G7 Summit Results Disappointing: More about China than COVID or Climate Change
Update 14 June, 8:30 pm: Just out, the communiqué from the NATO meeting in Brussels attended by President Biden. At the urging of the American President, the language is stronger than the one used by the G7 leaders that had
Grassroots to Drive Climate Change Response in Vulnerable Islands
While global response to climate change lags, Pacific Island leaders will take matters into their own hands. On May 12th, the outgoing Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame Meg Taylor, announced the launch of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF). Aimed at
G7 Summit: More High Stakes Than Ever – Will it Deliver?
Courtesy of the pandemic, the G7 meeting - hosted by the United Kingdom this weekend on the Cornish coast in southern England, calling together the leaders of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan - is going to
A Busy Week in Climate Change Policy
Countries from all over the world are pledging new and ambitious climate change plans. It’s been an eventful week for climate change policy watchers. Not only did US President Biden relaunch US leadership on the issue with the Climate Change Summit,
2040: “A More Contested World” Says U.S. Intelligence
In a just-published “Global Trends” report subtitled "2040: A More Contested World", produced by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) for President Biden, we learn that 20 years from now, the world will be a far hotter and more desperate place.
Local Communities Bear the Burden of Ecological Threats
Projects addressing ecological threats must support local communities. Development projects undertaken at a local level will be crucial to addressing ecological threats and supporting the most vulnerable communities Experts speaking at a recent Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) event agreed that
Leave No One Behind: ICLEI World Congress Focuses on People-Centered Development
The first day of the ICLEI World Congress 2021-2022 closed with a discussion on “Equitably Shaping Our Sustainable Urban Future.” Representatives from local governments from around the world shared their experiences through ongoing initiatives to create an equitable sustainable development
Are Countries Walking the Talk on Cutting Carbon?
In the race against climate change, increasing ambition overtime is necessary to avoid catastrophic warming. However, revised commitments from parties to the Paris Agreement lack two critical components of ambitious climate action: carbon pricing and fossil fuel subsidy reform. Since the
Investing in Cities Reaps Rewards
New World Bank/FAO Report Looks at Urban Food Systems Governance Evolving food preferences, rising malnutrition, public health concerns, rapid urbanization, climate change and crises like COVID-19 are shifting how countries think about food systems. With over two-thirds of the world’s population destined
Ten Billion People by 2050 Could Pose a Challenge for Peace
Projected high levels of population growth will collide with issues of resource scarcity and ecological threats in the future. By 2050, the global population is projected to reach nearly ten billion people and could challenge levels of peacefulness around the world. Over
Congo’s First Green Climate Fund Project Aims High in Fighting Climate Change and Poverty
Nestled in the heart of the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest rainforest, lies the Republic of the Congo. A nation covered in vast forests, the Congo boasts an estimated 23 million ha of forest area — nearly 70% of the
Will Ecological Risks Threaten Increased Peace in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh has shown improvements in peace but has ecological threats to watch out for. According to the 2020 Global Peace Index, Bangladesh recorded the biggest increase in peacefulness in the South Asia region over the last year, with a 2.3% improvement