Last year, the global generation of municipal waste reached 2.3 billion tonnes and the United Nations cautioned on Wednesday (Feb 28) that this garbage heap is projected to increase by two-thirds by 2050, posing severe consequences for health, economies, and the environment.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-accounts-for-half-of-annual-global-food-waste-report-680526" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-accounts-for-half-of-annual-global-food-waste-report-680526&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjChqqbms6EAxXX1zgGHS0KCuEQFnoECAQQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw3uxwriTikQao9JIHluVGWG" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-accounts-for-half-of-annual-global-food-waste-report-680526" target="_blank">Saudi Arabia accounts for half of annual global food&nbsp;waste: Report</a>

According to recent research by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), pollution is anticipated to surge, particularly in regions currently reliant on open dumping and burning, practices that release greenhouse gases and introduce toxic chemicals into soil, water, and air.

In the absence of prompt action, the waste volume is estimated to reach 3.8 billion tonnes by the mid-century, surpassing previous predictions.

The report also indicates that economic burdens will nearly double when factoring in hidden costs associated with inadequate waste disposal, encompassing pollution, health issues, and climate change. By 2050, these costs are expected to escalate to approximately $640 billion annually, up from around $361 billion in 2020.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/science/international-day-of-awareness-on-food-loss-and-waste-reduction-heres-how-food-waste-affects-the-environment-640920" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/science/international-day-of-awareness-on-food-loss-and-waste-reduction-heres-how-food-waste-affects-the-environment-640920&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwivtM2_ms6EAxW82DgGHajzAWEQFnoECAEQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw0KaWDjubbOrsV0-5N1un2G" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/international-day-of-awareness-on-food-loss-and-waste-reduction-heres-how-food-waste-affects-the-environment-640920" target="_blank">Explained | Int'l day of awareness of food loss &amp;&nbsp;waste&nbsp;reduction</a>

Inger Andersen, UNEP's Executive Director, emphasised the intrinsic link between waste generation and GDP, noting that many rapidly growing economies are grappling with the challenges of swift waste expansion.

She expressed hope that the report could assist governments in their endeavours to build more sustainable societies and secure a habitable planet for future generations.

The joint report by UNEP and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), launched at the UN's Environment Assembly in Nairobi, serves as both a guide and a call to action.

Proposed solutions involve not only addressing waste disposal but also preventing the generation of rubbish in the first place. Enhanced disposal and treatment methods could reduce net annual costs to approximately $270 billion by 2050, according to the report.

Furthermore, a transition to a more circular economic model, decoupling increased prosperity from heightened waste, is advocated. This shift entails sustainable business practices and comprehensive trash management, potentially yielding a net gain of over $100 billion annually, as outlined in the report.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/science/ants-worst-affected-by-plastic-waste-get-snared-in-microparticles-study-647923" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/science/ants-worst-affected-by-plastic-waste-get-snared-in-microparticles-study-647923&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjChqqbms6EAxXX1zgGHS0KCuEQFnoECAIQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw33DePAbSkJEbOl_kYMr_g9" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ants-worst-affected-by-plastic-waste-get-snared-in-microparticles-study-647923" target="_blank">Ants worst affected by plastic&nbsp;waste</a>

Zoe Lenkiewicz, lead author of the report from UNEP, underscored the urgent need for a zero-waste approach to mitigate pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and adverse impacts on human health.

(With inputs from agencies)

Last year, the global generation of municipal waste reached 2.3 billion tonnes and the United Nations cautioned on Wednesday (Feb 28) that this garbage heap is projected to increase by two-thirds by 2050, posing severe consequences for health, economies, and the environment.

Last year, the global generation of municipal waste reached 2.3 billion tonnes and the United Nations cautioned on Wednesday (Feb 28) that this garbage heap is projected to increase by two-thirds by 2050, posing severe consequences for health, economies, and the environment. Also read: Saudi Arabia accounts for half of annual global food waste: Report According to recent research by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), pollution is anticipated to surge, particularly in regions currently reliant on open dumping and burning, practices that release greenhouse gases and introduce toxic chemicals into soil, water, and air. In the absence of prompt action, the waste volume is estimated to reach 3.8 billion tonnes by the mid-century, surpassing previous predictions. The report also indicates that economic burdens will nearly double when factoring in hidden costs associated with inadequate waste disposal, encompassing pollution, health issues, and climate change. By 2050, these costs are expected to escalate to approximately $640 billion annually, up from around $361 billion in 2020. Also read: Explained | Int'l day of awareness of food loss & waste reduction Inger Andersen, UNEP's Executive Director, emphasised the intrinsic link between waste generation and GDP, noting that many rapidly growing economies are grappling with the challenges of swift waste expansion. She expressed hope that the report could assist governments in their endeavours to build more sustainable societies and secure a habitable planet for future generations. The joint report by UNEP and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), launched at the UN's Environment Assembly in Nairobi, serves as both a guide and a call to action. Proposed solutions involve not only addressing waste disposal but also preventing the generation of rubbish in the first place. Enhanced disposal and treatment methods could reduce net annual costs to approximately $270 billion by 2050, according to the report. Furthermore, a transition to a more circular economic model, decoupling increased prosperity from heightened waste, is advocated. This shift entails sustainable business practices and comprehensive trash management, potentially yielding a net gain of over $100 billion annually, as outlined in the report. Also read: Ants worst affected by plastic waste Zoe Lenkiewicz, lead author of the report from UNEP, underscored the urgent need for a zero-waste approach to mitigate pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and adverse impacts on human health. (With inputs from agencies)

Urgent global action needed to stop surge of polluting trash, UN warns

The United Nations agency UNAIDS on Thursday reaffirmed that "the end of AIDS" is still possible by 2030, but emphasised the need for leaders to seize the opportunity and take decisive action.

To achieve this goal, UNAIDS outlined a roadmap that includes increased investment, evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies, and addressing the inequalities that hinder progress.

According to UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, ending the pandemic is primarily a political and financial choice.

"Success is possible – in this decade."

<h2>Progress towards ending AIDS</h2>

In its report, UNAIDS highlighted the transformation of the global AIDS pandemic over the past two decades.

Byanyima highlighted the significant progress being made in countries and regions that have made strong investments in HIV prevention and treatment. As per the UNAIDS executive director, Eastern and Southern Africa, have witnessed a 57 per cent decline in new HIV infections since 2010.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/andrew-tate-claims-us-vp-kamala-harris-largely-incompetent-and-prone-to-playing-the-race-card-614739">Andrew Tate claims US VP Kamala Harris 'largely incompetent' and prone to playing the 'race card'</a>

Furthermore, several countries, including Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, have already achieved the 95-95-95 targets, which means that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those aware of their HIV-positive status are receiving treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.

Approximately 16 other countries are nearing the target, including sub-Saharan African nations and countries such as Denmark, Kuwait, and Thailand, reports AFP.

<h2>AIDS pandemic in numbers</h2>

As of 2022, approximately 39 million people worldwide were living with HIV, with 29.8 million accessing antiretroviral therapy.

In 2022, 1.3 million people became newly infected with HIV, down 59 per cent from the peak in 1995, while 630,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses.

Overall, AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by 69 per cent since 2004 — the peak.

There has been a significant increase in access to treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women, resulting in a 58 per cent reduction in new infections among children. However, funding for HIV declined in 2022 to $20.8 billion, falling short of the $29.3 billion needed by 2025.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/duesseldorf-patient-cured-of-hiv-third-person-in-four-decades-to-recover-from-the-fatal-disease-564064">Duesseldorf patient cured of HIV; third person in four decades to recover from the disease</a>

While since 2010, the number of individuals on antiretroviral therapy has nearly quadrupled from 7.7 million, many, including 660,000 children were still missing out on treatment, states UNAIDS.

As per the UN Agency, progress has been made in decriminalising same-sex relations in some countries, but laws criminalising key populations or their behaviours remain in place in many nations. UNAIDS emphasised that key populations continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV pandemic, with significantly higher HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and transgender people compared to the general population.

The report emphasised the opportunity to end AIDS lies in increasing "political will by investing in a sustainable response to HIV through financing what matters most: evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment, health systems integration, non-discriminatory laws, gender equality, and empowered community networks."

Byanyima called the end of AIDS "an opportunity" for leaders to be remembered as those who halted the "world's deadliest pandemic".

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United Nations agency UNAIDS on Thursday reaffirmed that "the end of AIDS" is still possible by 2030, but emphasised the need for leaders to seize the opportunity and take decisive action.

The United Nations agency UNAIDS on Thursday reaffirmed that "the end of AIDS" is still possible by 2030, but emphasised the need for leaders to seize the opportunity and take decisive action. To achieve this goal, UNAIDS outlined a roadmap that includes increased investment, evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies, and addressing the inequalities that hinder progress. According to UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, ending the pandemic is primarily a political and financial choice. "Success is possible – in this decade." Progress towards ending AIDS In its report, UNAIDS highlighted the transformation of the global AIDS pandemic over the past two decades. Byanyima highlighted the significant progress being made in countries and regions that have made strong investments in HIV prevention and treatment. As per the UNAIDS executive director, Eastern and Southern Africa, have witnessed a 57 per cent decline in new HIV infections since 2010. Also read | Andrew Tate claims US VP Kamala Harris 'largely incompetent' and prone to playing the 'race card' Furthermore, several countries, including Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, have already achieved the 95-95-95 targets, which means that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those aware of their HIV-positive status are receiving treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression. Approximately 16 other countries are nearing the target, including sub-Saharan African nations and countries such as Denmark, Kuwait, and Thailand, reports AFP. AIDS pandemic in numbers As of 2022, approximately 39 million people worldwide were living with HIV, with 29.8 million accessing antiretroviral therapy. In 2022, 1.3 million people became newly infected with HIV, down 59 per cent from the peak in 1995, while 630,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses. Overall, AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by 69 per cent since 2004 — the peak. There has been a significant increase in access to treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women, resulting in a 58 per cent reduction in new infections among children. However, funding for HIV declined in 2022 to $20.8 billion, falling short of the $29.3 billion needed by 2025. Also read | Duesseldorf patient cured of HIV; third person in four decades to recover from the disease While since 2010, the number of individuals on antiretroviral therapy has nearly quadrupled from 7.7 million, many, including 660,000 children were still missing out on treatment, states UNAIDS. As per the UN Agency, progress has been made in decriminalising same-sex relations in some countries, but laws criminalising key populations or their behaviours remain in place in many nations. UNAIDS emphasised that key populations continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV pandemic, with significantly higher HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and transgender people compared to the general population. The report emphasised the opportunity to end AIDS lies in increasing "political will by investing in a sustainable response to HIV through financing what matters most: evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment, health systems integration, non-discriminatory laws, gender equality, and empowered community networks." Byanyima called the end of AIDS "an opportunity" for leaders to be remembered as those who halted the "world's deadliest pandemic". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UN says 'end of AIDS' is still possible by 2030, urges global action

Highlighting yet again the issue of terror at the United Nations, India has said terror has become a "means of waging war" and requires "global action".

India's first Secretary at United Nations in New York, Ashish Sharma said, and “Terrorism has emerged as one of the means of waging war in the contemporary world. It threatens to engulf the world in a carnage similar to what we witnessed during the two World Wars. Terrorism is a global phenomenon and can only be defeated by a global action."

India has been calling for the passing of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN. CCIT calls for a common definition of terror and the criminalization of international terrorism.

Ashish Sharma, who was speaking at a UN event on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2 highlighted the role Indian soldiers had played and how they had "participated in the war effort in the millions and suffered immense casualties".

He said, "Despite being under colonial occupation", India contributed 2.5 million soldiers who fought in "every theatre of World War II, from North Africa to Europe and as the Far East as Hong Kong"

During the war, the Indian army was the largest volunteer force ever raised in the history of which 87,000 died or went missing and over a hundred thousand suffered grave injuries.

The first secretary said, "we also cannot forget the sacrifices of our Asian, African and Arab brothers and sisters who fought and died for the freedom of the Allied powers, although they were under the yoke of colonial rule.'

Interestingly, New Delhi pointed out "Although the battlefronts of Europe were romanticized in novels, history books and films" much of the war was "fought in and over colonies controlled by the colonial powers, with front lines springing up from North Africa to East Asia."&nbsp;

The event was organized by Russia in commemoration of all victims of the Second World War. Earlier this year, Defence minister Rajnath Singh had represented India at the Victory Day Parade at Red Square in Moscow on the occasion of 75th Anniversary celebrations. A tri-services contingent of the Indian army took part in the Victory Day Parade.

Highlighting yet again the issue of terror at the United Nations, India has said terror has become a "means of waging war" and requires "global action". India's first Secretary at United Nations in New York, Ashish Sharma said, and “Terrorism has emerged as one of the means of waging war in the contemporary world.

Highlighting yet again the issue of terror at the United Nations, India has said terror has become a "means of waging war" and requires "global action". India's first Secretary at United Nations in New York, Ashish Sharma said, and “Terrorism has emerged as one of the means of waging war in the contemporary world. It threatens to engulf the world in a carnage similar to what we witnessed during the two World Wars. Terrorism is a global phenomenon and can only be defeated by a global action." India has been calling for the passing of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN. CCIT calls for a common definition of terror and the criminalization of international terrorism. Ashish Sharma, who was speaking at a UN event on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2 highlighted the role Indian soldiers had played and how they had "participated in the war effort in the millions and suffered immense casualties". He said, "Despite being under colonial occupation", India contributed 2.5 million soldiers who fought in "every theatre of World War II, from North Africa to Europe and as the Far East as Hong Kong" During the war, the Indian army was the largest volunteer force ever raised in the history of which 87,000 died or went missing and over a hundred thousand suffered grave injuries. The first secretary said, "we also cannot forget the sacrifices of our Asian, African and Arab brothers and sisters who fought and died for the freedom of the Allied powers, although they were under the yoke of colonial rule.' Interestingly, New Delhi pointed out "Although the battlefronts of Europe were romanticized in novels, history books and films" much of the war was "fought in and over colonies controlled by the colonial powers, with front lines springing up from North Africa to East Asia." The event was organized by Russia in commemoration of all victims of the Second World War. Earlier this year, Defence minister Rajnath Singh had represented India at the Victory Day Parade at Red Square in Moscow on the occasion of 75th Anniversary celebrations. A tri-services contingent of the Indian army took part in the Victory Day Parade.

Terror has emerged as a means of waging war, requires global action: India at UN

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