UNOC3: Bringing Ocean Education and Science to the Global Agenda

A greater understanding and appreciation of the world’s oceans is needed to protect them. As the global community prepares to convene for the ocean conference, they must also prepare to invest in scientific efforts and education that will bolster their joint efforts.

Kenya Pilots AI System to Protect Black Rhino Calves in Aberdare National Park

Conservationists in Kenya’s Aberdare National Park have piloted an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to detect and deter hyenas—as part of an effort to protect black rhino calves ahead of their reintroduction to the zone.

As Climate Change Threatens, Maldives Is No Island Paradise

Every year, thousands of couples choose to spend their honeymoon in the Maldives. Tucked in the Indian Ocean, this tropical atoll nation consistently ranks among the world’s most desirable destinations for newlyweds. But beyond the crystal-clear waters and pristine, white-sand beaches, local communities are facing a far harsher reality: a growing water crisis driven by climate change. While tourists sip cocktails in overwater bungalows, some neighboring islands are literally running out of fresh water.

Palestinians Call Out Israel’s Mission To Destroy Their History and Cultural Heritage in Gaza

Israel’s ongoing war of annihilation in Gaza has wiped out hospitals, schools, homes, water, and food, reducing the Palestinian territory to a wasteland and leaving a death toll of more than 53,000 people. But an equally lethal campaign has been unleashed against the foundations of Palestinian society and identity.

South-South Cooperation: An Engine for Transformational Change in Achieving the 2030 Agenda

With just five years to 2030, the world stands at a pivotal juncture. The collective promises of our 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all – remain urgent and vital. Yet, progress is uneven, and in many areas, we risk falling short.

Islands are Solutions: the Case for Island-Ocean Coalitions

As the world confronts escalating climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and ocean degradation, islands stand as critical test cases—not just as sites of vulnerability, but as living laboratories of resilience, restoration, and innovation. Too often, they are framed as victims of global circumstances, awaiting salvation from external forces.

Economic Growth is the Wrong Metric for Our Time

As the United States lurches toward isolationism and authoritarianism, its political problems are now bleeding into pocketbook anxieties that Trump's policies will torpedo economic growth, both domestically and globally.

Human Life Hinges on the Preservation of Biological Diversity

Since 2000, the United Nations (UN) recognizes May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity, in hopes of promoting international cooperation and conversation surrounding biodiversity issues. Through the 2025 theme; Harmony With Nature and Sustainable Development, the UN seeks to increase public awareness around biodiversity loss and promote progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In Harmony with Nature: A Dryland Perspective on Development and Biodiversity

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the world’s drylands. Covering 41% of the Earth’s land surface, these regions are home to over two billion people and support 50% of the world’s livestock and 44% of its cultivated systems (UNCCD). Far from being marginal, drylands are central to global food security, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

Global Push to Protect Oceans Gains Momentum Ahead of UN Conference in Nice

As delegates prepare for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, momentum is building around ocean governance, finance for marine conservation, and an urgent shift toward a regenerative blue economy. Ocean advocates say the world is at a critical juncture—and the next few weeks could shape the future of marine protection for decades.

Using AI as an Ally: What the latest UNDP Human Development Report Means for Latin America, Caribbean

The United Nations Development Programme’s 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) says crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic have contributed to ‘the flatlining of decades of progress in the Human Development Index,’ with Latin America and the Caribbean facing unique challenges and opportunities.

HeForShe Campaign Tackles ‘Sex for Fish’ Abuse Malawi’s Lakeshore Communities

Women in fishing communities in Malawi's lakeshore districts of Nkhotakota and Mangochi are frequently targets of sexual exploitation for fish, a practice commonly known as 'sex for fish.' A recent report by the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has unearthed disturbing accounts of women being coerced into transactional sex to access fish from male boat owners, exposing a widespread violation of their rights.

The True Cost of America’s Retreat: How USAID Cuts Threaten Millions of Lives

In January 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that upended humanitarian efforts globally, leaving millions of vulnerable people without lifesaving services. The administration's decision to slash American international aid by 83% is creating daily tragedies in the world's most fragile regions.

Agenda for Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference Still Unclear

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must not be allowed to collapse under the weight of geopolitical cynicism, the preparatory committee at the UN heard.

Civilians Face Humanitarian Disaster in Great Lakes, Horn of Africa Conflicts

Political instability and conflicts in the Great Lakes, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, and South Sudan have led to massive displacements and civilian suffering, and because the whole region is in crisis, the civilian population has few places to find refuge.

UN Ocean Conference Must Inspire Global Ambition

The United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) takes place every three years and in just a few weeks, the international community will gather in Nice, France, at a time when the International Science Council has called for the world to address the new reality of a disrupted Earth system.

Explainer: How Germs Outsmart Antimicrobials and Why It’s Making Us Sicker

More people are dying from once treatable infections because the medicines we rely on are no longer working as they should. The culprit? A growing health threat called antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Seafood Without Transparency is a Recipe for Disaster

Seafood is a staple in my house – fish tacos, paella, sushi. But no matter how good it tastes, I can’t help but wonder: was my fish caught responsibly? Or did something go horribly wrong before it ever reached my plate?

Explainer: What Rural Communities in Tanzania Need to Know about Carbon Trading and Land Rights

As global demand for carbon credits rises, Tanzania has become a magnet for carbon offset projects. From Loliondo in Arusha to Kiteto in Manyara, foreign firms and conservation groups are looking for land to capture carbon and sell credits to polluting industries in the Global North. The growing interest in carbon trading has sparked hope, confusion, and concern— putting millions of hectares of village land and the livelihoods of people who depend on it at risk.

Health Workers in Conflict Zones Experience an Epidemic of Violence

The international community must take action to uphold international humanitarian law, say healthcare and rights advocates, as attacks on healthcare in war zones reached a record high last year.

How Should the United Nations Respond to Its Funding Crisis?

The United Nations has been called many things in its time: