South Asian Cities Faced Relentless, Record-Breaking Heatwaves Last Year

From the blistering heat of Delhi’s streets to Colombo’s humid corners, workers in the informal economy are silently enduring the toll of labour on their bodies and livelihoods.

Abundance of Renewable Energy Attracts Major Data Centers to Brazil

Brazil hopes to soon reap benefits of its largely renewable energy matrix. Data centers, whose demand is growing with the strides made by artificial intelligence, are the new frontier for these still-uncertain investments.[pullquote]3[/pullquote]

Lawmakers Work to Build Women’s Representation in Politics and the Workplace

Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives) and Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke to IPS ahead of the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Can These Prehistoric Sea Creatures Survive Climate Change?

In November,  tens of thousands of male olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) start congregating on just five kilometers of nearshore in Odisha in eastern India. They wait for the females of the species to arrive. The survival of these prehistoric sea species has largely depended on suitable pairing and mating. However, research findings from around the world indicate that, in the long term, there may be a limited number of males at these mating sites compared to an overwhelming number of females.

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.

UN 80 Reforms, Lacking Transparency, Come Under Heavy Fire

As the UN continues with its plans to restructure the world body, designated UN 80, the complaints continue to pour in—first, the Staff Union in New York and now, the Staff Union in Geneva. After a meeting with management last week-- to discuss UN 80 through the Staff-Management Committee (SMC)—a memo addressed to staffers, says that among the issues raised was “the continuing lack of transparency and lack of consultation”.

Energy Storage Has Yet to Take Off in Mexico

Researcher Edilso Reguera and his team began studying electric battery manufacturing in 2016, but in 2023, they ramped up efforts to develop a lithium-based prototype for motorcycles.

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.

The UN Faces a Different Kind of Crisis — a Slow Erosion of Trust, Legitimacy, & Effectiveness

In 1945, with cities in ruins and hope stretched thin, 50 nations gathered in San Francisco and reached for a better world. From the ashes of fascism, genocide, and world war, they forged a charter — a binding declaration that peace, justice, and human dignity must be protected through international cooperation.

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.

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.

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.

UN Reform – Once Again?

The UN is going through another exercise in reforming itself under immense pressure from the US, its main funder. This time US President Donald Trump has expressed himself much more forcefully and seems determined to pare down US contributions and demand further curtailing of UN expenses, while some other donors, reluctant to show their own hands, are quietly cheering on the US.

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.

Fostering Dialogue for Disarmament Ahead of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Review Conference

The argument for nuclear disarmament is perhaps more relevant than it has been since the end of World War II, especially in a world where there is a growing gulf between nuclear states and between nuclear states and those who don't have the weapons.

A Revolution in the Working Culture at the UN

How would the UN80 Initiative, designed to mark the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, turned out to be, if Kamala Harris had won the American presidential election in November last year?

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 Mangroves Save Lives, Livelihoods of Bangladesh Coastal Communities

Golenur Begum has faced 12 cyclones in her life. As a child, she witnessed her father’s house destroyed, and as an adult, she watched her home smashed. Saltwater brought by the tidal surges that accompanied the cyclones wrecked their farms and livelihoods.  And with climate change, these impacts are becoming more intense and frequent.

U.S. Deported Bhutanese Refugees Cry–‘No Country To Call Home’

Sitting in his small hut in the Beldangi refugee camp in Jhapa district, Nepal, Narayan Kumar Subedi feels relieved that his son, Aasis Subedi, is safe. Aasis is one of four United States deportees who were the subject of Nepal's Supreme Court landmark ruling on April 24, which directed the government not to deport four Bhutanese refugees who entered Nepal in March of this year after being disowned by Bhutan. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported the four after they had lived in various parts of the United States for nearly a decade.