United Nations

Nothing short of a technological revolution on the scale of the first industrial revolution will be required to meet the challenge of sustainable development. Enormous improvements in human welfare have taken place over the past two centuries, but at a lasting cost of degradation of our natural environment. Continuation along established economic growth paths means that the Earth’s capacity to ensure human welfare and serve as a sink for the waste and pollution generated in the creation of that welfare will be exceeded. The World Economic and Social Survey 2011 analyses the challenges and options involved in shifting to a “green economy” based on more efficient and renewable energy technologies, transforming agricultural technologies so as to guarantee food security without further degrading land and water resources, and utilizing technology to adapt to climate change and reduce risks to human populations from natural hazards. The needed global technological transformation will have to be completed in less than 40 years, that is, twice as fast as it took to accomplish previous major technological transitions. Swift action in creating a global technology development and sharing regime, considerable upgrading of public sector capabilities and significant adjustments in multilateral trade and financing mechanisms will be needed in order to renew Earth’s capacity to sustain human life and enable developing countries to undertake the necessary technological transformation — one that permits them to realize their aspirations towards growth and poverty reduction.

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) has been developed through cooperation between the International Labour Office (ILO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations on the basis of a mandate given in Agenda 21 by the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The GHS addresses classification of chemicals by types of hazard and proposes harmonized hazard communication elements, including labels and safety data sheets. It aims at ensuring that information on physical hazards and toxicity from chemicals be available in order to enhance the protection of human health and the environment during the handling, transport and use of these chemicals. It provides a basis for harmonization of rules and regulations on chemicals at national, regional and worldwide level. This fourth revised edition of the GHS contains various new or revised provisions concerning, inter alia, new hazard categories for chemically unstable gases and non-flammable aerosols.

A compact yet comprehensive handbook designed for the general public, Basic Facts about the United Nations sets forth the structure of the United Nations, how it works and the main issues it deals with in their importance for people everywhere. Along with explaining the role played by its principal organs and the family of UN organizations, individual chapters explore UN contributions to international peace and security; economic and social development; human rights; humanitarian action; international law; and decolonization. A series of appendices documents UN membership, peacekeeping operations, budget, and contact information for UN information centres, services and offices. This new edition of the work has been substantially revised to take account of many significant developments that have taken place in the world and in the United Nations itself since the last edition of the book (previously titled The UN Today) in 2008.