VICTORIA, September 24 (IPS) - Like so many problems besetting the world, the existential threats facing small island states are all too obvious. Island nations are surrounded by the sea, and they depend on it for their livelihood and for their security. The sheer power of the sea can never be tamed but islanders have learnt to work with it and in doing so, there has always been a productive balance. But this balance, however, has been cast aside – the relationship has broken down. Our mighty ocean is in poor shape.

Read the full story, “Saving the Ocean – Act Now!”, on globalissues.org →

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania , September 24 (IPS) - On a hot afternoon in Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam’s bustling commercial hub, the air is a swirling mix of diesel exhaust, charcoal smoke and dust kicked up by the shuffle of feet. Traders tie handkerchiefs over their noses to deter haze from drifting into their throats and lungs.

Read the full story, “Toxic Air in Tanzania’s Port City Threatens Millions, Researchers Warn”, on globalissues.org →

NEW DELHI, September 24 (IPS) - As the climate crisis intensifies, long-term adaptation strategies have become urgent. Among the most effective nature-based solutions are mangroves—resilient coastal forests that protect communities, preserve biodiversity, and capture carbon.

Read the full story, “From Fishers to Forest Keepers: Women and Communities Reviving India’s Mangroves”, on globalissues.org →

In just nine months, one million Syrians have returned home following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on Wednesday.

Read the full story, “Syria: Return of millions brings hope but challenges remain”, on globalissues.org →

From the rainforests of Central America to low-lying atolls in the Pacific and drought-stricken plains in Africa, leaders came to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday with a common message: climate change is no longer a distant threat, but an immediate danger demanding bolder global commitments.

Read the full story, “Sinking islands, vanishing forests: World leaders call for urgent climate action”, on globalissues.org →