World Environment Day, 2026

 
2025 was one of the three hottest years ever recorded. The years from 2015 to 2025 were the hottest eleven years on record.

Bhutan’s WTO Path: Learning from the Global South

Bhutan’s decision to restart its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) comes at an important junction. Since graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2023, the country is entering a new phase of development, which requires stronger competitiveness, deeper global engagement and greater economic resilience.

As Three COPs Converge, Leaders at GEF Council Call for Unified Global Action

On day 2 of the Global Environment Facility’s 71st Council Meeting, which focused on process and procedure, a clear message emerged: global environmental governance cannot afford fragmentation.

Afghan Women Complete Medical Studies but Are Barred From Practicing

While Afghanistan faces a serious shortage of female doctors, the country’s Islamist regime has placed restrictions on female students from graduating, further exacerbating the situation. Female medical graduates are barred from writing their final exams, which provide them with the professional qualification to practice as medical doctors.

Delegates Push for Greater Accountability, Community Inclusion as GEF Crosses Major Environmental Milestones

While the Global Environment Facility (GEF) said its eighth replenishment cycle (GEF-8) was about to exceed environmental targets for biodiversity protection, marine conservation, ecosystem restoration, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, governments and civil society groups called for stronger safeguards to ensure that local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and smaller implementing agencies are not left behind as funding mechanisms become more complex.

Africa’s Water is its Future. Who will Govern it?

Africa holds 9 per cent of global renewable freshwater, over 600 gigawatts of untapped hydropower potential, and between 60 and 65 per cent of the world's uncultivated arable land.

GEF Council Welcomes New Green Pledges, Highlights Old Access Barriers

The 71st Council meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) opened today amid a sharp divide, with donor nations urging broader and increased funding commitments, while developing countries called for more equitable and accessible pathways to environmental finance.

“The Heat Is No Longer Distant: A Global Climate Reckoning“

‘As record heat sweeps the world, the climate crisis is no longer a warning for the future, but a reality of the present.’

US-Israeli Ceasefire: You Cease, We Fire

If you have been paying attention to the ongoing wars in Ukraine, Iran, Lebanon, and many other places, perhaps you have noticed that battles today are far different from those of the last century. Now it’s not only tanks and planes but also scores of long-range missiles and massive flights of drones linked to cybernetic warfare.

When UN Elections Were Once Tainted by Trade-Offs, Cheque Book Diplomacy & Luxury Cruises…

The year 2026 seems to be an eventful year at the United Nations --a new President of the General Assembly (PGA), who will officially preside over the 81st session in mid-September, plus the election and appointment of a new Secretary-General (SG) who will takeover in January 2027 after the conclusion of a 10-year tenure by the outgoing SG Antonio Guterres.

India’s LED Story Highlights How Blended Finance Powers Environmental Action

Ahead of the Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Samarkand, governments and development institutions are grappling with a familiar challenge: How to finance environmental action at the scale required to meet rapidly growing needs.

A New Youth Generation: Largest in History & a Decisive Force

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) and Head of the United Nations Youth Office shares his leadership approach, insights on youth engagement, and his vision for driving institutional change from the grassroot level — redefining what is possible and proving that age is just a number.

How Europe’s Waste Could Supply Over Half of Critical Material Demand – Report

Europe’s growing mountain of waste could become one of its most important sources of critical raw materials, according to a major new report that warns of rising geopolitical risks and growing global competition for minerals needed in the green and digital economy.

Ebola Outbreak in the DRC Raises Global Health Concerns Amid Conflict and Displacement

Since May 16, there has been a significant increase in the number of laboratory-confirmed and suspected Ebola cases reported across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), primarily in Ituri Province, with additional unrelated cases identified in Kampala, Uganda. Although the outbreak has remained largely confined to that region, it has been heavily linked to areas affected by insecurity, civilian displacement, and mining-related migration, raising concerns among global health experts that the outbreak could spread without effective monitoring and response efforts.

From Seed to Canopy: How a GEF-Funded Smallholder Project is Restoring the Environment, Building Livelihoods

As 52-year-old Alice Onyango walks through her farm in Siaya county, Kenya, you can tell she is proud of her trees, as some tower over her, providing her with shade, while others seem ready to provide her with fruit for the market.

Developing Countries Feel Squeeze from Lower Natural Resource Revenue & Falling Foreign Aid

Developing countries face major difficulties as income from natural resource extraction industries decreases and wealthier nations reduce their aid.

New US Fed Policy Deepens World Stagflation

The Federal Reserve Bank’s turn to ‘reserve management’ exposes the limited policy options still available as the US seeks to protect itself against international stagflation stemming from President Trump’s policies.

Japan and Kazakhstan: A Partnership for an Age of Energy Insecurity and Nuclear Risk

The relationship between Japan and Kazakhstan is often described in terms of diplomacy, investment and regional cooperation. But at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, it deserves to be understood in broader terms: as a partnership linking cities, resources, technology and peace.

How the Global Anti-Rights Movement Is Targeting Women’s Rights in Africa Through Family Laws

The theme of Africa Day 2026, “63 years of unity, integration and development," offers a stark reminder of the gap that often exists between rhetoric and reality. While commendable regional legal frameworks have advanced legal protections for millions of women and girls, injustice remains written into the fabric of national family laws in many African countries, entrenching gender inequality in the home.

The Search is On for the Next U.N. Secretary General in a Turbulent World

AS THE WORLD HURTLES TO HELL (albeit in a SpaceX rather than a hand basket), it might seem of only academic interest which cipher vegetates on the 38th floor of the U.N. Headquarters. However, the choice is due by the end of the year, unless, as has happened in the past, the Security Council is veto-bound and asks António Guterres to stay on as interim Secretary General.

Trump’s Cuts are Pushing the UN out of Geneva. That may be a Win

The $1.2 billion renovation of the Palais des Nations was intended to reaffirm Geneva's centrality to the multilateral system. Instead, the city’s international quarter is emptying.