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The Lid is On

UN News/ Conor Lennon

Young leaders expand the circles of peace

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of one of the most significant resolutions on youth and peace ever adopted by the UN Security Council.

Resolution 2250 led to widespread changes in the ways that the voices of young people are not just heard but also incorporated into peace plans and policies.

In this episode of our flagship podcast, The Lid is On, Conor Lennon speaks to some of the young leaders who were at UN Headquarters this month to celebrate the progress made so far, and reflect on what more needs to be done.

Speakers:

Audio
26'45"
UNDP India

PODCAST: Turning climate stories into climate action

Storytelling has the power to inspire action, and when celebrities and influencers use their platforms for climate advocacy, the impact can reach audiences across the globe.

In September at UN Headquarters in New York, actor and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Nikolaj Coster-Waldau shared his experiences of visiting UN Development Programme (UNDP) initiatives for his Bloomberg TV series, An Optimist’s Guide to the Planet.

Audio
9'15"
UN News/Daniel Dickinson

PODCAST: Space exploration is ‘not a luxury’ but essential for life on Earth

Space exploration and the use of space technology is becoming an increasingly critical part of the global economy, but how can the world ensure its benefits are felt, not just in the developed world but also in poorer and less technologically advanced developing countries?

The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) was established for that exact reason and more particularly to accelerate sustainable development globally.

Audio
20'28"
© UNICEF//Frank Dejongh

The unstoppable rise of renewables

Wind and solar energy are now the cheapest sources of energy, bringing cleaner air, stronger communities, and new economic opportunities. In September at UN Headquarters in New York, the SDG Media Zone hosted a discussion highlighting the momentum of the clean energy transition, and how expanding access to wind and solar can improve public health, create jobs, and accelerate economic growth.

Audio
10'48"
UN News

‘Time running out to locate Syria’s missing’, warns head of UN-backed body

At UN Headquarters in New York, Karla Quintana, head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria (IIMP), has warned that time is running out to find the hundreds of thousands who disappeared during the country’s long conflict. “Everyone in Syria knows someone who has gone missing,” Ms. Quintana told UN News.
In conversation with Ezzat El-Ferri, she underscored that the search must be Syrian-led and internationally supported, driven by the families who have long fought to learn the truth about their loved ones.

Music: ‘Rise and Shine’ by Audiobinger

Audio
18'20"
UN Photo/Loey Felipe

PODCAST: Eight decades on, we need the UN more than ever

There was a wealth of stories to follow at high-level week of the UN General Assembly, from the conference on the Israel-Palestine two-State solution, to the ambitious pledges made at the Climate Summit, and the launch of two bodies aimed at finally creating truly inclusive international AI governance.

But one theme that shone through was the importance of multilateralism and the work of the United Nations.

Conor Lennon and Laura Quinones from UN News break it all down in this special episode of The Lid Is On.

Music: Joachim Harris, all rights reserved

Audio
32'56"
© The Ocean Story/Vincent Kneefel

International community prepares to tackle marine life extinction threat

In this episode of The Lid Is On, experts discuss the urgent need to restore the Ocean, which is facing a host of threats that could drive millions of marine life species into extinction and even endanger humanity.

The protection of marine biodiversity will be under discussion at the UN Ocean Conference in June, where advocates will join politicians and members of the private sector to share solutions, including legal protections for the high seas, which lie outside national waters.

Audio
23'52"
© Unsplash/Rinson Chory

Global shipping faces a climate reckoning

The shipping industry moves 90% of world trade—and produces nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

In this episode of 'The Lid is On', Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), explains how a new UN agreement sets the sector on a path to net zero by 2050, introduces a global carbon pricing plan, and addresses concerns from the world’s most vulnerable economies.

Music by Joachim Harris, all rights reserved, Ketsa. 
 

Audio Duration
8'52"