UN brewing up new -- and expensive – global 'sustainability development goals'

Click here to read this in full at Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/10/03/un-brewing-up-new-and-expensive-global-sustainability-development-goals/

EXCLUSIVE: The United Nations is planning to create a sweeping new set of “sustainable development goals” for the planet that will likely require trillions of dollars of spending on poverty and the environment, a drastic reorganization of economic production and consumption -- especially in rich countries -- and even greater effort in the expensive war on climate change.

It’s an agenda that its prominent boosters have declared will make the next 15 years “some of the most transformative in human history,” although the exact nature of the goals themselves, and how they are to be achieved, is unclear.

Cihan Sultanoğlu (a Turk) is trying hard to repair history with Armenia with UN money !

Click here for this story @ ArmRadio: http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/10/07/undp-and-its-partners-join-efforts-to-restore-historical-cultural-heritage-in-gyumri/

The city of Gyumri is gifted with rich historical and cultural monuments. During centuries a unique architectural style has been formed in Gyumri, with more than 1,600 historical-architectural buildings covering an area of about 220 hectares. Most of them were built in the same period – 19th and beginning of 20th centuries. However, during the recent years the city’s historical and cultural heritage has suffered due to the 1988 devastating earthquake and insufficient funding and investments by public and private sectors. This, in its turn, hindered community development and investment flows to the second largest city of Armenia.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Armenia and the RA Ministry of Culture, with the financial support of the Government of Italy, initiated a project aimed at regeneration of the urban environment in the city of Gyumri, thus making it more attractive place to live, visit and work and contributing to its socio-economic revival. Within the framework of the project, one of Gyumri’s historical buildings, constructed in 1860-1913 and considered as a constituent part of history and architecture of the city, was renovated to serve as a public library for the residents of the city.

Liberia: EPA, UNDP to Launch Climate Change Project

Click here for full story at AllAfrica: http://allafrica.com/stories/201310071148.html

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is expected to formally launch a project titled, "Strengthening Liberia's capability to Provide Climate Information and Services to Enhance Climate Resilient Development and Adaptation to Climate Change".

A UNDP release said the project is aimed at setting up an Early Warning System to help Liberia adapt to the negative impact of climate change in the face of economic development.

According to the release, conference is being supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the Least Developed Country's Funds (LDCF) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with co-financing from UNDP and the Government of Liberia.

UN Whistleblower Wasserstrom on TI Report: Total Lack of Institutional Accountability

Click here to read this in full at GAP: http://www.whistleblower.org/blog/44-2013/3009--un-whistleblower-wasserstrom-on-ti-report-total-lack-of-institutional-accountability


Noted Peacekeeping Mission Whistleblower Available for Comment

(Washington, DC) – Earlier today, Transparency International UK's Defence and Security Programmereleased a new report, Corruption & Peacekeeping: Strengthening Peacekeeping and the United Nations. Government Accountability Project (GAP) client and pioneer UN whistleblower James Wasserstrom is available to the media to comment on the report's findings that need additional focus, and make recommendations about how the international body can take steps to achieve real accountability.

Wasserstrom made the following statement:

Transparency International has done a fine job in highlighting many of the issues of corruption in UN peacekeeping missions. This report is just the latest strong piece of evidence in a string that proves the United Nations lacks basic measures of real accountability in its peacekeeping missions and institutional headquarters, and continues to pay nothing more than lip service to transparency and accountability. 

As one who has personally fought corruption in one such mission – the UN Mission in Kosovo – and paid the price for whistleblowing, I take an even firmer stance on the paramount issue of stemming wrongdoing in these critical tasks. The United Nations' failure over decades to seriously address its own obvious and long-standing deficiencies in fighting internal corruption is absolutely unacceptable. The band-aid approach to solving problems, all superficial acts for public consumption or appeasement of the international community, fall well short of real progress that achieves real accountability for international taxpayers and the billions they have provided to this just cause.

Wasserstrom is available to comment to members of the media on the report. Please contact GAP Communications Director Dylan Blaylock at dylanb@whistleblower.org, 202.457.0034 ext 137 or 202.236.3733 to arrange a phone interview. Please note that Wasserstrom is based in Asia.

UNDP becomes a parking lot for New Zealand's Labour MPs...(After all those great things Labour did in NZ now they can change the world ...as well)

Click here to read this article in full @ NZHerald:http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10866354 

Charles Chauvel. Photo / File

Labour MP Charles Chauvel is resigning from Parliament to take up a job with the United Nations in New York.

Mr Chauvel, a List MP, said he had resigned effective from March 11.

He will work for the UN Development Programme organisation former Prime Minister Helen Clark leads - as an advisor on Parliamentary Development and Democratic Governance.

Mr Chauvel said Ms Clark was not involved in his selection - "I don't think she even knows I have the job."

He said he had been a member of the UN Global Commission on HIV and the Law for the past two years and had found that work challenging.

"The new full-time role with the UN presents a similar opportunity to make a difference and I look forward to the challenges that it will present."

Former MP Carol Beaumont is next on Labour's list - followed by Kelvin Davis.

SYRIA SCANDAL: Did United Nations in Syria cleared this "dual-use" facility in Homs to become a UNFCCC vendor?

At the same time the Syrian regime of Bashir Al-Assad began the brutal repression that would quickly spin the country into civil war—and culminate with the use of chemical weapons against its own citizens-- Syrian officials were officially registering a deal with the United Nations agency sponsoring the world's largest carbon-trading scheme for an industrial complex known for years as a “dual-use” facility in the government's production of the same weapons of mass destruction.

Click here to read this story in full @ Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/23/un-emissions-trading-project-has-links-to-syria-chemical-weapons-arsenal/

Helen Clark's interview on Forbes

“When you’re talking about the next development agenda… you have to be talking about peace, justice, government, and rule of law, as well as the outcomes we want—to eradicate poverty and have people succeeding in their education, living longer, and so on…we have to build a better world,” said UNDP Administrator Helen Clark in a wide-ranging interview with the Skoll World Forum’s Rahim Kanani on the state of global development today. The full interview can be found below

http://www.forbes.com/sites/skollworldforum/2013/09/03/helen-clark-of-undp-on-how-to-build-a-better-world/

Romano Prodi, another high profile Socialist on UN payroll - told to go to work in Mali or otherwise leave !

EXCLUSIVE: As the United Nations begins to gear up for its new session this month, there are signs that austerity is reaching even the highest levels.

Romano Prodi, former president of the European Commission and onetime prime minister of Italy, is being, in effect, downsized as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s part-time special envoy for the vast and turbulent area of sub-Saharan Africa known as the Sahel, one of the world’s poorest regions.

Click here for this story in full at: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/03/un-downsizes-high-profile-special-envoy-amid-signs-donor-fatigue/?test=latestnews#ixzz2e4wokQaa

Chinese chief of RBAP wants to change UNDP image and perception -- will he succeed ?

The new Director of the of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says it is time to have an honest dialogue with some of its government partners so that they see UNDP, not as a donor, but rather as a trusted development partner.

Mr Haoliang Xu assumed his role as the new director on September 2.

A Chinese national, Mr. Xu has held various leadership positions in UNDP, most recently as Deputy Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

“I am very excited about my new role. I believe that the significant unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) remains the defining challenge of our time. Accelerating MDG progress and meeting the original deadline of 2015 must remain a top priority. Over the years, UNDP has been playing a valuable role in the achievement of MDGs. My new assignment as head of UNDP operation in Asia-Pacific gives me an opportunity to work with our partners to bring together all the threads of MDGs in the region to build an inclusive, sustainable and resilient Asia-Pacific,” Mr. Xu said in his first meeting with the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific staff at UNDP headquarters in New York.

Click here for full story here: http://matangitonga.to/2013/09/04/undp-director-seeks-breakthrough-partner-attitudes

UN making money with carbon certificates - no one asks for accountability as to what does UN do with all this "surplus" ? !

The trust for the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism, the operator of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas credit program, had an operating surplus of $82 million in the 18 months through June 30, as offset supply increased.

Fees and other income amounted to $141 million in the period, compared with expenses of $59.2 million, according to data in a statement on the website of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Bonn-based trust was holding $201 million, including funds carried over from the previous period, the UN said.

Click here for full story at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-04/un-carbon-credit-program-reports-82-million-surplus-to-june.html

United Nations in North Korea hit hard by Syria conflict - - no one wants to give money for Kim Jong-un

The World Food Programme (WFP) has revealed that food support for North Korea hit a two-year low during the month of August. According to WFP, cited by Radio Free Asia (RFA), food aid to North Korea this year has shown a declining trend since February: more than 3000 tons in January; 6000t in February; 4000t in March and April; 3000t in May and June; 2900t in July; and 2050t in August, the lowest amount of food aid given since 200t in August of 2011.

Click here for this story in full at: http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=10929

UN needs to clean up and simplify its language for UN Climate Decisions - in order for people to understand it !

That’s the contention of a new paper from FIELD, the London-based Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development. The organisation, which tries to make international law processes more understandable and accessible, recommends that the 195 countries and other parties negotiating through the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) “consider an entirely new structure and style” for their decisions.

Click here for more on this story: http://www.trust.org/item/20130905161654-d6mw8/?source=hpeditorial

Chinese appointed head of UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia. Now China controls UN-DESA/ECOSOC as well as all development aid to Asia

Chinese national is new UN assistant secretary general

Click here for this in full @: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/chinese-national-is-new-un-assistant-secretary-general/414112-2.html

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday appointed China's Haoliang Xu as assistant secretary general, an official said. "He will replace Ajay Chhibber of India, who will return to his government," Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Haoliang Xu will also be appointed as assistant administrator and director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The new assistant secretary general "has many years of distinguished service within UNDP holding various leadership positions, most recently as deputy regional director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States in New York since 2010," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Digital Journal: Carbon-Emissions Market - New Industry Research Report is Now Available for Pre-Order at Transparency Market Research

Click here for this in full @: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1408838

Carbon emissions were traded at minor levels over the past few years. However, the involvement of governments in stabilizing the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases has resulted in tremendous growth in the carbon emissions market.

The successful implementation of the carbon emissions schemes depends on climate policy enforcement, climate change, and domestic politics. Many countries are taking firm steps for environmental improvement. With all these factors, the carbon emission market is expected to witness double digit growth, thereby providing significant opportunities for utilities and investments in the near future.

The major players in carbon emissions market are 3 Degrees Incorporated, APX Incorporated, Baker & McKenzie, Blue Source, CantorCO2e LLC, Climate Focus, EcoSecurities Group plc, Evolution Markets, Fortis, MGM International, Natsource, RNK Capital LLC, Sterling Planet Incorporated, Tradition Financial Services, TUV SUD America, and others.

Browse the report with Request TOC at http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/carbon-emissions-market.html

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1408838#ixzz2cEoCar6D

Another United Nations envoy to investigate Canada's treatment of Aboriginal Peoples

Click here for this in full @: http://www.saultstar.com/2013/08/10/un-to-investigate-canadas-treatment-of-aboriginal-peoples

Another United Nations envoy is headed for Canada to check up on us, and this time it will focus on the country's the treatment of Aboriginal Peoples.

Last year it was the UN's special envoy on food security, and Olivier De Schutter -- the UN special rapporteur on the right to food -- wasn't impressed. He concluded that Canada's "self-righteous" attitude belies a very real issue of food insecurity.

The report was widely dismissed and literally laughed at by Conservative cabinet ministers.

Though the relationship between Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government and the UN has been strained, Canada has granted permission for this latest special envoy, which will make three trips here and produce three reports on what it finds.

The Examiner: U.N. pushes the idea of Climate Change being the cause of Haiti's cholera !

Click here for this in full @: http://www.examiner.com/article/did-climate-change-contribute-to-haiti-s-post-quake-cholera-outbreak

August 7, 2013

On August 6, the Washington Post published details of Yale University’s most recent report slamming theUnited Nations for bringing cholera into Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake.

According to the Yale report, the lack of response on the part of the United Nations “violates obligations under international law by not providing a forum to address the grievances of cholera victims.”

Last month, a report authored by a group of former United Nations scientists used DNA testing to link the cholera bacteria responsible for the outbreak to UN peacekeepers from Nepal. The evidence, which offers strong support for the UN's culpability, caused international outrage and demands that the United Nations take responsibility for its unintentional infection of Haiti earthquake victims.

Mary Robinson says: "United Nations should treat Climate Change as a human rights issue" !

Opinion: Climate change as a human rights and justice issue

Click here for this in full @: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/46843/opinion-climate-change-as-a-human-rights-and-justice-issue-201346843/

Global warming and climate change present humankind with one of the greatest challenges in the history of our species. While there is now broad acknowledgment of this fact, for those of us in the world’s most developed countries, our awareness is often abstracted: We see climate change as just an environmental problem that will somehow be solved, or our view is shaped by the kind of horrific disasters that make for sensational headlines and gripping news footage. Then we forget all about it until the next disaster flashes across our screens.

What shouldn’t be overlooked is that the effects of climate change are cumulative. They do not always take the form of extreme natural disasters. Climate change is already having a profoundly adverse impact on poorer communities around the world, as they experience, for example, a heavy rainfall that destroys a farmer’s entire crop during the normally dry season. The people most affected – women, children, and the most vulnerable – are the least responsible for causing climate change, and also the least able to cope.

United Nations wants to control Small-Scale Fisheries around the world !

Click here for this in full @: http://www.thecoaster.ca/News/Local/2013-08-06/article-3340086/Allen-attends-UN-meeting-on-small-scale-fisheries/1

Will study small-scale fisheries in Coast of Bays

Topics : 

United Nations , Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , Canadian Fisheries Research Network , Bays , Newfoundland and Labrador , Rome

Sharmane Allen, a former resident of Harbour Breton, found herself a long way from Newfoundland in May as she was in Rome, Italy attending consultations hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on small- scale fisheries (SSF).

Ms. Allen was asked to be part of a civil society delegation at the international meetings by the Canadian Fisheries Research Network and was a delegate with the World Forum on Fisheries People.

She said, “As a PhD student at Memorial University studying SSF in Newfoundland and Labrador, this opportunity was invaluable in many ways.

“The United Nations contends that if the world does not recognize the importance of SSF and protect their existence, the future of this sector is bleak as it is facing a number of common problems worldwide.”

W.P. The Insiders: Another UN global climate warming report, AR5, may fuel Democrats’ defeat

Click here for this in full @: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/08/05/the-insiders-another-un-global-climate-warming-report-ar5-may-fuel-democrats-defeat/

The Manhattan skyline — now. (Seth Wenig/Associated Press)

If you think your summer reading is deficient, maybe you could get your hands on an advance copy of the 2013 Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Its 2007 assessment report, AR4, weighed in at 20 pounds and was more than 3,000 pages long. I wonder if anyone in America, much less in the Obama administration, even read that report. And, apparently, this year’s report, which will be released in September, will be even longer and heavier.

The causes and consequences of global warming remain uncertain, but that’s not even the point. If all the dire predictions and the left’s wildest fantasies come true, it just might be President Obama’s failure as a diplomat that we’ll all reflect on as we’re standing in knee-deep water on the third floor of a high-rise in midtown Manhattan.

New Zealand's Moses speaks of "self-belief as winning ingredient to climb back to power"....

click here for this in full @: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10908242

Helen Clark was one of the weekend's inspirational speakers at the TEDx Auckland conference. Photo / Steven McNicholl

If Labour leader David Shearer wants a tip from a winner, former Prime Minister Helen Clark says her advice is always to "be yourself".

"Believe in yourself because if you don't believe in yourself in life, no one else will ever believe in you," she says.

"You have to believe you can do it. You have to express your ideas clearly. You have to build your base in the community."

She emerged from "death-zone rating" in opposition - polling as low as 2 per cent as preferred Prime Minister in a Colmar Brunton poll.

She came out of it, not by working harder - "I couldn't have worked any harder" - but working smarter, having extensive networks in her party and in the community who believed she was the person who could make a difference.