vulnerable to climate impacts. This would mean countries delivering the promise made in COP26 last year of $40 billion in adaptation support by 2025. “We need a roadmap on how this will be delivered.  And we must recognize that this is only a first step. Adaptation needs are set to grow to more than $300 billion dollars a year by 2030,” he warned. He also pointed out the need of international financial institutions and banks to change their business model and do their part.   Time to come together The UN Secretary-General urged countries to come together for implementation saying it was time for international solidarity across the board. “Solidarity that respects all human rights and guarantees a safe space for environmental defenders and all actors in society to contribute to our climate response. Let’s not forget that the war on nature is in itself a massive violation of human rights.” Mr. Guterres underscored that the global climate fight will be won or lost in this crucial decade and on the watch of current world leaders. “One thing is certain: those that give up are sure to lose. So, let’s fight together– and let’s win. For the 8 billion members of our human family – and for generations to come,” he concluded. Implementation Summit highlights The emotion was palpable in the main plenary room of the Tonino Lamborghini International Convention Centre, as discussions opened on the first day of what is traditionally called the World Leaders Summit, but which this year was renamed the ‘Climate Implementation Summit’ by the COP27 Egyptian Presidency. The first official to speak this afternoon, just ahead of the UN Secretary-General, was the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. He underscored that to overcome today’s climate change crisis and implement the Paris Agreement leaders needed to go beyond words. “The people of the world are looking at us today and they want rapid concrete implementation of genuinely concrete actions to reduce emissions and to reinforce their ability to adapt to and guarantee the funding necessary for developing countries that today are suffering more than others,” he explained. Mr. El-Sisi urged leaders to take in account the priorities of the African continent, and to support the principle of “shared responsibility”, to inspire trust in their ability to achieve the climate goals. The Egyptian leader said that there were great expectations for the conference from millions of people across the world, and COP27 should deliver, including answering “thorny questions”. “I encourage you to become the model that the world hopes for. And show genuine practical ability to face the challenge of climate change,” he highlighted. At the end of his speech, the Egyptian President, speaking off the cuff, made an open call to the gathered leaders to push for an end to the war in Ukraine, sparking an ovation among the attendees. “My country is not one of the strongest economically, we suffered greatly with COVID-19, and we are suffering once again because of this unnecessary war. The entire world is suffering,” he said. Images say more than a thousand words A 10-minute film, produced by the host country, and projected onto the giant 360° screens inside the room was one of the highlights of Monday’s meeting. The production used the audio of a powerful poem detailing the responses of the ancient Egyptian civilization to adapt to the climate change that presumably caused their disappearance. A map of the globe was dotted with red flags to show the places that have suffered disasters in 2022 alone – nearly the entire world was covered. From Oman to France, and from Brazil to Sudan, powerful images of destruction were shown alongside heart shattering testimonies from victims of climate change, including children. The video also revealed that without real climate action, iconic locations such as Alexandria, Osaka, Rio de Janeiro, the Maldives, Miami and Venice could simply just disappear. “Please do everything in your power to save our city,” said a Venetian resident in tears. Yet, the production ended on a hopeful note, saying that the planet keeps giving us chances for governments to make changes, transition to renewable energy and consume more ethically. “Climate changes all of us,” the woman narrator said, inviting world leaders to mitigate our current challenges, just as the ancient Egyptians learned, giving their civilization 500 more years of survival.   A call from African youth   Lea Namugerwa, a climate activist from Uganda, asked world leaders that were going to take the podium to speak like they are in an emergency, because that’s what it is. She described how her life changed when she saw people close to her dying due to landslides caused by excessive rains in Uganda when she was only 14 years old. At 15, she launched her own NGO called ‘Birthday Trees’. Instead of a traditional birthday party, she invites people to have a tree-planting celebration. “I have a goal to plant one million trees, what is your goal?” she asked world leaders. Ms. Namugerwa said that since COP27 has been dubbed the ‘African COP’, the gathering should highlight that her continent, while producing less than 4 per cent of the world’s emissions, is facing the worst consequences of climate change. “May the African COP be a different COP. Let the African COP be an action COP,” she shouted, challenging Presidents and Prime Ministers to think if they wanted to be remembered as leaders who “did nothing” when they were in power. Political will is a renewable source: Al Gore   Meanwhile, and in one of the most powerful speeches of the session, former US vice president Al Gore
said we are treating the thin blue shell that protects us, our atmosphere, as “an open sewer”. “Today, like every day, we are spewing a 162 million tons of manmade heat trapping global warming pollution into the sky. It adds up and accumulates there... The accumulated amount traps as much extra heat as it would be released by 60,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs exploding every day in our planet. That’s why we are seeing these disasters,” he underscored, warning that is getting even worse. Mr. Gore said that leaders have a credibility problem: they talk but they are not doing enough. “It is a choice to continue this destructive pattern”, he explained, arguing that climate change works similarly to “an apartheid”, with the most vulnerable suffering the worst. “We don’t have to choose curses, we can choose blessings, including the blessings of renewable energy. We are in the early stages of an energy revolution, if we invest in it and stop subsidizing the culture of death, we can save ourselves,” he said. The renowned Nobel Prize-winning environmentalist also said that Africa could be the world’s renewable super Power, because the potential of the continent’s solar and wind technologies was 400 times larger than the total of the fossil fuel reserves left. He invited world leaders and global financial institutions to open pathways to generate a “renewables revolution”, including reducing interest rates for African countries. “The UN Secretary-General just said we are on a highway to climate hell, and we need to take our foot off the gas”, he said, reiterating that any fossil fuel development is incompatible with keeping global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius. Finally, he called on leaders to work together to drive impact and address their credibility problem. “We can summon the political will to do what is necessary, political will is a renewable resource”, he concluded.   A call for action on loss and damage: Mia Mottley The last speaker, Barbados Prime Minister and SDG Advocate Mia Mottley, made a case for tackling the issue of loss and damage, one of COP27’s most debated themes. She saluted Denmark, Belgium and Scotland for allocating funds for developing countries, with barely any responsibility for global emissions, strongly affected by climate change. Echoing the call of the Secretary-General, she said that while State Parties need to do the right thing, her country believes that non-State actors and stakeholders, such as oil and gas companies and those who facilitate them, need to be brought to a special convocation in the next year. “How do companies make $200 billion in profits in the last three months and not expect to contribute at least 10 cents on every dollar to a loss a damage fund? This is what our people expect,” she expressed. The Climate Implementation Summit heard from 50 Heads of State and Government on Monday, including France, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, United Kingdom and Israel, and will have heard from over 100 world leaders by the time it wraps up tomorrow. While the US President Joe Biden will not attend the Summit, he will be at COP27 next week.  As of now, neither China nor Russia’s Heads of State are expected to speak. Ukraine’s President Vlodimir Zelensky will send a video message. Want to know more? Check out our special events page, where you can find all our coverage of the COP27 climate summit, including stories and videos, explainers, podcasts and our daily newsletter.