Global Stories

Moving towards more environmentally friendly ― or green shipping ― is necessary. However, it is a formidable challenge, especially in our continent Asia, which accounts for the bulk of global shipping and port operations. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions ― and other negative externalities of the shipping activities....

The well-being of oceans in the Asia-Pacific region are edging closer to a tipping point due to the unprecedented pace of marine pollution, overfishing and climate change in recent years. However, a new report released today by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) suggests that the temporary...

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will work together to improve access to sustainable energy, bolstering the Asia-Pacific region’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two organisations will offer recommendations to governments in the region positioning the energy transition as an...

COVID-19 has resulted in massive job cuts across the world, causing deep mental stress among people. As an organization that understands and promotes mental well-being among its employees, Admitad global affiliate network has launched a ‘Social Fund’ with a corpus of $3,00,000 for the staff, whose family members have suffered a job loss recently. The...

Vertex Global Services announced today $40,000 in donations to support domestic and global response to COVID-19 and to aid public health relief effort. “Given the severity of the commotion, there is a compelling need for a multi-pronged response, Vertex urges corporates and start-ups to come forward even more stronger and with concerted action to join...

Fast growing cities in South East Asia are responsible for as much as 60% of plastic waste leakage into the environment. 75% of land-based sources of marine plastic pollution in the region originates from uncollected waste and 25% from leakages in the municipal waste management systems. Plastic pollution is also transboundary - up to...

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) India has pledged financial aid of nearly INR 2 crore towards supply of medical kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), dry food, hygiene essentials and hospitalization for those most in need during the pandemic in Mumbai, Pune and Chennai. Specifically, FCA India Engineering has partnered with nonprofits Sevalaya in Chennai and United...

Climate activist Greta Thunberg today launched a child rights driven campaign with Danish NGO Human Act to support UNICEF’s efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic and protect children from its direct and knock-on consequences. These include food shortages, strained healthcare systems, violence and lost education. “Like the climate crisis, the coronavirus pandemic is a child-rights crisis,” said...

The health and economic consequences of COVID-19 have highlighted the critical need to support vulnerable populations, many of whom are disproportionately impacted. In this time of global crisis, Mastercard has expanded its worldwide commitment to financial inclusion, pledging to bring a total of 1 billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses into...

Climate change has become a major concern in this century. The Paris Agreement sets forth efforts to limit the global temperature rise to “well below” 2 °C in the present century, compared to pre-industrial levels. To realise the climate targets of the Paris Agreement, a complete transition in the global energy landscape is essential. Wind...

The coronavirus global pandemic has brought sharp focus on the shortage of nurses and the health workforce the world over. Contrary to the long-standing notion that it represents a cost to be contained, in 2016 the United Nations High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth published evidence that jobs and employment in health...

There is overwhelming evidence that the Asia-Pacific region needs to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and substantially reverse current negative trends, especially those which are depleting and degrading its environmental resources, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific...