Notification to Parties and Observer Organizations by UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa

Further to my message to Parties, Observer States and Observer Organizations dated 6 March 2020, I would like to inform you that as of today 16 March until 12 April 2020, staff of the secretariat will work remotely. This decision is in response to the difficult situation derived from the COVID-19 pandemic and intends to contribute to the efforts to contain the spread of the virus.  

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Posted on - 2020-03-16

Wellington's Homegrown festival has been postponed because of concerns over Covid-19.

About 20,000 people and more than 40 bands and DJs are part of the festival every March.

In other Covid-19 news, the New Zealand sharemarket opened sharply lower after the Reserve Bank slashed its official cash rate this morning.

The central bank has cut its benchmark interest rate by three quarters of a percentage point, to support the economy against the impact of the Covid-19 virus.

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Posted on - 2020-03-15

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak could cause global foreign direct investment (FDI) to shrink by 5%-15%, according to an UNCTAD report published on 8 March.

The UN trade body had projected earlier a stable level of global FDI inflows in 2020-2021 with a potential increase of 5%.

Now it warns that flows may hit their lowest levels since the 2008-2009 financial crisis, should the epidemic continue throughout the year.

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Posted on - 2020-03-15