On global Human Rights Day, 75+ groups from across the UK issue an open letter to the Prime Minister and political leaders, urging them to protect universal human rights in the UK.
On the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) have coordinated an open letter to the Prime Minister and political leaders signed by 75+ organisations from across the UK.
Published today on 10th December 2023, global Human Rights Day, the letter highlights the United Nations’ call for a “movement of shared humanity” – a sentiment reflected by the breadth of organisations that have signed it.
Grassroots groups, local charities, international organisations, professional bodies, advocates and lawyers all working in different fields and for different causes have come together to call on the UK Government to reaffirm the commitment to universal human rights, honouring the fundamental principle that human rights are for everyone.
As well as celebrating the incredible mobilisation of civil society to speak up against the UK Government’s unprincipled and unworkable Rights Removal Bill, which was ultimately scrapped this year, the letter highlights the impact that human rights have in the “small places close to home” – a phrase coined by UDHR architect Eleanor Roosevelt. It reflects on the role of the UDHR in inspiring the European Convention on Human Rights and ultimately the UK’s own Human Rights Act.
Together, the organisations tell politicians: “Anchored by common fundamental values that reach beyond divides, the UDHR makes it clear that universal human rights are part of what it means to be human, and not gifts granted by the state.”
Speaking on the release of the open letter, BIHR’s CEO, Sanchita Hosali, said: “Global Human Rights Day should be a time for us all in the UK to reflect on the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, agreed across nations in the aftermath of World War II 75 years ago to protect the equal dignity of each of us.
“Whether in our schools or workplaces, in community centres or housing offices, at police stations and courts, in hospitals and care homes, social work departments and Government offices, our universal human rights, shared by each and every one of us should be respected and protected by those in power.
“Sadly, here at home political debate is characterised by hostility to people’s human rights and a government intent on removing its accountability to us all. Having seen off the very real risk from the Government to scrap our Human Rights Act in favour of a Rights Removal Bill, groups from across the UK have joined together to call on our Prime Minister and political leaders to do better.
“Yet just days ago we see the Government seeking to set down in law the removal of human rights protections for a whole group of people seeking safety in it’s latest Rwanda Bill. As we mark the 75th anniversary of the UDHR, the Government must move beyond the popularist, often dog whistle politicking around human rights, and commit to realising the vision of universal human rights as a global blueprint for international, national, and local laws and policies.”
People of Gaza ‘Being Told to Move like Human Pinballs’, but Nowhere Is Safe, Secretary-General Tells Security Council, pleading for humanitarian ceasefire
UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, in New York yesterday:
Thank you for convening this Security Council meeting in response to my letter of 6 December on the situation in Gaza and Israel.
I wrote to the Security Council invoking Article 99 because we are at a breaking point.
There is a high risk of the total collapse of the humanitarian support system in Gaza, which would have devastating consequences. We anticipate that it would result in a complete breakdown of public order and increased pressure for mass displacement into Egypt.
I fear the consequences could be devastating for the security of the entire region. We have already seen the spillover in the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
There is clearly, in my view, a serious risk of aggravating existing threats to the maintenance of international peace and security.
The risk of collapse of the humanitarian system is fundamentally linked with a complete lack of safety and security for our staff in Gaza, and with the nature and intensity of military operations, which are severely limiting access to people in desperate need.
The threat to the safety and security of United Nations staff in Gaza is unprecedented. More than 130 of my colleagues have already been killed, many with their families. This is the largest single loss of life in the history of our Organization.
Some of our staff take their children to work so they know they will live or die together. Colleagues have shared heartbreaking messages from staff members pleading for help.
The Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Safety and Security has advised me that all possible means of mitigating the risk to staff within Gaza, short of evacuation, are closed off, because of the way this conflict has evolved.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough that the UN is totally committed to stay and deliver for the people of Gaza.
I pay tribute to the heroic humanitarian aid workers who remain committed to their work, despite the enormous dangers to their health and their lives.
But the situation is simply becoming untenable.
This Council called in resolution 2712 (2023) for “the scaling up of the provision of such supplies to meet the humanitarian needs of the civilian population, especially children”. I deeply regret to inform the Council that under current conditions on the ground, the fulfilment of this mandate has become impossible.
The conditions for the effective delivery of humanitarian aid no longer exist.
The crossing point at Rafah was not designed for hundreds of trucks and is a major bottleneck.
But even if sufficient supplies were permitted into Gaza, intense bombardment and hostilities, Israeli restrictions on movement, fuel shortages, and interrupted communications, make it impossible for UN agencies and their partners to reach most of the people in need.
Between 3 and 5 December — the two days preceding my letter — the UN could only distribute aid in one of Gaza’s five governorates — Rafah. Elsewhere, access was impossible.
People are desperate, fearful and angry. In some cases, they have expressed that anger towards our staff.
All this takes place amid a spiralling humanitarian nightmare.
First, there is no effective protection of civilians.
More than 17,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the start of Israel’s military operations. This includes more than 4,000 women and 7,000 children. Tens of thousands are reported to have been injured, and many are missing, presumably under the rubble. All these numbers are increasing by the day.
Attacks from air, land and sea are intense, continuous and widespread. So far, they have reportedly hit 339 education facilities, 26 hospitals, 56 health-care facilities, 88 mosques and three churches.
Over 60 per cent of Gaza’s housing has reportedly been destroyed or damaged — some 300,000 houses and apartments.
Some 85 per cent of the population have been forced from their homes.
The people of Gaza are being told to move like human pinballs — ricocheting between ever-smaller slivers of the south, without any of the basics for survival.But nowhere in Gaza is safe.
At least 88 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) shelters have been hit, killing over 270 people and injuring over 900.
Conditions in shelters are overcrowded and unsanitary. People nurse open wounds. Hundreds of people stand in line for hours to use one shower or toilet. Families who have lost everything sleep on bare concrete floors, wearing clothes they have not changed for two months.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians arrived in Rafah in recent days, overwhelming shelters there. Many displaced families — including children, older people, pregnant women and people with disabilities — are sleeping in streets and public spaces across the city.
Second, Gazans are running out of food.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), there is a serious risk of starvation and famine.
In northern Gaza, 97 per cent of households are not eating enough. In the south, the figure among displaced people is 83 per cent. Half the people of the north and more than one third of displaced people in the south are simply starving.
WFP’s own food stocks are running out.
In the north, 9 out of 10 people have spent at least one full day and night without food.
The last functioning flour mill in Gaza was destroyed on 15 November.
WFP has provided food and cash assistance to hundreds of thousands of people across Gaza since the crisis began, and is ready to scale up its operations. However, that would require effective access to all people in need, and at least 40 trucks of food supplies every day — many times the current level.
Third, Gaza’s health system is collapsing while needs are escalating.
At least 286 health workers have been killed.
Hospitals have suffered heavy bombardment. Just 14 out of 36 are still functioning. Of these, three are providing basic first aid, while the others are delivering partial services.
The European Gaza Hospital, one of the two main hospitals in southern Gaza, has 370 beds. It is currently housing 1,000 patients and an estimated 70,000 people seeking shelter.
There are critical shortages of drugs, blood products and medical supplies. Fuel to run the hospitals is severely rationed. Many patients are being treated on the floor and without anaesthetics.
As patients with life-threatening injuries continue to arrive, wards are overflowing and staff are overwhelmed.
At the same time, the unsanitary conditions in shelters and severe shortages of food and water are leading to increases in respiratory infections, scabies, jaundice and diarrhoea.
Everything I have just described represents an unprecedented situation that led to my unprecedented decision to invoke Article 99, urging the members of the Security Council to press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe, and appealing for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared.
We are all aware that Israel began its military operation in response to the brutal terror attacks unleashed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October.
I unreservedly condemn those attacks. I am appalled by the reports of sexual violence. There is no possible justification for deliberately killing some 1,200 people, including 33 children, injuring thousands more, and taking hundreds of hostages.
Some 130 hostages are still held captive. I call for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as their humane treatment and visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) until they are freed.
At the same time, the brutality perpetrated by Hamas can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
And while indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas into Israel and the use of civilians as human shields are in contravention of the laws of war, such conduct does not absolve Israel of its own violations.
International humanitarian law includes the duty to protect civilians and to comply with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
The laws of war also demand that civilians’ essential needs must be met, including by facilitating the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian relief.
International humanitarian law cannot be applied selectively. It is binding on all parties equally at all times, and the obligation to observe it does not depend on reciprocity.
The people of Gaza are looking into the abyss. The international community must do everything possible to end their ordeal.
I urge the Council to spare no effort to push for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, for the protection of civilians, and for the urgent delivery of life-saving aid.
While we deal with the current crisis, we cannot lose sight of the only viable possibility for a peaceful future: a two-State solution, on the basis of United Nations resolutions and international law, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. This is vital for Israelis, Palestinians, and for international peace and security.
The eyes of the world — and the eyes of history — are watching. It’s time to act.
While all other members of the Security Council supported the call for a humanitarian ceasefire, the United States used it’s veto and the UK abstained.SO THE SLAUGHTER GOES ON …
UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA’s Phillipe Lazzarini writes: “In my 35 years of work in complex emergencies, I never have expected to write such a letter, predicting the killing of my staff & the collapse of the mandate I am expected to fulfill #Gaza
The letter reads:
“Yesterday, I wrote to the President of the UN General Assembly to inform him that UNRWA’s ability to continue delivering its mandate in Gaza has now become very limited. With constant bombardment, low and irregular flow of food and other humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip compared to the immense needs of displaced people in our overcrowded shelters and outside, UNRWA’s ability to assist and protect people is reducing fast.
“As I sent my letter to the President of the General Assembly, I took note of the UN Secretary-General’s decision to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter, as the threats of the current conflict on international peace, security and on the lives of nearly the entire population in Gaza are very real.
“UNRWA is the primary provider for humanitarian assistance to over 2.2 million people in Gaza. Half of them have sought shelter in UNRWA facilities which, despite the fact they are meant to be protected under international humanitarian law, have not been spared in the relentless bombardment of Gaza. 270 displaced people were killed inside them, and nearly 1,000 were injured.
“More than 130 UNRWA colleagues have been killed, most with their families. At least 70 per cent of UNRWA staff have been displaced. Many multiple times. Those who are still working strive to still provide food assistance and health care. They take their children to work so they know they are safe or that if they die, they will die together.
“In my 35 years of work in complex emergencies, I would never have expected to write such a letter, predicting the killing of my staff and the collapse of the mandate I am expected to fulfill.
“I urge all member states to take immediate actions to implement an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, enforce international law including the protection of civilians, UN staff, UN premises including shelters, medical facilities and all civilian infrastructure and protect the prospects for a political solution vital to peace and stability and the rights for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and beyond.
“Calling for an end to the decimation of the lives of Palestinians in Gaza is not a denial of the abhorrent attacks of 7 October in Israel. It is the opposite. It is a recognition of the equal rights of all people. Our response to the situation in Gaza today will mark the history of the General Assembly – the gathering of all nations of the world – and the entire UN.”
Statement by UK’s Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN General Assembly meeting on humanitarian aid
Thank you, Mr President. Colleagues, every year we meet here to reflect on global humanitarian needs. Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture. 258 million people do not know where their next meal is coming from.
One in five children are living in or fleeing from conflict. One in 73 people are displaced, a number which has doubled in the last ten years. We are simultaneously witnessing dire humanitarian situations in Israel and Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and in Ukraine. Alongside many more across the world. The levels of need are overwhelming the humanitarian systems. Colleagues, we all have a role, and a stake, in reversing these worrying trends.
President, on 20 November our Prime Minister launched the UK’s International Development White Paper. This sets out our commitment to getting the Sustainable Development Goals back on track. And it includes a strong commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in the face of ever-growing needs driven by conflict and climate. We will focus on three key areas.
First, we will invest in an effective humanitarian system. We will contribute $1.2 billion to humanitarian assistance from 2024 to 2025. And we will also establish a UK Humanitarian Crisis Response Fund for specialist technical expertise, search and rescue, and emergency medical teams. We call on all Member States, including new and emerging donors and partners, to step up their support.
Second, we are shaping a system that is accountable to the people it serves. The UK is proud to have supported the START network from its inception to deliver rapid, early and locally-led humanitarian action around the world. We will invest more in local leadership on humanitarian action and will explore how our engagement, terminology, delivery, and approach can change to support local partnerships.
Third, we will build a system which can anticipate shocks and act early. This is proven to mitigate the impacts of disasters, save more lives and deliver value for money. We will continue to champion the CERF’s scale up of a system-wide approach to ‘Early Action’, including through our contribution of a further $65 million to the fund this year. Finally, colleagues, we must prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises.
This will need a whole of system response, in partnership with the UN, civil society, the International Financial Institutions, and, increasingly, the private sector. This is why, alongside our humanitarian efforts, we are supporting initiatives that will reduce need and prevent humanitarian caseloads.
We will scope a separate fund alongside our humanitarian funding, to build in climate resilience and adaptation alongside delivery of humanitarian relief. This will reduce the impact of future disasters and help communities to prepare and adapt for crises that we can anticipate.
And we will continue to advocate for compliance with international humanitarian law and for sustainable and inclusive ends to conflicts which remain the greatest blocker to development and prosperity. We look forward to working with you all to deliver this.
‘Managing smart city governance’ draws on Scottish examples of harnessing digital technology
A new United Nations resource to help cities around the world harness the benefits of digital technology has been completed and launched by researchers at Edinburgh Napier University.
‘Managing smart city governance’ is described as a playbook of practical recommendations to improve urban life with the use of cutting-edge tech.
Professor Luca Mora and Dr Paolo Gerli from ENU’s Business School led the research team behind it, offering practical guidance to local and regional governments leading ‘smart city’ projects. Existing examples include real-time monitoring of traffic data, and online platforms to enhance civic participation.
The recommendations are intended to help develop more effective, inclusive, and sustainable urban areas, by showing how cities worldwide have been successfully dealing with the ethical, societal and environmental implications of digital technologies.
The final publication draws on examples from Scotland for cities in other parts of the world to follow, including the collaborative Scottish Cities Alliance, the launch of the Scottish Digital Academy, and Glasgow’s Participatory Budgeting Evaluation Toolkit.
Reacting to the launch, he said: “This playbook draws together evidence-based advice, offering what we hope will be guidance that makes a positive difference around the world.
“Digital technology offers many opportunities for leaders of local and municipal governments – and it could revolutionise the quality of life for people who live in urban areas.
“The potential of these technologies is almost limitless, so it is important that they are put in place strategically and collaboratively to make the most of them.”
The playbook itself is based on a review of existing evidence, a survey of local government leaders from 250 municipalities across five continents, and interviews with 131 experts from 37 different countries. The findings are then split into three pillars: strategy, collaborative ecosystem and technology.
As well as ENU, the playbook was jointly produced by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Tallinn University of Technology.
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza yesterday:
Thank you, President.
I’d like to thank Commissioner-General Lazzarini, Executive Director Russell and Director Doughten for your stark and clear briefings.
Let me start by recognising the courage, commitment and sacrifice of UN employees and humanitarian workers in Gaza, and in particular the 103 aid workers – including the 64 UNRWA staff – who have been killed in Gaza in the last 22 days.
We also offer our sincere condolences to all Palestinians and Israelis who have suffered or lost loved ones.
Since Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October, the United Kingdom has underscored Israel’s right to self-defence against terrorism. We continue to be clear that this must be done in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Our efforts, with our international partners, have focussed on the protection of civilians, securing and scaling up humanitarian access, and the release of hostages. Sadly, despite these efforts the situation in Gaza deteriorates daily. Hamas bears sole responsibility for starting this conflict.
President, I would like to highlight three priorities.
First, we call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of proportionality, distinction and necessity. This requires all parties to take every possible step to avoid the harming of civilians and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
Second, we must urgently co-operate to scale up aid into Gaza, and to ensure sufficient access points are open.
For this to happen successfully there needs to be a safer environment, which necessitates humanitarian pauses. We support UN-led efforts in this regard.
Since the latest escalation in Gaza, the UK has committed over $36 million in additional aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. An RAF flight arrived in Egypt on 25 October carrying 21 tonnes of UK aid for Gaza. But the access environment needs to improve immediately so that these and other lifesaving resources can reach the people who desperately need them.
Third, we cannot allow this conflict to spread. We call on all countries in the region to help avoid escalation and warn non-state actors not to exploit the current situation.
President, the Palestinian Authority has a key role as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. We call on Israel and other states to support the PA. We call on Israeli authorities to tackle the rising number of settler attacks and killings in the occupied West Bank, recalling that it is their responsibility to protect Palestinian civilians there.
The UK retains the long-term goal of a Two State Solution with Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully.
To reach that goal, we have a responsibility to ensure a plan for Gaza that offers the population hope, security, stability, prosperity, and effective governance so that their political wishes can be fulfilled. In this regard, some fundamental principles apply.
There should be no mass displacement of Gazans to neighbouring countries. The Palestinian Authority should play a central role. And nothing should be done that cuts across progress towards a Two State Solution, with Gaza as an integral part of a Palestinian state.
Letter to UK political leaders to support a humanitarian corridor
First Minister Humza Yousaf has written to UK political leaders urging them to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, to allow a humanitarian corridor to open. The First Minister says the UK should stand together to stop the humanitarian disaster that is unfolding in Gaza.
The letter reads:
To: UK political leaders From: First Minister Humza Yousaf
The abhorrent terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October must be unequivocally condemned, and I will continue to join you in doing so. Hamas must release immediately and unconditionally all hostages and cease its missile attacks on Israel.
The killing of innocent civilians can never be justified, wherever it occurs. Israel, like every other country, has a right to protect itself from attack, but in doing so it must comply with international law.
Since the tragic events of that day, the loss of life has escalated. More than 1,400 Israelis and 5,700 Palestinians are reported to have been killed. More than 1.4 million Palestinians have been displaced and in excess of 600,000 people are sheltering in UN-run facilities. Many British citizens are trapped in a warzone with nowhere to go, under intense daily bombardment of the Gaza strip.
Food, water, fuel, and medicine are being restricted, with limited humanitarian supplies – nowhere near enough – being allowed in. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) – the largest humanitarian agency working in Gaza – has warned that unless fuel is allowed into Gaza immediately, the agency will be forced to halt all operations as of today.
I am, therefore, writing to ask for your support in helping to stop the staggering humanitarian disaster we are witnessing, which is set to get even worse.
We should stand together and united in unequivocally calling on all parties to commit to an immediate ceasefire to allow a humanitarian corridor to be opened, so that lifesaving supplies can get into Gaza and innocent civilians who want to leave be given safe passage out.
The situation in Gaza is at the point of being cataclysmic. All of us must do everything we can to prevent that. There must be no more dithering, or delay, together we must call for an immediate ceasefire.
The First Minister’s letter has been sent to:
Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales
Michelle O’Neill First Minister (Designate) of Northern Ireland
Sir Keir Stamer, Leader of the Labour Party
Sir Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Rhun ap Lorwerth, Leader of Plaid Cymru
Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsey, Co-Leaders the Green Party of England and Wales
Douglas Ross, Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Anas Sarwar, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party
Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, Co-Leaders of the Scottish Green Party
Alex Cole Hamilton, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
Clare Adamson, Convenor of the Scottish Parliament Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Alicia Kearns, Chair of the UK Parliament Foreign Affairs Select Committee
MEANWHILE, THE UK GOVERNMENT HAS ABSTAINED IN A VOTE CALLING FOR A HUMANITARIAN TRUCE IN GAZA …
UK statement following the UN General Assembly vote on the Jordanian draft resolution on the situation in Gaza, Friday 27 October 2023:
The UK abstained on the Jordanian-drafted resolution.
We welcome the draft’s call for all parties to respect International Humanitarian Law, including the protection of civilians, for the immediate release of hostages and for full and sustained humanitarian access.
These are UK priorities and we have been working tirelessly with partners to achieve these on the ground, including the UK Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary’s engagements with Egypt to open the Rafah crossing to get aid to the Palestinian people.
We are proud to have pledged an additional $37 million in UK aid to help civilians in Gaza since the beginning of the crisis. The UK Prime Minister has been clear that we recognise the need for humanitarian pauses to deliver this aid safely and in a sustained way.
We also welcome the draft’s emphasis on preventing regional escalation of the conflict. It is in no-one’s interest for this conflict to spread.
However, we are deeply disappointed with the draft’s omission of an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ terrorist attacks that killed over 1,400 people and took over 200 hostages last week. This should not be controversial.
That is why we voted in favour of the Canadian amendment which would have corrected this.
But we cannot vote for a resolution that is silent on the largest terror attack in Israel’s history.
Hamas has embedded itself in civilian populations, is still holding civilians hostage, and firing rockets at Israel while using Palestinians as human shields. It is clear that Israel is under attack by terrorists and is entitled under international law to defend itself. Any resolution on the situation in Gaza and Israel should be unequivocal on that too.
This is why we abstained on this resolution.
We will continue to work closely with Israel, Palestine, the UN and our partners in the region to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. To ensure that civilians are protected and have access to food, water, medicine, and shelter. And to work towards the peace and stability which can only be achieved by working towards a sustainable Two State Solution.
Senior Jewish and Muslim faith leaders issue joint statement with FM
First Minister Humza Yousaf has joined faith leaders in Scotland to express a steadfast commitment against all forms of hate crime, bigotry and xenophobia.
In a joint statement, the First Minister and senior religious representatives of Scotland’s Jewish and Muslim communities have pledged to continue working together to foster community cohesion and goodwill across Scotland.
A copy of the joint statement from the First Minister and faith leaders is below:
We express today our mutual respect and understanding, recognising our common humanity, and with love and compassion, knowing that our hearts are full of pain. We also acknowledge the suffering caused to innocent life as a result of recent events and wholeheartedly pray for the full recovery of the many injured and for those who have lost loved ones.
In times of crisis, it is important for our faith communities, and all communities in Scotland, to reaffirm our relationships and maintain our continuing dialogue. We are steadfast in our commitment against all forms of hate crime, bigotry and xenophobia and we are proud of the strong inter-faith tradition in Scotland.
We stand together in solidarity to reassure our communities of that continuing commitment. We will continue to work together to foster community cohesion and goodwill across Scotland, so that everyone can live in safety. We are proud of our close and strong working relationships, built up over many years, and which allows us the ability to work with confidence and trust.
Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland
Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Senior Rabbi of Scotland
Chief Imam Dr. Sayed Razawi
Shaykh Hassan Rabbani, Chair of the Scottish Muslim Forum
Rabbi Eliran Shabo, Jewish Chaplain of Scotland Universities
Efforts from Central America to East Asia honoured as World Restoration Flagships
Initiatives now eligible to receive United Nations-backed promotion, advice or funding
Unveiled at gala event featuring Dr. Jane Goodall, Jason Momoa, Li Bingbing, Filipe Toledo, Frida Amani, Edward Norton, Ellie Goulding and more
The United Nations has recognized 10 ground-breaking efforts from around the globe for their role in restoring the natural world.
The winning initiatives were unveiled at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal and a special virtual gala event featuring actors Jason Momoa and Edward Norton, Dr. Jane Goodall, extreme mountaineer Nirmal Purja, singer Ellie Goulding, UK band Bastille, Chinese celebrity Li Bingbing, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo and British economist Sir Partha Dasgupta, among others. The gala was hosted by Indian National Geographic Explorer and wildlife filmmaker Malaika Vaz.
The initiatives were declared World Restoration Flagships and are eligible to receive UN-backed promotion, advice or funding.
They were selected under the banner of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global movement coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It is designed to prevent and reverse the degradation of natural spaces across the planet.
Together, the 10 flagships aim to restore more than 68 million hectares − an area bigger than Myanmar, France or Somalia − and create nearly 15 million jobs.
In revealing the World Restoration Flagships, the UN Decade seeks to honour the best examples of large-scale and long-term ecosystem restoration, embodying the 10 Restoration Principles of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
The UN Decade acknowledges the time needed for restoration efforts to deliver results. Until 2030, regular calls for World Restoration Flagships will be launched. In expectation of increased funding to the UN Decade’s Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), additional submissions are being considered, including restoration drives from Pakistan, Peru, and an initiative focusing on Somalia and other drought-affected countries.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said: “Transforming our relationship with nature is the key to reversing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
“These 10 inaugural World Restoration Flagships show that with political will, science, and collaboration across borders, we can achieve the goals of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration and forge a more sustainable future not only for the planet but also for those of us who call it home.”
Qu Dongyu, Director General of the FAO, said: “FAO, together with UNEP, as co-lead of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, is pleased to award the 10 most ambitious, visionary and promising ecosystem restoration initiatives as 2022 World Restoration Flagships.
“Inspired by these flagships, we can learn to restore our ecosystems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.”
The Atlantic Forest once covered a swath of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. But it has been reduced to fragments by centuries of logging, agricultural expansion and city building.
Hundreds of organizations are active in the decades-long effort to protect and restore the forest in all three countries. Their initiatives are creating wildlife corridors for endangered species, like the jaguar and the golden lion tamarin, securing water supplies for people and nature, countering and building resilience to climate change, and creating thousands of jobs.
Some 700,000 hectares have already been restored with the 2030 target at 1 million hectares and the 2050 target at 15 million hectares.
Safeguarding the world’s second-largest dugong population is a goal of the drive in the United Arab Emirates to restore beds of seagrass – the vegetarian dugong’s preferred food – coral reefs and mangroves along the Gulf coast.
The project in the emirate of Abu Dhabi will improve conditions for many other plants and animals, including four species of turtle and three kinds of dolphin. Local communities will benefit from the revival of some of the 500 species of fish, as well as greater opportunities for eco-tourism.
Abu Dhabi wants to ensure its coastal ecosystems are resilient in the face of global warming and rapid coastal development in what is already one of the world’s warmest seas.
Some 7,500 hectares of coastal areas have already been restored with another 4,500 hectares under restoration for 2030.
The Great Green Wall is an ambitious initiative to restore savannas, grasslands and farmlands across Africa to help families and biodiversity cope with climate change and keep desertification from further threatening already-vulnerable communities.
Launched by the African Union in 2007, this flagship seeks to transform the lives of millions in the Sahel region by creating a belt of green and productive landscapes across 11 countries.
The 2030 goals of the Great Green Wall are to restore 100 million hectares, sequester 250 million tons of carbon and create 10 million jobs.
While the Great Green Wall targets degraded land stretching right across the continent, the UN Decade flagship has a particular focus on Burkina Faso and Niger.
Restoring the health of the Ganges, India’s holy river, is the focus of a major push to cut pollution, rebuild forest cover and bring a wide range of benefits to the 520 million people living around its vast basin.
Climate change, population growth, industrialization and irrigation have degraded the Ganges along its arcing 2,525-kilometre course from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal.
Launched in 2014, the government-led Namami Gange initiative is rejuvenating, protecting and conserving the Ganges and its tributaries, reforesting parts of the Ganges basin and promoting sustainable farming. It also aims to revive key wildlife species, including river dolphins, softshell turtles, otters, and the hilsa shad fish.
Investment by the Indian government is up to $4.25 billion so far. The initiative has the involvement of 230 organisations, with 1,500km of river restored to date. Additionally, there has been 30,000 hectares of afforestation so far, with a 2030 goal of 134,000 hectares.
Mountain regions face unique challenges. Climate change is melting glaciers, eroding soils and driving species uphill – often toward extinction. The water that mountains supply to farms and cities in the plains below is becoming unreliable.
The initiative – based in Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda and Rwanda – showcases how projects in three diverse regions are using restoration to make mountain ecosystems more resilient so they can support their unique wildlife and deliver vital benefits to people.
Uganda and Rwanda are home to one of only two remaining populations of the endangered mountain gorilla. Thanks to the protection of their habitat, gorilla numbers have doubled in the last 30 years.
In Kyrgyzstan, herders are managing grasslands more sustainably so that they provide better food for both livestock and Asiatic ibex. Snow leopards are slowly bouncing back.
In Serbia, authorities are expanding tree cover and revitalizing pastures in two protected areas. Brown bears have returned to the forests, where restoration is also helping ecosystems recover from wildfires.
Focused on three small island developing states – Vanuatu, St Lucia and Comoros – this flagship is scaling up ridge-to-reef restoration of unique ecosystems and tapping blue economic growth to help island communities rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goals include a reduction in pressures on coral reefs, which are vulnerable to storm damage, so that fish stocks can recover. Ecosystems under restoration also include seagrass beds, mangroves and forests.
As well as creating a “toolbox” of solutions for sustainable island development, this flagship aims to amplify the voice of island nations facing rising sea levels and intensifying storms as a result of climate change.
Like many grasslands around the world, the vast steppes of Central Asia are in decline due to factors like overgrazing, conversion to arable land and the shifting climate.
In Kazakhstan, the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has been working since 2005 to restore the steppe, semi-desert and desert ecosystems within the historic range of the Saiga, a once abundant antelope critically endangered by hunting and habitat loss.
In fact, the Saiga population had plunged to 50,000 in 2006 but rebounded to 1.3 million in 2022. As well as reviving and protecting the steppe, the initiative has helped conserve wetlands that are a vital stopover for an estimated 10 million migratory birds. Among the key bird species are the sociable lapwing, the red-breasted goose, the white-headed duck and the Siberian crane.
Exposed to heatwaves and unpredictable rainfall, the ecosystems and peoples of the Central American Dry Corridor are especially vulnerable to climate change. As recently as 2019, a fifth year of drought left 1.2 million people in the region needing food aid.
Tapping traditional farming methods to build the productivity of landscapes, including their biodiversity, is at the heart of this restoration flagship covering six countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
For example, agroforestry systems integrating tree cover with crops like coffee, cocoa and cardamom can boost soil fertility and water availability while sustaining much of the biodiversity of the original tropical forest.
By 2030, the goal is to have 100,000 hectares under restoration and create 5,000 permanent jobs.
Demak, a low-lying coastal community on Indonesia’s main island of Java, has been plagued by erosion, flooding and land loss caused by the removal of mangroves for aquaculture ponds, land subsidence and infrastructure.
Rather than replanting mangrove trees, this innovative World Restoration Flagship has built fence-like structures with natural materials along the shore to calm waves and trap sediment, creating conditions for mangroves to rebound naturally. The total length of permeable structures built is 3.4 km and 199 ha of mangroves have been restored.
In return for letting mangroves regenerate, farmers have been schooled in sustainable techniques that have increased their shrimp production. With mangroves providing habitat for a plethora of marine organisms, fishers have also seen their near-shore catches improve.
This ambitious initiative combines 75 large-scale projects to restore ecosystems, from mountains to coastal estuaries, across the world’s most populous nation.
Launched in 2016, the initiative results from a systematic approach to restoration. Projects dovetail with national spatial plans, work at the landscape or watershed scale, include agricultural and urban areas as well as natural ecosystems, and seek to boost multiple local industries. All include goals for biodiversity.
Examples include the Oujiang River Headwaters Project in Zhejiang province, which integrates scientific knowledge with traditional farming methods, like slope terracing and combining crops with fish- and duck-rearing, to make land use more sustainable.
Some 3.5 million hectares have been restored so far. The 2030 target is 10 million hectares.
The UN Decade addresses all three Rio Conventions and encourages its partners in integrating climate forecasts and a different climate future in their restoration efforts.
There has never been a more urgent need to revive damaged ecosystems than now. Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The healthier our ecosystems are, the healthier the planet and its people. Ecosystem restoration will only succeed if everyone joins the #GenerationRestoration movement to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide.
In UN address the PM will call on democracies to harness the power of cooperation seen since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to constrain authoritarianism.
PM will argue the free world must prioritise economic growth and security – including ending dependency on authoritarians – to win the new era of strategic competition.
UN speech will also stress the need to properly invest in our physical security and will recommit to spending 3% of UK GDP on defence by 2030.
Prime Minister Liz Truss will use a speech in New York today (Wednesday) to warn fellow democratic leaders against any complacency when it comes to defending our values and preserving a world order that rewards freedom.
At the first ever session of the UN General Assembly held in the shadow of a large-scale war of aggression in Europe, the Prime Minister will highlight the threat from authoritarian states working to undermine security and stability around the world.
She will outline her vision for this new, more competitive era, which will require likeminded democracies to fight to defend our ideals. This fight begins with ensuring the UK and its partners have the strong economic foundations they need to constrain authoritarianism.
The Prime Minister will outline her plans to build a British economy which attracts growth by rewarding innovation, championing investment and enterprise, and welcoming the best talent around the world.
She will also set out the steps the Government is taking to ensure the British economy is free from malign interference. This includes increasing our energy independence and safeguarding the security of our supply chains.
In her speech, the Prime Minister will tell the UN: “The commitment to hope and progress must begin at home – in the lives of every citizen that we serve…
“We want people to keep more of the money they earn, because we believe that freedom trumps instruction…
“…We are reforming our economy to get Britain moving forward once again. The free world needs this economic strength and resilience to push back against authoritarian aggression and win this new era of strategic competition…
“…We will no longer be strategically dependent on those who seek to weaponise the global economy.”
As the UK boosts the dynamism and resilience of our own economy, the Prime Minister will also make the case for democracies working together to protect one another’s economic security.
The strength of democratic economies, rooted as they are in the aspirations of their people, is a clear counterpoint to autocratic states, which sow the seeds of their own demise by stifling aspiration and creativity.
The Prime Minister will make the case for harnessing that strength and denying authoritarian states the opportunity to manipulate the global economy.
She will tell the UN General Assembly that the G7 and other likeminded partners must act as an economic NATO, collectively defending our prosperity and coming to the aid of any partner targeted by an aggressive regime.
This economic security goes hand in hand with physical security. The Prime Minister will therefore reiterate her commitment to protecting the UK and our allies, including by increasing defence spending to 3% of UK GDP on defence by 2030.
The Prime Minister is expected to say: “Just as we are building a plan for growth at home, we are also developing a new blueprint for our engagement with the world.
“We will build resilience and collective security – because they are vital for freedom and democracy. We will be a reliable, trustworthy and dynamic partner.”
To ensure the UK’s diplomatic, military and security architecture is keeping pace with evolving threat posed by hostile nations, the Prime Minister has commissioned an update to the Integrated Review.
The UK’s Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign policy was published in March 2021 – before Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine created the greatest security challenge ever experienced by NATO.
Professor John Bew, the Prime Minister’s special adviser for foreign affairs and defence, will lead a Downing Street process to update the review.
The refreshed strategy will ensure we are investing in the strategic capabilities and alliances we need to stand firm against coercion from authoritarian powers like Russia and China. The update is expected to be published by the end of this year.
By properly investing in defence, the Prime Minister will ensure that the UK maintains our position as the leading security actor in Europe, so that we are ready to stand up for peace, prosperity and freedom across the world – just as we have done in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister will highlight these efforts in her speech. She will pay tribute to the bravery and determination of the Ukrainian people, and commit to continue standing up for human rights and democracy around the world.
The Prime Minister is expected to say: “This is a decisive moment in British history, in the history of this organisation, and in the history of freedom.
“The story of 2022 could have been that of an authoritarian state rolling its tanks over the border of a peaceful neighbour and subjugating its people.
“Instead, it is the story of freedom fighting back …
“But this must not be a one off … Britain’s commitment to this is total.
“Together with our friends and allies around the world, we will continue to champion freedom, sovereign and democracy.
“And we will define this new era as one of hope and progress.”
Environmental and community campaigners have urged a top UN body to intervene in Scotland’s planning system, after repeated calls for equal rights of appeal have been ignored by the Scottish Government.
Campaigners from Planning Democracy, Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland and RSPB Scotland, have submitted a formal complaint to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC), a UN body tasked with upholding environmental rights.
The complaint argues that planning appeal rights in Scotland are not ‘fair’ and therefore in breach of international law on access to justice for the environment. They point to a ruling by the Committee in Northern Ireland concluding that a lack of equal rights was in breach of the Convention, and argue that similar recommendations must now be applied to Scotland to spur reform.
The appeal to the UN follows over a decade of civil society campaigning and the passage of two planning bills, both of which failed to address the issue. An amendment proposing to introduce equal rights of appeal under the 2019 Planning (Scotland) Act was voted down by SNP and Conservative MSPs.
Currently, only applicants (usually developers) enjoy appeal rights if planning permission is refused.
Members of the public and NGOs do not enjoy equivalent rights to appeal if a development is approved, even if the development will negatively impact on health and the environment, or if the decision-making process was flawed.
The only option available to affected communities and individuals is to go to court via a judicial review, which the Convention’s governing bodies have already ruled is ‘prohibitively expensive’.
Campaigners are calling for the Scottish Government to introduce legislative reforms to achieve equal rights of appeal.
Clare Symonds, Chair of Planning Democracy, said; “Giving communities rights of appeal is about justice and fairness. It should be a given that decisions that fundamentally affect our future and the environment can be contested by those who will be most affected.
“It is clear that the Aarhus Compliance Committee’s Northern Ireland ruling agrees with our perspective that for developers to have right to challenge a decision at no cost, when communities have no such privilege, is unfair and a breach of international law on environmental decision-making.
“The situation regarding appeal rights in Scotland is the same and we expect the ACCC to find in our favour and hold the Scottish Government to account.”
Benjamin Brown, Policy & Advocacy Officer at Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland, said: “As it stands, Scotland’s planning system is rigged in favour of developers.
“Through ignoring calls to introduce Equal Rights of Appeal in planning decisions, the Scottish Government has missed a vital opportunity to empower communities and protect our environment. It must now act to reform the planning process, so that communities impacted by poorly considered planning decisions can have their voices heard.
“As we work towards including the right to a healthy environment in the new Human Rights Bill, equal rights in planning cannot be forgotten.”
Mary Church, Head of Campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “It’s an absolute scandal that communities and NGOs can’t appeal against developments that harm the environment, while developers can wage a war of attrition through appeals and repeat applications if their proposal gets knocked back.
“This lack of equal rights undermines the planning system and leads to decisions that are bad for people and planet. The Scottish Government shouldn’t wait for the UN to rap its knuckles again, but should take action to level the playing field as part of its agenda to enshrine human rights in Scots Law.”
Aedan Smith, Head of Policy and Advocacy at RSPB Scotland, said: “It is essential that individuals and communities have the ability to challenge harmful decisions, especially those that would make the nature and climate emergency worse.
“We would hope that this ability would not need to be used very often, but it is important that decision makers can be held to account in a way that is fair.”
Statement from the Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford, on the humanitarian crisis in East Africa:
Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford, said: “Friday’s agreement to resume Ukraine grain exports, brokered by the UN and Turkey, is a vital step towards alleviating hunger for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.
“This is welcome news for countries in East Africa where famine is also being driven by four consecutive seasons of failed rains and the impact of conflicts, with 48 million people now facing severe food insecurity.
“That’s why the UK is calling for urgent action to address suffering in East Africa and is also working with humanitarian aid agencies to tackle this crisis and to stop it from getting worse. This year, The UK will spend approximately £156 million across East Africa towards humanitarian crises.
“It’s eleven years since famine was last declared in Somalia, a crisis that killed over 250,000 people. We have worked with partners to build resilience and save lives over those 11 years and as the UN lead on Somalia, the UK is committed to driving a global response to prevent famine and alleviate further suffering.”
