United Nations

Young Greeks face tear gas at a protest in Athens, December 2008. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42632457@N00/3098761766/">How Will I Ever (Flickr)</a>

share

UN group: Vast numbers of unemployed youth threaten global stability

The swelling ranks of unemployed youth threaten to create a lost generation that endangers the global economic system, a new report warns.

Costa Rica topped the 2012 Happy Planet Index of global wealth largely due to its environmental protection policies. Photo: Erik Mandell for MercyCorps

share

Who is really rich? Measuring beyond GDP

By one measurement, Costa Rica is now the richest country on earth. That may sound surprising, but less-orthodox indices are looking beyond GDP to see which countries are the wealthiest.

We've got plenty of wheat. A new UN report says agricultural investments shouldn't prioritize yield over quality. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinlabar/152693541/sizes/z/in/photostream/">Photo: Martin LaBar (Flickr)</a>

share

Food quality is more important than quantity, UN says

When it comes to global food security, more doesn't always mean better.

U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon says green energy is central to economic growth. Photo: <a href="United Nations Information Service - Geneva">United Nations Information Service - Geneva(flickr)</a>

share

U.N. on electricity: Green growth needs a good grid

What can the world’s poorest hope to achieve without energy access? Not much, according to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

share

Five things to know about the 7 billionth human

share

Millennium Development Goals and the Argument for Relevant Metrics

The United Nations' Millennium Development Goals consist of eight goals and targets that the UN hopes to achieve by the year 2015.

A man delivers his goods through a flooded street in Mumbai, India. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hussain_quantum/3698717526/">Hussain_Quantum (flickr)</a>

share

A Climate of Displaced People

It should be no surprise that armed conflicts force millions of people from their homes each year. In fact, 4.6 million people were displaced by conflict and war in 2008.

A new fundraising source for poverty reduction? Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/freedryk/525512883/">freedryk (flickr)</a>

share

Airport Donations Take Off

How do you make up a yawning gap in funding for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria? By asking airline passengers to pay an extra two bucks when they book their ticket.

A man cooks over a wood-burning fire in Kibera. Over 1 million working poor live in Kibera, with few opportunities to make a comfortable living. Photo: <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/islandgyrl/119453524/">Crissy Olson (flickr)</a>

share

Even UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was surprised by the large number of people who greeted him in Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya. But his surprise quickly became concern when he was told so many young people came to see him because they couldn't find work.

share

A Billion for a Billion

Keeping with a UN target of committing 0.7 percent of national income to alleviating poverty and hunger, Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero the prime minister of Spain has pledged 1 billion euros to strengthen food security around the world.