By Madhurima Sarkar-Swaisgood, Prangya Paramita Gupta, Shashwat Avi, and Sanjay Srivastava, ESCAP* BANGKOK | 29 October 2025 (IDN) — The Himalayan arc from Bhutan through Nepal and India into Pakistan has always followed the rhythm of the monsoon. In 2025, that rhythm became deadly. Rain that sustains agriculture and rivers turned destructive, testing the capacity […]
How Island Nations Are Rewriting Climate Finance
Caribbean states are pioneering bold financial reforms to survive climate change. This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 18 October 2025 (IDN) — When hurricanes strike the Caribbean, they leave behind more than just destruction. They also leave debt. Small island developing states (SIDS) often have to borrow large sums at high interest […]
Saving the Emerald Forest
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 16 September 2025 (IDN) — Belem is the Brazilian city at the mouth of the Amazon. Unlike its slummy counterpart, Kinshasa, at the mouth of the Congo, it is full of resplendent streets with beautiful nineteenth-century houses. It has squares and marketplaces filled with cafes, fountains, and life. In […]
From Degradation to Restoration: A Strategic Treaty Emerges as a Leading Global Initiative
By Ramesh Jaura* This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com/ BERLIN | 9 August 2025 (IDN) — In a world reeling from climate disruption, collapsing biodiversity, and mounting water and food insecurity, land has emerged as both a battleground and a beacon of hope. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) marks not only […]
P20: Empowering Africa’s Agricultural Future Through Parliamentary Action and Global Cooperation
By Byron Adonis Mutingwende Originally posted on spiked media MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA | 28 July 2025 (IDN) — In compelling presentations delivered today during a preparatory meeting of the 11th P20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit at the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa, a strong case was made for advancing trade justice and improving global market […]
African Parliamentarians Rally for Unity, Justice and Global Influence at P20 Symposium
By Byron Adonis Mutingwende Originally posted on spikedmedia. MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA | 28 July 2025 (IDN) — The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) precinct in Midrand, South Africa, came alive today as Speakers, Presiding Officers, and parliamentarians from across the continent gathered for a historic P20 Symposium for the African Continent, under the banner “Harnessing Parliamentary Diplomacy […]
P20 Symposium to Harness Parliamentary Diplomacy for Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability
By Byron Adonis Mutingwende Originally posted on spikedmedia. MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA | 28 July 2025 (IDN) — In a powerful display of unity and purpose, Speakers and Presiding Officers of African Parliaments are gathered at the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa, on 28 July 2025 in preparation for the inaugural P20 Symposium for the […]
Brazil Accused of Climate Hypocrisy as Amazon Oil Blocks Auctioned Ahead of COP30
By Rita Joshi* BONN, Germany | 18 June 2025 (IDN) — While Brazil positions itself as a global climate leader in the lead-up to COP30, its actions at home are drawing sharp criticism. On 17 June, as diplomats and civil society gathered in Bonn for pre-COP30 negotiations, Brazil’s National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and […]
Disaster Preparedness: Anew From the Ancient Old
By Yossef Ben-Meir* Marrakech, Morocco | 4 June 2025 (IDN) — The Kingdom of Morocco is taking the wise measure of building 36 storage facilities that will serve the people’s serious needs during severe crises, should they ever arise, such as with the horrifying 2023 earthquake in the High Atlas region. Ancient knowledge captured in […]
An Era of Extreme Heat: Teleconnections of Glacial Risks from the Arctic to the Third Pole
By Elena Pronina, Consultant, ESCAP; Dr. Valentina Khan, Executive Director of North Eurasia Climate Centre, RosHydroMet; Dr Oksana Lipka, Deputy Director, Yu. A. Izrael Institute of Global Climate and Ecology; Leila Salarpour Goodarzi, Associate Economic Affairs Officer, ESCAP; Sanjay Srivastava, Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction, ESCAP BANGKOK, Thailand | 3 June 2025 (IDN) — As […]