Tag: United Nations

UN agreement against exporting plastic waste to poorer countries – USA opposed

Nearly all the world’s countries have agreed on a deal that will restrict shipments of plastic waste to poorer countries. USA reportedly opposed the deal. After China stopped accepting recycling waste from USA, some developing countries have quickly become waste dumpsites. According to Claire Arkin, a spokeswoman for the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (Gaia), plastic waste from USA has been piling up in villages in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Read the full story in The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/10/nearly-all-the-worlds-countries-sign-plastic-waste-deal-except-us

USA and Israel leave UNESCO

The USA and Israel started this year of historical separations by officially leaving UNESCO. The Trump administration and the Israeli government made the decision in 2017 because of “anti-Israeli bias” of the UN agency (1, 2).

On the other hand, it was also reported that Israel was the most condemned country at the United Nations during year 2018. The United Nations General Assembly passed 20 resolutions against Israel because of Israel’s human rights violations, illegitimate construction in Palestinian territory and ongoing occupation of Jerusalem (3, 4).

References:

1) “US and Israel formally quit UNESCO” Al Jazeera 1.1.2019

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/israel-formally-quit-unesco-190101094104787.html

2) “US, Israel leave UNESCO for good” Euractiv 13.10.2017

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/us-israel-leave-unesco-for-good/

3) “Israel was the most condemned country at the United Nations in 2018” EurAsian Times 1.1.2019

https://eurasiantimes.com/israel-was-the-most-condemned-country-at-the-united-nations-in-2018/

4) “Israel most condemned country at UN in 2018” Middle East Monitor 31.12.2018

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181231-israel-most-condemned-country-at-un-in-2018/