Noteworthy Information

Individuals Intermediate read

UN Climate Report: 'Atlas of Human Suffering' Worse, Bigger

Deadly with extreme weather now, climate change is about to get so much worse. It is likely going to make the world sicker, hungrier, poorer, gloomier and way more dangerous in the next 18 years with an "unavoidable" increase in risks, a new United Nations science report says. And after that watch out. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report said Monday if human-caused global warming isn't limited to just another couple tenths of a degree, an Earth now struck regularly by deadly heat, fires, floods and drought in future decades will degrade in 127 ways with some being "potentially irreversible."

"Today's IPCC report is an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. "With fact upon fact, this report reveals how people and the planet are getting clobbered by climate change."

Business & Government Simple read

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Must Peak Within 4 Years, Says Leaked UN Report

Global greenhouse gas emissions must peak in the next four years, coal and gas-fired power plants must close in the next decade and lifestyle and behavioral changes will be needed to avoid climate breakdown, according to the leaked draft of a report from the world's leading authority on climate science. The leak is from the forthcoming third part of the landmark report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the first part of which was published on Monday, warning of unprecedented changes to the climate, some of them irreversible. The document, called the sixth assessment report, is divided into three parts: the physical science of climate change; the impacts and ways of reducing human influence on the climate.

Business & Government Intermediate read

Children's Data Governance Manifesto (UNICEF)

Every child is different, with unique identities and their capacities and circumstances evolve over their lifecycle. Children are more vulnerable than adults and are less able to understand the long-term implications of consenting to their data collection. For these reasons, children’s data deserve to be treated differently.

(Advanced) A closer look at the making of our After Dark personas

The recent publication of the After Dark report wrapped up our months long human centered design research with UN Women, which was premised on understanding the experiences of women travelling and using public transportation in the evening time. To better understand these women’s needs, concerns, attitudes and behaviours, we created a set of personas based on insights we gathered across the three cities we surveyed, as well as the anecdotes of women working blue collar, night-shift jobs.

Human rights in the digital age

Keynote speech by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at Japan Society, New York, 17 October 2019

The digital revolution is a major global human rights issue. Its unquestionable benefits do not cancel out its unmistakable risks.

Human Rights-Based Approach to Data

This report aims to provide general guidance and elements of a common understanding on a Human Rights-Based Approach to Data (HRBAD), with a focus on issues of data collection and disaggregation.

Humanitarian aid in the digital age

I testified yesterday at the UN on 'Humanitarian aid in the digital age'. I was anxious at coming with MyData principles (framed usually for more advanced economies) and trying to apply them to the humanitarian context. Nevertheless the discussion was extremely encouraging, and there was definitely response and even demand for the idea of a bridge on those issues.

UN gives ultimatum to Yemen rebels over reports of aid theft

MyData-like dynamics playing out in high stakes context of famine and humanitarian aid.


Questions Asked

Developers Advanced read

Submit your initiative to be featured in the UN Habitat listing

This people centered smart cities initiatives and solutions compendium is developed to support the UN-Habitat’s flagship programme on “People-Centered Smart Cities”. It is a collection of innovative solutions (tools, mobile applications, digital platforms, reports, trainings, guidelines, etc.) that contribute to improving quality of life in cities and regions. These are solutions developed around the world at the national and local levels by government agencies, international institutions, NGOs, research institutions, private companies, etc.

Call for proposals: UN World Data Forum

The UN World Data Forum 2020 (UNWDF 2020) will bring together data leaders from diverse stakeholder groups to exchange ideas, showcase innovations, identify solutions, discuss future strategies, and provide mutual learning opportunities on a wide variety of topics. Submit your session proposals for the #UNDataForum 2020 by 31 January 2020.