Mayan Farmers Improve Their Livelihoods and Polyculture of Milpa in Mexico

María Bacab, a Native Maya, considers herself the “guardian of seeds” as she cares for the milpa - an ancestral Mesoamerican polyculture that mixes maize, beans, squash and other vegetables - and promotes its practice and use in Mexico.

UNiTE: Violence Against Women—A Plight That Spares No Country Across All Continents

Despite the 1,583 legislative measures in 193 countries around the world, violence against women has not been eradicated or even abated.

60 Percent of Femicides Are at the Hands of a Partner or Family

Every 10 minutes, one woman or girl is killed at the hands of their partner or other family member. This is only scratching the surface on how femicide, one of the most extreme forms of violence against women, persists at high levels around the world. UN-Women and the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a joint report, Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides, on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Can Pay, Won’t Pay—COP29 Outcome Far from Promised Historic Deal of a Lifetime

They say it is taboo to talk about money. But this is exactly what developing countries came for: to haggle and push for the climate finance deal of a lifetime, as the climate crisis is, for them, a matter of life and death. Wealthy nations also came for their own deal of a lifetime—to hoist the climate finance burden on the private sector as they take the bare minimum financial responsibility.

Insights From Negotiator into How COPs Move Needle Towards Healthy, Liveable Planet

Every year, the Conference of the Parties creates a global milestone for the climate movement, setting new standards and advancing action towards a net-zero planet to sustain all life on earth. COPs provide a platform for the global community to agree on what it would take to restore planet Earth and the contributions that all signatories to the Paris Agreement should make.

Migration Remittances: Pursuit of Greener Pastures Opens Door for Climate Financing

COP29 delegates have elaborated on how Africa’s dependency on agriculture is becoming increasingly untenable amidst alarming levels of global warming, wrecking havoc on the sector. Coastal communities, pastoralists, and those in the drylands are in the thick of the climate chaos.

UN’s OCHA Calls to Correct the Imbalance in Climate Finance Allocation

As climate-induced disasters continue to wreak havoc worldwide, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a UN body specializing in emergency response, has issued a clarion call for an ambitious and fair global climate finance goal at COP29. Greg Puley, Head of the Climate Team at OCHA, highlighted the pressing need for enhanced disaster risk reduction and climate resilience measures, particularly in vulnerable and conflict-affected regions.

Where Is Mental Health in Global Climate Negotiations?

The mental health impacts of climate change are not widely discussed, but increasing evidence shows how climate change is affecting mental health and raising the risk of new mental health challenges. Experts say that existing systems are not equipped to cope with the current and additional challenges related to health and mental health caused by climate change.

Science Ignored, Promises Delayed: Bangladesh’s Environment Minister Expresses Dismay Over COP29 Outcomes

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh and as Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change, urged the global and regional leaders to prioritize ambitious, evidence-based climate targets in the climate negotiations.

Healing Minds, Empowering Women: Ghana’s Climate Change Battle

As climate change wreaks havoc across the globe, its effects are most acutely felt by those living in vulnerable coastal and rural communities.

Brazil Vows to Make COP30 a Catalyst for Climate Action and Biodiversity Celebration

As Brazil gears up to host COP30 in Belém next year, Moisés Savian, the country's Secretary of Land Governance, Territorial and Socio Environmental Development, outlined the event's significance in showcasing Brazil's environmental policies and fostering global collaboration.

Signs of Things to Come As COP29 Presidency Releases New Draft Text

Today the COP29 Presidency released a much-awaited new draft text as the end draws near.

It’s a Deal—Wealthy Nations Pledge Not to Build New Unabated Coal-Power Plants

Of all fossil fuels, coal has had the most serious and long-term effects on global warming. When burnt, coal releases more carbon dioxide than oil and gas, producing an estimated 39 percent of the global carbon dioxide emissions. Yet, coal is still the number one energy source, providing nearly 40 percent of the world’s electricity.

Solar and Wind Power Wealth Does Not Reach Consumers in Chile

Chile, a country rich in solar and wind energy and with huge photovoltaic power stations  and wind turbines in its elongated territory, managed to change its grid by incorporating renewable energies, which account for an installed capacity equivalent to 43.8 % of its electricity production.

COP29 Focus On Climate Migration as Hotter Planet Pushes Millions Out of Homes

Migration is growing as the planet gets even hotter. Climate change is fuelling a migration crisis and millions of people in vulnerable nations are continually being uprooted from their homes. The climate and migration nexus are undeniable and the global community has turned to the Baku climate talks for urgent and sustainable solutions.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: Leading the Charge for Climate Justice, Renewable Energy

At COP29, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the smallest independent nation in the Western Hemisphere, stands as a beacon of climate action and renewable energy ambition.

Future of Children in 2050 Will Be Shaped Through Global Trends

The future of childhood will be fundamentally shaped by the interventions taken in the present that can determine how children’s rights are protected amid compounding issues. As a new report from UNICEF shows, global trends that are already influencing children’s welfare and development will continue to shape them and be a further reflection of overall global development.

Baksheesh, Kisses and Cabbies in Beautiful Baku

The cab driver, identified as Akad, growled, “Cash, cash," as we boarded our booked app-based taxi. I show him my phone, where the app clearly points to the payment confirmation. “No, no! Cash, cash!”

Dazzling Wildlife Portraits at COP29: A Conversation with Photographer Brad Wilson

As delegates at COP29 stroll through the venue in Baku, Azerbaijan, many pause to marvel at the stunning portraits of animals and birds adorning the pavilion walls. These 16 captivating images, showcasing Azerbaijan's rich biodiversity, are more than just art—they’re a call to action.

Embedding Education into Climate Finance Will Deliver Desired Learning, Climate Action Outcomes

Education is under threat as multiple crises push children out of school and into harms way. COP29 Baku could break historical barriers that hold back education from playing a unique, critical role to accelerate the ambition of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, protecting people and planet from life-threatening risks of climate change.

Pakistan’s Climate Minister Pitches for ‘Climate Diplomacy’ at COP29

Romina Khurshid Alam, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Climate Change, praised the resilience of the people of her country in the face of climate disasters and has put her faith into diplomacy to achieve climate justice.