The attacks also damaged 130 buildings, and rescue services are still clearing the rubble.
Rescue operations
Monday’s airstrikes hit and damaged the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, where rescue operations have ended.
According to government officials and partners on the ground, six children injured in the attack are receiving assistance and about 600 child patients have been transferred to various medical facilities in the city and surrounding areas for treatment.
OCHAreported that aid organizations have provided emergency medical and psychological assistance and supplied citizens with drinking water, hygiene kits and other items.
It added that “aid workers have registered people for financial assistance, including families whose relatives have been killed or injured, and also families whose homes have been damaged.”
Other UN agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO) continue to work with medical personnel to provide assistance and medical equipment.
Libya: Call for release of kidnapped political activist
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNHAPPY) said on Wednesday it was deeply concerned about reports of the recent kidnapping of a political activist whose whereabouts are unknown.
Al-Moatassim Al-Areebi, 29, was kidnapped on Monday in the northwestern city of Misrata, about 187 kilometers (116 miles) east of the capital Tripoli.
In a statement, UNSMIL reiterated the call of members of the Misrata City Council and community representatives to urge the city’s security and law enforcement authorities to urgently investigate his abduction, disclose his whereabouts and ensure his immediate and safe release.
The mission has documented cases of at least 60 individuals currently being held across Libya due to their actual or perceived political affiliation.
“The mission calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all people arbitrarily detained and for accountability of those responsible for these arbitrary detentions,” the statement concluded.
© UNDP Thailand
Fishermen in Thailand bring their catch ashore.
New report warns of climate impacts on fish biomass
A new report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Food and Drug Administration) warns that climate change could have serious consequences for fish stocks in almost all ocean regions, with major implications for major fishing nations and countries that rely heavily on fish and shellfish.
The FAO report claims that global estimates of exploitable fish biomass show a decline of more than 10 percent by mid-century for many regions, particularly under the high-emissions scenario.
Under the high-emissions scenario, the Earth is expected to warm by three to four degrees Celsius by the end of the century. This would mean that fish biomass in 48 countries and territories would decline by 30 percent or more.
However, if emissions remain low, 178 countries and territories will experience little to no change and fish populations will decline by up to 10 percent.
Adapting to change
Manuel Barange, FAO Deputy Director-General, said understanding the potential impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems is necessary to develop adaptation programmes at the right scale.
“Lower emissions significantly reduce biomass losses by the end of the century for almost all countries and territories compared to the high emissions scenario,” he said. “This highlights the benefits of climate change mitigation measures for fisheries and aquatic food.”
Reducing emissions could benefit many countries and regions, including small island developing states (SIDS). In these countries, the environmental and socio-economic concerns associated with climate change are greatest and people depend primarily on fisheries for food and income.
Senior UN official calls for change of course to achieve SDGs
The world must change course to achieve the goals Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, said the Assistant Executive Director of UN HabitatMichal Mlynár on Wednesday.
The call was made during the Local2030 Coalition’s special event during the ongoing 2024 High Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York City.
According to Mr Mlynár, the 2024 SDG report shows that only 17 percent of the targets are on track to be met by 2030, with around 30 percent showing little progress.
Moreover, progress on more than 30 percent of the SDGs is “either stagnating or even reversing,” he added.
“These disturbing figures are indeed a wake-up call that urges us to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs,” he said, “one that shows us that we need to support impactful initiatives with multiplier effects and a multi-stakeholder character.”
Localization key
Mr Mlynár said impactful initiatives must start at the local level.
He said that pursuing the SDGs locally means adapting the goals to specific local circumstances and ensuring that all relevant parties are actively involved in their implementation. Agenda 2030.
The UN official said the Local 2030 coalition has made “significant transformative progress” on the SDGs at the local level and that this is being done to have a positive impact on the people they serve.
“Because the people we serve are of course… those who should benefit from the practical cooperation that we can streamline in this specific context,” Mr Mlynár said.
