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Source: http://www.ipsnews.net/feed/

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<title>Abundance of Renewable Energy Attracts Major Data Centers to Brazil</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/abundance-renewable-energy-attracts-major-data-centers-brazil/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=abundance-renewable-energy-attracts-major-data-centers-brazil</link>
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<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2025 14:58:47 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Mario Osava</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Economy & Trade]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Editors' Choice]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Headlines]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Integration and Development Brazilian-style]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Latin America & the Caribbean]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[TerraViva United Nations]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence (AI)]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[big tech]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Brazil]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[data centers]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[renewable energies]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[water]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.ipsnews.net/?p=190705</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Brazil hopes to soon reap benefits of its largely renewable energy matrix. Data centers, whose demand is growing with the strides made by artificial intelligence, are the new frontier for these still-uncertain investments. This is even a matter of “digital sovereignty,” not just for Brazil, according to Dora Kaufman, a professor in the program on […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-1-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="A digital meeting by Brazil’s Ministry of Science and Technology to discuss the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector. Remote work and debates have also increased the demand for digital infrastructure by boosting long-distance communication. Credit: Rodrigo Cabral / Ascom MCTI" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-1-629x420.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-1.jpg 976w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A digital meeting by Brazil’s Ministry of Science and Technology to discuss the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector. Remote work and debates have also increased the demand for digital infrastructure by boosting long-distance communication. Credit: Rodrigo Cabral / Ascom MCTI By Mario Osava RIO DE JANEIRO, May 30 2025 (IPS) Brazil hopes to soon reap benefits of its largely renewable energy matrix. Data centers, whose demand is growing with the strides made by artificial intelligence, are the new frontier for these still-uncertain investments."The most serious issue in the government's program is that it aims to subsidize data centers for big tech companies... they propose bringing in data centers for Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and others, with all the benefits." — Carlos Afonso.
This is even a matter of “digital sovereignty,” not just for Brazil, according to Dora Kaufman, a professor in the program on intelligent technologies and digital design at the <a href="https://www.pucsp.br/home">Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo</a>.
Nearly 60% of all Brazilian data processing currently takes place in the United States—and the figure continues to rise—posing a serious risk, as a natural disaster or government blockade could paralyze the country, she warned. “The probability of it happening is low, but the impact would be huge,” she told IPS by phone from São Paulo.
The National Data Center Policy is expected to change this scenario, according to the Brazilian government, which has promised to soon unveil the program. Its potential could attract two trillion reais (around US$350 billion) over the next 10 years, claims Finance Minister Fernando Haddad.
Exemptions from federal taxes and reduced import duties on equipment are among the incentives the government will offer investors. These measures anticipate policies already outlined in the recently approved tax reform, which will fully take effect by 2033.
The abundance of renewable energy, water, and land could also serve as a major draw in a world increasingly demanding sustainability in new projects.
<div id="attachment_190706" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190706" class="wp-image-190706" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-2.jpg" alt="Engineering and computer science students in Rio de Janeiro will form an essential workforce for the expanding digital economy, fueled by the government’s policy to encourage the proliferation of data centers in Brazil. Credit: Tomaz Silva / Agência Brasil " width="629" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-2.jpg 976w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-2-629x420.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />Engineering and computer science students in Rio de Janeiro will form an essential workforce for the expanding digital economy, fueled by the government’s policy to encourage the proliferation of data centers in Brazil. Credit: Tomaz Silva / Agência Brasil</div>
High Costs in Brazil 
Processing data in Brazil is 25% more expensive than abroad, primarily due to the tax burden, noted Kaufman. Removing this obstacle would pave the way for a surge in data centers, as “we have more than enough renewable energy and water,” she argued.
“Brazil has everything it takes to host many data centers, and the challenges are solvable. We need them not just to develop artificial intelligence but also for the growing digitalization of government and businesses,” she emphasized.
However, the voracious energy and water demands of digital infrastructure—especially for AI—are raising concerns among environmentalists and experts in energy and communications.
“Brazil first needs to implement a real energy transition. So far, we’ve only added renewable sources alongside fossil fuels. A just transition remains a huge challenge, requiring the electrification of transport—a priority due to the climate crisis,” said Alexandre Costa, a professor at the <a href="https://www.ufc.br/">Federal University of Ceará</a> in northeastern Brazil.
TikTok plans to set up a data center in Caucaia, a city of 355,000 residents in Ceará. Just 35 kilometers away, the Pecém port—which includes an industrial zone—has plans for a green hydrogen production hub, another major consumer of water and electricity.
Pecém already hosts a thermoelectric plant and a steel mill, both of which are highly water-intensive.
<div id="attachment_190707" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190707" class="wp-image-190707" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-3.jpg" alt="In the industrial zone of the Pecém port, in Ceará, wind turbine blades are manufactured. Nearby, there are plans to produce green hydrogen for export to Europe. The high consumption of electricity and water worries environmentalists in this and other regions of Brazil where large data centers are planned. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS " width="629" height="472" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-3.jpg 976w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-3-629x472.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-3-200x149.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />In the industrial zone of the Pecém port, in Ceará, wind turbine blades are manufactured. Nearby, there are plans to produce green hydrogen for export to Europe. The high consumption of electricity and water worries environmentalists in this and other regions of Brazil where large data centers are planned. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS</div>
 Fossil Fuels Still Dominate
The Northeast, Brazil’s poorest region, has become an attractive location for projects claiming to be sustainable, as it is already the country’s largest wind power producer and holds vast potential for solar energy.
However, the exploitation of strong, steady winds and abundant sunlight has already sparked criticism and protests from local communities. The expansion of these projects is encroaching on increasing amounts of land, creating conflicts with local populations and small-scale farming, noted Costa, a physicist specializing in meteorology and climate change.
Nationally, renewable sources accounted for 86.1% of electricity consumption in 2022, according to the government’s Energy Research Company. However, fossil fuels still made up 52.7% of Brazil’s total energy matrix, dominated by oil and natural gas, while coal held a small 4.4% share.
This means Brazil, where freight transport is still heavily reliant on diesel trucks, still has a long way to go in reducing fossil fuel consumption. This transition will require even more electricity.
Data centers will bring additional energy demand to an economy already anticipating a surge in consumption—driven by green hydrogen projects, artificial intelligence, and vehicle electrification, Costa warned IPS in a phone interview from Fortaleza, Ceará’s capital.
The same applies to water resources. “There’s no way to meet an infinite demand for these inputs,” he stressed. In his view, Brazil lacks an energy model that balances new demands, priorities, and the need for an increasingly clean energy matrix.
<div id="attachment_190708" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190708" class="wp-image-190708" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-4.jpg" alt="The electrification of vehicles is increasing electricity demand. Data centers create additional pressure on power generation from renewable sources to meet Brazil’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Credit: Marcelo Camargo / Agência Brasil" width="629" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-4.jpg 976w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Brasil-4-629x420.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />The electrification of vehicles is increasing electricity demand. Data centers create additional pressure on power generation from renewable sources to meet Brazil’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Credit: Marcelo Camargo / Agência Brasil</div>
Dependence 
“The most serious issue in the government’s program is that it aims to subsidize data centers for Big Techs. We need them for our national networks, yet they’re proposing to bring in data centers for Google, Facebook, Microsoft, etc., with all the benefits,” criticized Carlos Afonso, a communications technology expert and one of the pioneers of the internet in Brazil.
He pointed to the lack of such infrastructure for public entities like <a href="https://www.serpro.gov.br/%20https:/www.dataprev.gov.br/">Serpro</a> (Data Processing Service) and Dataprev (social security database), which are vital for government operations, as well as the National Research Network that connects universities and other scientific and innovation institutions.
“Will they have to rely on data centers from these Big Techs in Brazil?” he questioned in a conversation with IPS.
It appears that both the government’s program for this sector and its green hydrogen initiative are primarily designed to meet external demands, with the goal of creating exportable goods and services.
This is why Kaufman argues for imposing conditions on data centers established in Brazil, such as sustainability based on renewable energy and zero greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, and allocating at least 10% of installed capacity to the domestic market.
The expert believes that the large data centers to be installed in Brazil will primarily serve AI training, which minimizes latency, the milliseconds of delay in long-distance communication from origin to destination.
But the reality—both in Brazil and globally—in the digital economy is one of deep dependence on the United States, a situation exacerbated by the policies of President Donald Trump, who prioritized the interests of the United States above all else, even international treaties.
“Three Big Tech companies from the United States—AWS/Amazon, Microsoft, and Google—control 63% of global data processing, forming a true oligopoly,” emphasized Kaufman. That dominance is expected to grow to 80%, she added.
According to the global statistics <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1228433/data-centers-worldwide-by-country/">portal Statista</a>, as of March 2025, the United States had 5,426 data centers—more than 10 times the number in Germany (529), the UK (523), or China (449).
The imbalance is even starker in hyperscale data centers, those occupying more than 930 square meters and housing over 5,000 servers. By the end of 2024, the United States accounted for 54% of global processing capacity, compared to 16% for China and 15% for Europe, according to <a href="https://www.srgresearch.com/">Synergy Research Group</a>.
In 2024 alone, 137 new data centers were built—a 13.7% growth rate—in a trend expected to continue, driven largely by advancements in artificial intelligence, notes the analytics and consulting firm based in the United States.
The infrastructure powering the digital economy, already connecting two-thirds of humanity and expanding rapidly with innovations like cloud computing and AI, remains largely unseen.
While cables, including intercontinental submarine lines, satellites, and telecom networks are well-known, data centers—the “brains” that store, process, and distribute information—operate in relative obscurity. Yet, they have become massive and strategically critical as global data traffic surges exponentially.
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<title>Glaciers More Sensitive to Global Warming, Now in Extreme Danger—Study</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/glaciers-more-sensitive-to-global-warming-now-in-extreme-danger-study/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=glaciers-more-sensitive-to-global-warming-now-in-extreme-danger-study</link>
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<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2025 12:26:48 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tanka Dhakal</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Climate Action]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Climate Change]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[IPS UN Bureau Report]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.ipsnews.net/?p=190699</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Almost 40 percent of glaciers that exist now are already in danger of melting even if global temperature stabilized at present-day conditions, a study says. An international study published in the journal Science finds that glaciers are even more sensitive to global warming than previously estimated. More than 75 percent of glacier mass will be […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="225" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Everest-Glacier-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Khumbu glacier at the Mt. Everest region in Nepal. A new report says glaciers are even more sensitive to global warming than previously estimated. Credit: Tanka Dhakal/IPS" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Everest-Glacier-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Everest-Glacier-629x472.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Everest-Glacier-200x149.jpg 200w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Everest-Glacier.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Khumbu glacier at the Mt. Everest region in Nepal. A new report says glaciers are even more sensitive to global warming than previously estimated. Credit: Tanka Dhakal/IPSBy Tanka Dhakal BLOOMINGTON, USA, May 30 2025 (IPS) Almost 40 percent of glaciers that exist now are already in danger of melting even if global temperature stabilized at present-day conditions, a study says.
An international study published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adu4675">Science</a> finds that glaciers are even more sensitive to global warming than previously estimated.
More than 75 percent of glacier mass will be gone if global temperature rises to the 2.7°C that the world is heading towards, according to the trajectory set by current climate policies. 
But meeting the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C would preserve 54 percent of glacier mass.
“Our study makes it painfully clear that every fraction of a degree matters,” <a href="https://scholar.google.be/citations?user=_tfkhKEAAAAJ&hl=en">Dr. Harry Zekollari,</a> co-author of the research and Associate professor at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, said.
“The choices we make today will resonate for centuries, determining how much of our glaciers can be preserved.”
According to the papers’ co-lead author, <a href="https://www.uibk.ac.at/en/acinn/people/lilian-schuster/">Dr. Lilian Schuster</a>, glaciers are regarded as a good indicator of climate change because their retreat allows researchers to see how climate is changing.
“But the situation for glaciers is actually far worse than visible in the mountains today,” she added.
Most important glaciers are even more sensitive
Impact of rising temperatures is skewed mostly by the very large glaciers around Antarctica and Greenland. According to the research, glaciers most important to human communities are even more sensitive, with several of them losing nearly all glacier ice already at 2°C.
The glacier regions, including the European Alps, the Rockies of the Western U.S. and Canada, and Iceland, may lose almost 85-90 percent of their ice in comparison to 2020 levels at 2°C warming.
But Scandinavia will no longer have glacier ice at that level of temperature rise.
The Hindu Kush Himalaya region, where glaciers feed river basins supporting 2 billion people, might lose 75 percent of its ice compared to the 2020 level at a 2°C temperature rise scenario.
<div id="attachment_190701" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190701" class="size-full wp-image-190701" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/glacier_graph.jpg" alt="" width="630" height="702" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/glacier_graph.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/glacier_graph-269x300.jpg 269w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/glacier_graph-424x472.jpg 424w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />Ice loss at various degrees of <a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/Gsjsk/">global warming</a>.</div>
Staying in line with the Paris Agreement goal preserves at least some glacier ice in all regions, even Scandinavia, with 20-30 percent remaining in the four most sensitive regions and 40-45 percent in the Himalayas and Caucasus.
This report reiterates the growing urgency of the 1.5°C temperature goal and rapid decarbonization to achieve it.
A team of 21 scientists from 10 countries used eight different glacier models to calculate the potential ice loss of the more than 200,000 glaciers worldwide under a wide range of global temperature scenarios. For each scenario, they assumed that temperatures would remain constant for thousands of years.
Researchers found that in all scenarios, the glaciers lose mass rapidly over decades and then continue to melt at a slower pace for centuries, even without further warming. This means they will feel the impact of today’s heat for a long time before settling into a new balance as they retreat to higher altitudes.
But glaciers in the Tropics–the central Andes of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, as well as East Africa and Indonesia—appear to maintain higher levels of ice, but this is only because they have lost so much already.
Venezuela’s final glacier, Humboldt, lost glacier status in 2024; Indonesia’s ironically named “Infinity Glacier” is likely to follow within the next two years. Germany lost one of its last five remaining glaciers during a heat wave in 2022, and Slovenia likely lost its last real glacier a few decades ago.
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>Lawmakers Work to Build Women’s Representation in Politics and the Workplace</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/lawmakers-work-to-build-womens-representation-in-politics-and-the-workplace/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lawmakers-work-to-build-womens-representation-in-politics-and-the-workplace</link>
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<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2025 11:50:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Cecilia Russell</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives) and Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke to IPS ahead of the Study Tour on Gender Equality and […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_4572-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Credit: AFPPD" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_4572-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_4572-629x419.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_4572.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Credit: AFPPDBy Cecilia Russell SARAJEVO & JOHANNESBURG, May 30 2025 (IPS) Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives) and Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina, spoke to IPS ahead of the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The study visit program arranged for members of the <a href="https://afppd.net/">AFPPD</a> group as well as for parliamentarians from Eastern Europe, held on May 29 and 30 in Sarajevo, gives lawmakers from the region and abroad the opportunity to participate in an event where they can exchange experiences and learn from each other.
“The main objectives of this important gathering are deeply connected to our shared vision of fostering genuine equality and empowering women at every level of society,” explains Riđić. “It is an opportunity to build stronger collaborations between parliamentarians, civil society organizations, and experts, creating synergies and mutual understanding essential for sustainable progress. By connecting gender equality to broader issues of population dynamics and sustainable development, we emphasize the holistic approach needed to achieve lasting impact.”
Here are edited responses from MPs Pekić and Prlić and UNFPA’s Riđić.
IPS: What are the main objectives of the Parliamentarians’ conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
<div id="attachment_190696" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190696" class="size-full wp-image-190696" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Jelena-Pekic-and-Lana-Prlic.jpg" alt="Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, and Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives)." width="630" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Jelena-Pekic-and-Lana-Prlic.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Jelena-Pekic-and-Lana-Prlic-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Jelena-Pekic-and-Lana-Prlic-629x419.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />Jelena Pekić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of People) and Deputy Speaker of the Canton Sarajevo Assembly, and Lana Prlić, MP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (House of Representatives).</div>
Pekić and Prlić: The main objectives of the Parliamentarians’ conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina are, first, to have the opportunity for the MPs to come here and meet the people during the study tour on gender equality and women’s empowerment. MPs will meet representatives from all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, from state to local levels of government and Parliaments, as well as agencies and committees, <a href="https://ba.unfpa.org/en">UNFPA</a>, and media. All of this couldn’t be possible without the local office of UNFPA, which worked hard in past months to organize this study tour.
 
<div id="attachment_190711" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190711" class="size-full wp-image-190711" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_7878-1.jpg" alt="Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina." width="630" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_7878-1.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_7878-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/TNT_7878-1-629x419.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />Marina Riđić, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Bosnia and Herzegovina.</div>
Riđić: As a woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina currently working with UNFPA, I see the Parliamentarians’ efforts on gender equality and women’s empowerment as a powerful platform to drive meaningful change in our region. The main objectives of this important gathering are deeply connected to our shared vision of fostering genuine equality and empowering women at every level of society. Through facilitating rich exchanges of experiences and peer learning among parliamentarians from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), we aim not only to showcase Bosnia and Herzegovina’s robust legal and institutional frameworks but also to learn from each other’s successes and challenges. Bosnian and Herzegovinian Members of Parliament have already benefited immensely from the collaborative efforts with the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), enhancing their knowledge and strengthening their resolve to champion gender-responsive policies. This conference further reinforces their capacity to design and implement initiatives that genuinely reflect and address the realities women face every day.
Moreover, it is an opportunity to build stronger collaborations between parliamentarians, civil society organizations, and experts, creating synergies and mutual understanding essential for sustainable progress. By connecting gender equality to broader issues of population dynamics and sustainable development, we emphasize the holistic approach needed to achieve lasting impact.
Personally, this conference represents a significant step forward in our collective journey towards true equality, highlighting the critical role parliamentarians play in transforming legislative visions into concrete actions that empower women and girls in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the EECA region.
IPS: What are the challenges and successes regarding women’s representation in parliament and in other spheres of government? 
Pekić and Prlić: There was a study regarding challenges that women are facing as politicians, done by the <a href="https://www.wfd.org/">Westminster Foundation for Democracy</a> a couple of years ago, and the focus was on violence against women in politics. The study revealed the primary reasons women are reluctant to enter politics and why those who have been successful in the field have chosen to leave. Violence against women in politics commonly takes the form of emotional and verbal abuse; the perception is that violence is the cost of doing politics, and often a reason why women don’t do politics, or they leave politics. The Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013 raised the mandatory quota for women on candidate lists to 40 percent.
It is important to have affordable and accessible social services, including childcare, in order for women to participate fully in the economy. While legislation may have been passed, budgets often fall behind. How are parliamentarians working toward ensuring that both the legislation and budgets work in harmony so that women can fully participate in the workplace?
Riđić: Bosnia and Herzegovina has made notable strides in advancing gender equality, particularly through the adoption of strong legal frameworks such as the Gender Equality Law and the Election Law’s Gender Quota. These measures signal a commitment to increasing women’s representation in parliament and other spheres of government.
However, the gap between policy and practice remains a major challenge. Despite progressive legislation, systemic barriers continue to limit women’s full participation in decision-making roles. Entrenched gender and social norms still define leadership as predominantly male, discouraging women from stepping into public and political life. On top of that, the heavy load of unpaid care work borne by women restricts their ability to invest time and energy into political careers or high-responsibility positions.
There is also a critical need to create more pathways for women to grow into leadership roles.
Structured training programmes, peer support, and mentorship initiatives can make a real difference in equipping women to navigate institutional hurdles and thrive in political and public arenas.
The study tour offers an opportunity to reflect on both the progress and the setbacks. It allows us to share how Bosnia and Herzegovina is addressing these issues—what has worked, where we’ve fallen short, and what more needs to be done to ensure that our governance systems truly reflect the diversity and potential of our society.
<div id="attachment_190712" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190712" class="wp-image-190712" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/APDA-photo.jpg" alt="Dr. Kiyoko Ikegami, Vice-Chair, Secretary General of APDA, with Hon. Jelena Pekic, MP BiH. Credit:UNFPA" width="630" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/APDA-photo.jpg 4128w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/APDA-photo-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/APDA-photo-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/APDA-photo-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/APDA-photo-629x419.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />Dr. Kiyoko Ikegami, Vice-Chair and Secretary General of APDA, with Hon. Jelena Pekić, MP Bosnia and Herzegovina. Credit: AFPPD</div>
Riđić: In Bosnia and Herzegovina, where more than half a million women are outside the labor market, the economic consequences are significant. With a population of just over three million, the scale of this untapped potential is alarming. That’s why we are not only looking at legislation but also at how to build political will for gender-responsive budgeting.
Importantly, we recognize that such work cannot be done by the public sector alone. We are also working to strengthen dialogue with the private sector, helping businesses understand the return on investment in human capital when they support inclusive and family-oriented work environments. Learning from Central Asian experiences is another key pillar of this tour, helping us apply practical and proven models in our context.
Ensuring that legislation and budgets work in harmony is at the heart of what we are exploring during the Parliamentarians’ study tour in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While our country has adopted key laws supporting gender equality and family-friendly policies, the reality is that without dedicated and sustained budget allocations, these policies often remain aspirational.
Parliamentarians are now increasingly aware of the need to bridge this implementation gap.
Through the support of partners like UNFPA and AFPPD, they are engaging in cross-country dialogue and peer learning to understand how to advocate more effectively for budget lines that support affordable childcare and other essential social services. Evidence from UNFPA’s unpaid care work studies, labor market projections, and gender equality programming underscores that without these services, women’s participation in the workforce will remain limited.
IPS: How are parliamentarians working toward ensuring that both the legislation and budgets work in harmony so that women can fully participate in the workplace?
Pekić: Making a law and passing it in the Parliament is just the beginning of a solution for certain issues in society, as you said in your question; law enforcement depends on the executive part of the system and budget, of course. That is why, personally, when proposing some of the laws and solutions, I consult the executive branch as well as the NGOs that closely work on those questions.
For example, in Sarajevo Canton, we have devoted a lot of attention to programmes and measures aimed at empowering families, with a special focus on childcare—from subsidies for kindergartens and extended school stays to maternity allowance for women during maternity leave lasting 12 months. All of these are measures that require significant financial resources, but with careful prioritization and planning of financial flows, their implementation is possible and sustainable.
IPS: Could you elaborate on any projects enabling young women’s entry into both the workplace and spheres of government? How have parliamentarians been supporting these projects?
Pekić: As a Member of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am deeply committed to advancing initiatives that empower young women to enter both the workforce and spheres of government.
Here, I would especially highlight employment programs by the government for young people and women through co-financing employment or starting their own businesses, as well as programs such as employment and education of the women who left the safe house—women who were victims of the violence. And when it comes to programmes empowering women to enter spheres of government, non-governmental organizations play an important role by providing numerous mentorship and education programs.
Riđić: When we speak about enabling young women to enter the workforce and public life, we must begin with a broader picture because true empowerment doesn’t start at the job interview or ballot box. It starts much earlier, through inclusive education, health services, community belonging, and opportunity.
That’s why UNFPA, in partnership with parliamentarians, supports a range of initiatives that build foundations for young women to succeed. Through our youth empowerment programmes, social cohesion and peacebuilding efforts, and intergenerational dialogue initiatives, we are helping to create safer, more inclusive communities where young women can envision—and claim—their place in the public and professional spheres.
Innovative digital tools and platforms have been developed to amplify young people’s voices in local communities and support their engagement in decision-making processes. These tools encourage civic participation and nurture leadership skills from an early age. Our work also extends to strengthening the social and healthcare systems. Initiatives promoting HPV vaccination and healthy lifestyle education in primary schools are not only improving health outcomes: they are teaching girls to value their bodies, understand their rights, and grow with confidence. Programmes focused on social protection and rural outreach have helped ensure that young women from marginalized communities, including Roma, women with disabilities, and those from remote areas, have the support they need to pursue education and employment opportunities.
While these may not always appear as direct employment interventions, they are essential building blocks. Without systems that ensure dignity, inclusion, and safety, meaningful and sustained participation in the economy or politics remains out of reach. UNFPA’s demographic work and policy advocacy are deeply rooted in identifying and scaling measures that support sustainable solutions.
<div id="attachment_190695" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190695" class="size-full wp-image-190695" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/delegates.jpg" alt="MPs and delegates walk through Sarajevo on their Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina." width="630" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/delegates.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/delegates-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/delegates-629x419.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />MPs and delegates walk through Sarajevo on their Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Credit: Delegates in session during the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, held on May 29 and 30 in Sarajevo. Credit: AFPPD</div>
IPS: Could you elaborate on one or more specific projects that address gender-based violence? How have parliamentarians been supporting these projects?
Prlić: Recently we adopted in the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina a new law with the main goal of protecting women and families against violence, and very soon we are expecting to adopt the new changes to the Criminal Law, which will be harmonized with the mentioned law previously adopted, as well as with the Istanbul Convention, The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which is the first instrument in Europe to set legally binding standards specifically to prevent gender-based violence, protect victims of violence and punish perpetrators.
By adopting these two laws, there is a legal framework set to criminalize some of the acts that were not in the past, as well as give more tools to the police, judiciary, and medical workers to protect victims and punish perpetrators to make society safer and to make women safer in their homes.
<div id="attachment_190698" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190698" class="size-full wp-image-190698" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/in-session.jpg" alt="Delegates in session during the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina held on May 29 and 30 in Sarajevo. Credit: UNFPA" width="630" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/in-session.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/in-session-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/in-session-629x419.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />Delegates in session during the Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina held on May 29 and 30 in Sarajevo. Credit: AFPPD</div>
Riđić: Addressing gender-based violence (GBV) remains a core priority for UNFPA and a central theme in our cooperation with parliamentarians. The study tour will include discussions on national and regional projects aimed at preventing GBV and providing support for survivors. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the work involves tackling both traditional forms of violence and emerging challenges like technology-facilitated abuse.
Parliamentarians have played a critical role in advancing legislative reforms and supporting institutional responses. Notably, they have been instrumental in the development of a legislative roadmap on protection from digital violence, a growing concern in today’s digital world. UNFPA’s “bodyright” campaign has contributed to public discourse and legal advocacy in this area.
Investment in healthcare services to support GBV survivors has been secured under the framework of the Istanbul Convention, with parliamentarians helping to ensure these commitments are reflected in national budgets. Equally important has been our collaborative work with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and programs addressing perpetrators as part of a comprehensive approach to justice, healing, and prevention.
These efforts show that fighting GBV is not limited to reactive responses but requires long-term, structural engagement, and that’s why sustained parliamentary support is vital for ensuring that every law, budget, and service reflects the dignity and rights of women and girls in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond.
Note: The Study Tour on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Bosnia and Herzegovina is organized by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Japan Trust Fund (JTF).
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>If This Isn’t Genocide, What Is?</title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2025 06:03:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Alon Ben-Meir</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations, most recently at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University. He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="136" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Rescue-workers-line_-300x136.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Rescue-workers-line_-300x136.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Rescue-workers-line_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Rescue workers line up body bags in Tal Al Sultan, in Rafah, in southern Gaza. Credit: UNOCHABy Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK, May 30 2025 (IPS) For over a year, I refused to ascribe Israel’s war against Hamas and the reign of horror it is inflicting on the Palestinians in Gaza as genocide, but now I feel shaken to the core by what I am witnessing. If what I see is not genocide, then I do not know what is.

Last year, I attended the Mailman School of Public Health graduation ceremony at Columbia University. The student selected to deliver a speech on behalf of the student body was an Arab woman. First, she spoke about her experience at the university as a student, but then shifted to the war in Gaza. During her speech, she invoked the word ‘genocide’ several times, about Israel’s atrocious activities and onslaught on Gaza.
At the time, I was enraged, thinking that although Israel has committed many crimes in its execution of war against Hamas, it did not rise to the level of genocide. But over the last few months, as I was looking at the unfolding horror that’s taking place in Gaza—the mass destruction of infrastructure, the indiscriminate killing of men, women, and children, the clear revenge and retribution that’s been undertaken by Israeli soldiers, the starvation to which the entire community been subjected to—I could not but come to the dreadfully sad conclusion that what Israel is committing is nothing but genocide.
Indeed, how do you explain the deaths of nearly 54,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women, children, and the elderly? How do you define the deliberate destruction of hospitals, clinics, schools, and whole neighborhoods with thousands buried under the rubble, left to rot? How do you describe the many Israeli soldiers who boast about the number of Palestinians they have killed? And how do you label a government that cheered its intended goal of demolishing, decimating, and dismantling whatever was left standing in Gaza?
As I kept listening and watching the unfolding horror day in and day out, I could not stop weeping for what has evolved in front of my eyes–indeed, in front of the eyes of the whole world. 
But then, hardly anything has happened to end this ongoing travesty. The war continues, the slaughter continues, starvation continues, destruction continues, revenge and retribution continue, making inhumanity and brutality the order of the day.
Yes, I cried with real tears, asking:
Where are all these Israelis who have been demonstrating day in and day out to release the remaining 59 hostages, but never raise their voices to stop the killing of 54,000 Palestinians?
Where are the rabbis who praise God for being the chosen? I wonder, has God chosen the Jews to maim, to mutilate, to massacre, and to kill? Does the Israel that was created on the ashes of the Jews who perished in the Holocaust now have the moral justification to perpetrate genocide against innocent men, women, and children?
Where are the opposition parties in Israel, who have been paralyzed and remain comfortably numb? Why aren’t they screaming, shouting, and protesting against an evil government that is destroying the very moral foundation of a country that sacrificed its soul on the altar of the vilest government in Israel’s history?
Where are the academics, professors, and students that should uphold high moral ground? Why have they buried their voices among the thousands of Palestinians buried with no trace?
And what happened to the so-called ‘most moral army in the world,’ the Israel Defense Forces, that took pride in defending their country only to turn out to become the most depraved force, committing crimes of unspeakable cruelty, ruthlessness and savagery? 
They are fighting under the false banner of saving the country from a mortal enemy when, in fact, they are destroying Israel from within, leaving it searching for salvation for generations to come.
I was raised by parents who instilled in me the meaning of caring and compassion, lending a helping hand to people in need, sharing my food with the hungry, and learning never to hate others or hold others in disdain. 
I have held these values from the time I was a little boy to this day, recognizing that these are the ideals that have sustained me in times of loss, in times of suffering, in times of sorrow, in times of hope, and in times of anguish, never knowing what tomorrow will hold.
One day, I asked my mother, ‘Mother, what shall I do with people who hate me and want to harm me only because of who I am?’ She pondered for a second, and then said, ‘My son, if a beast comes to hurt you, defend yourself, but never, never become like one. Because if you did, you would have lost your humanity, and you will have little left to live for.’ And, after another brief pause, she told me: ‘Remember, son, an eye for an eye leaves us all blind.’
So many Israelis have told me to my face that we should kill every Palestinian child in Gaza because once they grow up, they will become terrorists bent on terrorizing us for as long as they live, and we should kill them all to prevent that future. How sick and deranged and demented these people are. 
Has it occurred to them that what Israel is doing to the Palestinians today is nurturing the next generation of Palestinians to become terrorists because they have nothing left to lose, and avenging what has befallen their people is the only reason they want to live?
Israel has lost its Jewish values, its conscience, its morals, its sense of order, and its very reason for being. Hamas’ savage attack on Israel is unconscionable and unacceptable. Still, the Israeli reaction to the Hamas massacre reminded me precisely of what my mother taught me from day one: if a beast comes to hurt you, never become one, because you will have nothing left to live for.
When this ugly war comes to an end, Israel will never be the same. It has stigmatized itself for generations to come, it has inflicted irreparable damage to world Jewry, it has intensified the rise of antisemitism to new heights, it has betrayed everything that its founders stood for. And above all else, it has lost its soul, and may never find its way back from the abyss.
<a href="mailto:alon@alonben-meir.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">alon@alonben-meir.com</a> Web: <a href="http://www.alonben-meir.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.alonben-meir.com</a>
IPS UN Bureau
 
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Excerpt: Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations, most recently at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University. He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Africa in Control of Its Digital Future: Mobilising Domestic Resources & Strategic Partnerships</title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2025 05:32:51 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Mehdi Jomaa and Obiageli Oby Ezekwesili</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[As political, financial and social leaders met on 27 May 2025 in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, for the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the continent stands at a crucial turning point. Digitalisation can be the engine of inclusive and resilient development, but only if approached with local leadership and strategic vision. […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="117" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/African-schools-gear_-300x117.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/African-schools-gear_-300x117.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/African-schools-gear_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />African schools gear up for the AI revolution. Girls attend a robotics bootcamp in Rwanda. Credit: UN Women/Geno Ochieng
 
Digital transformation can be the engine of responsible and democratic development in Africa, but only if leadership, investment, and decision-making are rooted in the continent itself.By Mehdi Jomaa and Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili TUNIS, Tunisia/ ABUJA, Nigeria, May 30 2025 (IPS) As political, financial and social leaders met on 27 May 2025 in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, for the <a href="https://am.afdb.org/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank</a> (AfDB), the continent stands at a crucial turning point. Digitalisation can be the engine of inclusive and resilient development, but only if approached with local leadership and strategic vision.

The questions asked at this year’s meeting: how to mobilise African capital, how to foster transformative partnerships, and how to accelerate the shift to greener, more inclusive economies- are not rhetorical. They are urgent.
Africa is not short on potential. On the contrary, it is home to 18% of the world’s population, yet holds less than <a href="https://www.newamerica.org/planetary-politics/articles/how-shared-digital-infrastructure-can-bridge-the-gap-in-africa/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1% of global data centre capacity</a>. It is a hyper-connected continent -over 600 million Africans use mobile phones today- but smartphone penetration and effective <a href="https://www.progressivepolicy.org/africas-digital-opportunity/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">connectivity remain low</a>.
Technology, alongside young people and women, stands out as one of the three defining forces that can enable Africa not only to transform itself but to win the 21st century. This potential is already materialising: since the early 2000s, following deep telecommunications sector reforms carried out across much of the continent, African youth have deployed technology as a powerful enabler of exponential progress. 
Today, some of the continent’s largest and fastest-growing companies are in the tech sector, including several unicorns -firms valued at over one billion dollars. Mobile money innovations like <a href="https://newsroom.safaricom.co.ke/innovation/whats-next-for-m-pesa/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">M-PESA</a> have become globally replicable models. In contrast to Africa’s historical exclusion from the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions, the digital revolution marks a pivotal moment: Africa is no longer catching up—it is helping lead a new economic era on its own terms.
The key is recognising that Africa’s digital development cannot rely solely on external flows. As the African Development Bank has pointed out, two-thirds of development finance in Africa already comes from domestic sources, such as tax revenue and household savings. In 2020, African sovereign wealth funds managed over USD 24 billion, and pension funds held assets worth USD 676 billion in 2017. On top of that, the African diaspora sends nearly USD 100 billion in remittances every year.
Mobilising these resources requires more than political will. It demands strong institutions, effective regulatory frameworks, and public-private partnerships capable of scaling digital transformation. Key initiatives led by the private sector are already underway, but more is needed: a shared vision, bold political ambition, and a digitally empowered citizenry. This is where governance and institutional leadership come into play.
In this spirit, Club de Madrid -the world’s largest forum of democratic former presidents and prime ministers- recently underlined at its <a href="https://clubmadrid.org/work/annual-policy-dialogues/2025/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Annual Policy Dialogue on Financing for Development held in Nairobi</a> in April, that digital transformation must serve inclusion and institutional strengthening. 
It emphasised the importance of investing in public digital infrastructure to ensure equitable access for women, youth, and marginalised communities, as well as establishing regulatory frameworks that protect personal data, encourage fair competition, and uphold universal digital access as a public good.
Drawing on their leadership and governance experience, Club de Madrid’s Members work to strengthen institutional trust and digital governance frameworks that ensure transformation is genuinely inclusive. Digitalising without governance is a risk, but doing so with transparency and digital rights is a historic opportunity for Africa.
This is not only a matter of efficiency. It is a question of how digitalisation can reinforce the social contract by building trust, reducing exclusion, and delivering on the promise of democratic governance. Properly directed, digitalisation can strengthen public trust, expand access to essential services, and create millions of jobs in emerging sectors. 
Artificial intelligence, for example, is already being used by African governments to detect fraud, improve civil registries and plan infrastructure more intelligently. <a href="https://www.ucd.ie/newsandopinion/news/2025/april/25/opinionaipoliciesinafricalessonsfromghanaandrwanda/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ghana and Rwanda</a>, for instance, are advancing national AI policies rooted in ethics and tailored to African contexts.
Still, the road ahead will not be easy. 
According to the African Economic Outlook 2024, the continent faces an annual structural transformation financing gap of over USD 400 billion. Global financial reforms, while welcome, will not suffice. That is why the message from Abidjan must be clear: Africa must lead its digital future, democratically, inclusively, and with purpose, by mobilising its human, financial and political capital.
Investing in digital capabilities is not optional. In the 21st century, it is a fundamental pillar of effective democracy, responsive institutions, and resilient economies capable of creating real opportunities and delivering tangible benefits to citizens. In this endeavour, every African country has a role to play, as does every partner genuinely committed to just and sustainable development.
Africa’s digital future is not yet written: it will be shaped by bold decisions taken today, and by strategic partnerships that empower, respect, and are accountable to African people and leadership.
Let the message from Abidjan be clear: Africa must lead its digital future, not just to compete globally, but to govern inclusively, protect rights, and deliver prosperity with dignity.
Mehdi Jomaa is former Prime Minister of Tunisia (2014–2015) and Member of Club de Madrid, and Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili is former Minister of Education of Nigeria, former Vice President of the World Bank, and Advisor of Club de Madrid
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>Climate Justice: Island Resilience</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/climate-justice-island-resilience/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=climate-justice-island-resilience</link>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 12:18:36 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>External Source</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Climate Change]]></category>
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<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.ipsnews.net/?p=190682</guid>
<description><![CDATA[  In a world where headlines warn of rising seas, dying reefs, and vanishing species, it’s easy to think the story ends in loss. But what if the frontlines of climate change were also frontiers of hope? From the Galápagos to the Seychelles, from New Zealand to Palau, islands are writing a different story. One […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="169" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Island-Resilience_video-300x169.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Island-Resilience_video-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Island-Resilience_video-629x353.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Island-Resilience_video.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />By External Source May 29 2025 (IPS-Partners)
In a world where headlines warn of rising seas, dying reefs, and vanishing species, it’s easy to think the story ends in loss. 
But what if the frontlines of climate change were also frontiers of hope? 

From the Galápagos to the Seychelles, from New Zealand to Palau, islands are writing a different story. 
One of resilience. 
Of revival. 
Of resistance. 
While global systems stall and fracture, island communities are forging ahead. 
Spearheading ecological restoration with precision and urgency. 
Not as victims. But as innovators. 
By restoring native ecosystems from ridge to reef, these communities are showing the world what climate justice looks like in practice. 
And the results speak for themselves: 
On Palmyra Atoll, the removal of rats led to a 5,000% increase in native trees. That canopy now shelters a coral reef where manta rays thrive. 
On Kamaka Island, a bird unseen for a century has returned home. 
These aren’t isolated miracles. They are replicable models. 
That’s why, this June, global leaders, scientists, and community voices will gather in Nice, France for the United Nations Ocean Conference. 
It’s more than an event. It’s an opportunity. 
An opportunity to scale island-led solutions. To fund restoration at the source. To center Indigenous knowledge in global policy. 
To listen. To learn. To act. 
The Island-Ocean Connection Challenge is just one initiative showing us the way. 
Fifty partners. Twenty ecosystems. One vision. To holistically restore 40 island-ocean systems by 2030. 
This is not just environmentalism. It is climate justice. It is biodiversity justice. It is food security. Cultural continuity. Economic innovation. 
And it’s led by the very communities who have long known the rhythms of land and sea. 
There is power in local action to shape global futures. 
In amplifying the voices of those living the solutions. 
And in supporting the work that safeguards rights, restores ecosystems, and renews hope. 
The Sea of Islands Can Rise Again. Not with the tide, but with resolve. 
Join us at UNOC3 in Nice, or follow the movement. Support the science. Back the communities. Amplify the solutions. 
Because investing in islands today means securing the oceans of tomorrow.
<iframe width="630" height="355" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/thp210UV4bU" title="Climate Justice: Island Resilience" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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<title>‘We Are Witnessing Ecocide in West Papua, One of the World’s Richest Biodiversity Centres’</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/witnessing-ecocide-west-papua-one-worlds-richest-biodiversity-centres/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=witnessing-ecocide-west-papua-one-worlds-richest-biodiversity-centres</link>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 10:29:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>CIVICUS</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[CIVICUS discusses the devastating impact of palm oil extraction in West Papua with Tigor Hutapea, legal representative of Pusaka Bentala Rakyat, an organisation campaigning for Indigenous Papuan people’s rights to manage their customary lands and forests. In West Papua, Indigenous communities are boycotting palm oil products, accusing major corporations of profiting from environmental devastation and […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[By CIVICUS May 29 2025 (IPS) CIVICUS discusses the <a href="https://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin-articles/the-insane-expansion-of-industrial-oil-palm-in-the-land-of-papua-and-the-resistance-struggle-of-kampung-bariat" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">devastating impact</a> of palm oil extraction in West Papua with Tigor Hutapea, legal representative of Pusaka Bentala Rakyat, an organisation campaigning for Indigenous Papuan people’s rights to manage their customary lands and forests.

<div id="attachment_190678" style="width: 298px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190678" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Tigor-Hutapea.jpg" alt="" width="288" height="288" class="size-full wp-image-190678" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Tigor-Hutapea.jpg 288w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Tigor-Hutapea-100x100.jpg 100w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Tigor-Hutapea-144x144.jpg 144w" sizes="(max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px" />Tigor Hutapea</div>In West Papua, Indigenous communities are boycotting palm oil products, accusing major corporations of profiting from environmental devastation and human rights abuses. Beyond environmental damage, Indigenous leaders are fighting what they describe as an existential threat to their cultural survival. Large-scale deforestation has destroyed ancestral lands and livelihoods, with Indonesian authorities enabling this destruction by issuing permits on contested Indigenous territories. Local activists characterise this situation as ecocide and are building international coalitions to hold companies and government officials accountable.
What are the problems with palm oil?
In West Papua, one of the world’s richest biodiversity centres, oil palm plantation expansion is causing what we call ecocide. By 2019, the government had <a href="https://www.conflictresolutionunit.id/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2008-Losing-Ground-The-human-impacts-of-palm-oil-expansion.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">issued permits</a> for plantations covering 1.57 million hectares of Indigenous forest land to 58 major companies, all without the free, prior and informed consent of affected communities.
The <a href="https://www.preferredbynature.org/sites/default/files/library/2017-09/NEPCon-PALMOIL-Indonesia-West-Papua-Risk-Assessment-EN-V1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">environmental damage </a>is already devastating, despite only 15 per cent of the permitted area having been developed so far. Palm oil plantations have fundamentally altered water systems in regions such as Merauke, causing the Bian, Kumbe and Maro rivers to overflow during rainy seasons because plantations cannot absorb heavy rainfall. Indigenous communities have lost access to forests that provided food and medicine and sustained cultural practices, while monoculture crops have replaced biodiverse ecosystems, leading to the disappearance of endemic animal species.
How are authorities circumventing legal protections?
There’s unmistakable collusion between government officials and palm oil companies. In 2023, we supported the Awyu Indigenous people in a landmark legal case against a Malaysian-owned company. The court found the government had issued permits without community consent, directly violating West Papua’s special autonomy laws that require Indigenous approval for land use changes.
These actions contravene national regulations and international law, including the <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/11/UNDRIP_E_web.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples</a>, which guarantees the right to free, prior and informed consent. Yet despite clear legal violations, authorities continue defending these projects by citing tax revenue and economic growth. They are clearly prioritising corporate profits over Indigenous rights and environmental protection.
The government’s response to opposition is particularly troubling. There is a systematic pattern of human rights violations against people defending their lands. When communities protest against developments, they face arbitrary arrests, police intimidation and violence. Police frequently disperse demonstrations by force, and community leaders are threatened with imprisonment or falsely accused of disrupting development. In some cases, they are labelled as separatists or anti-government to delegitimise their activism and justify repression.
What tactics are proving effective for civil society?
Indigenous communities are employing both traditional and modern resistance approaches. Many communities have performed customary rituals to symbolically reject plantations, imposing cultural sanctions that carry significant spiritual weight in their societies. Simultaneously, they’re engaging with legal systems to challenge permit violations.
Civil society organisations like ours support these efforts through environmental impact assessments, legal advocacy and public awareness campaigns. This multi-pronged approach has gained significant traction: in 2023, our Change.org <a href="https://www.change.org/p/hutan-seluas-separuh-jakarta-akan-hilang-mahkamah-agung-cabut-izin-sawit-pt-ial" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">petition</a> gathered 258,178 signatures, while the #AllEyesOnPapua social media campaign went viral, demonstrating growing international concern.
Despite these successes, we face an uphill battle. The government continues pushing ahead with new agribusiness plans, including sugarcane and rice plantations covering over <a href="https://pusaka.or.id/en/riset_investigation/brief-paper-psn-merauke-ii-land-grabbing-deforestation-and-the-threat-of-ethnocide/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">two million additional hectares of forest</a>. This threatens further environmental destruction and Indigenous rights violations. Supporters of our movement are increasingly highlighting the global climate implications of continued deforestation in this critical carbon sink region.
What specific international actions would help protect West Papua?
Consumer power represents one of our strongest allies. International consumers can pressure their governments to enforce laws that prevent the import of products linked to human rights abuses and deforestation. They should also demand companies divest from harmful plantation projects that violate Indigenous rights.
At the diplomatic level, we need consistent international pressure on Indonesia to halt large-scale agribusiness expansion in West Papua and uphold Indigenous rights as defined in national and international laws. Foreign governments with trade relationships must make human rights and environmental protection central to their engagement with Indonesia, not peripheral concerns. 
Without concerted international action, West Papua’s irreplaceable forests and the Indigenous communities who have sustainably managed them for generations face an existential threat. This isn’t just a local issue: the destruction of one of the world’s most biodiverse regions affects us all.
GET IN TOUCH 
<a href="https://pusaka.or.id/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Website</a> 
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bentalarakyat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a> 
<a href="https://x.com/bentalarakyat?lang=es" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter</a>
SEE ALSO 
<a href="https://lens.civicus.org/interview/the-transmigration-plan-threatens-papuas-autonomy-and-indigenous-ways-of-life/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Indonesia: ‘The transmigration plan threatens Papua’s autonomy and indigenous ways of life’ </a>CIVICUS Lens | Interview with Budi Hernawan 03.Feb.2025 
<a href="https://lens.civicus.org/interview/the-international-community-should-help-amplify-the-voices-of-indonesians-standing-up-to-corrupt-elites/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Indonesia: ‘The international community should help amplify the voices of Indonesians standing up to corrupt elites’</a> CIVICUS Lens | Interview with Alvin Nicola 28.Sep.2024 
<a href="https://lens.civicus.org/indonesias-election-spells-trouble-for-civil-society/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Indonesia’s election spells trouble for civil society</a> CIVICUS Lens 13.Mar.2024
 
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<title>Funding Shortfalls Threaten Haiti’s Future</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/funding-shortfalls-threaten-haitis-future/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=funding-shortfalls-threaten-haitis-future</link>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 09:45:24 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Oritro Karim</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[The humanitarian situation in Haiti has deteriorated significantly in the recent weeks as rates of violence, hunger, and displacement soar amid a severe lack of funding. As armed gangs continue to seize more territory in the capital, Port-Au-Prince, as well as in areas in the Artibonite and Centre Department, humanitarian organizations have found themselves unable […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="216" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/A-doctor-provides-care_-300x216.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/A-doctor-provides-care_-300x216.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/A-doctor-provides-care_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A doctor provides care to people displaced by violence at a UNICEF-supported mobile clinic in Boucan Carré, Haiti. Credit: UNICEF/ Herold JosephBy Oritro Karim UNITED NATIONS, May 29 2025 (IPS) The humanitarian situation in Haiti has deteriorated significantly in the recent weeks as rates of violence, hunger, and displacement soar amid a severe lack of funding. As armed gangs continue to seize more territory in the capital, Port-Au-Prince, as well as in areas in the Artibonite and Centre Department, humanitarian organizations have found themselves unable to keep up with the growing scale of needs.

Haiti is considered to be one of the poorest countries within the western hemisphere and relies heavily on foreign aid to fund the majority of basic services for its citizens. According to figures from <a href="https://www.acaps.org/fileadmin/Data_Product/Main_media/20250221_ACAPS_Haiti-_anticipated_implications_of_US_funding_freeze_.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ACAPS</a>, a nonprofit organization that provides daily analysis on current humanitarian crises, the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for Haiti had called for USD 673.8 million, 65 percent of which was contributed by the United States. Due to the Trump administration’s reduction in USAID for over 90 programs, the amount of funding Haiti receives this year could look very different.
Heightened insecurity and worsened living conditions in Haiti have resulted in a 34 percent increase in needs as this year’s HNRP calls for USD 908 million. In the first two months of 2025, the U.S. provided nearly half of all foreign aid that was committed to Haiti, totaling at nearly USD 23.1 million. ACAPS estimates project that the total HNRP will be severely underfunded this year, with the food, healthcare and protection sectors being among the most affected. 
Additionally, the reduction in funding from the U.S. could have significant implications for the efficacy of the United Nations (UN) in crisis-affected nations like Haiti. Not only will the delivery of humanitarian aid be constricted, but a variety of programs that monitor impending disasters, such as climate shocks, economic downturns, disease outbreaks, and conflicts, could be terminated. 
“The pullback of U.S. funding will limit the United States’ ability to shape the UN system, to maintain its leadership of UN agencies, and to put the UN tools, especially in peacemaking situations, to use. More broadly, these funding cuts will have negative repercussions for the perception of the United States around the globe,” said Allison Lombardo, a senior associate with Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (<a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/usaid-cuts-weaken-us-influence-united-nations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CSIS</a>).
Estimates from the UN indicate that armed groups in Haiti have taken control of over 90 percent of Port-Au-Prince, spurring concern from humanitarian groups that the gangs could completely override efforts from law enforcement and the state. “It’s an unsustainable catastrophe. We could lose Port-au-Prince at any time,” said Claude Joseph, the former prime minister of Haiti. 
The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (<a href="https://binuh.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/quarterly_report_on_the_human_rights_situation_in_haiti_jan_-_march_2025.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BINUH</a>) states that over 1,600 civilians were killed as a direct result of gang violence in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Additionally, according to figures from the United Nations Population Fund (<a href="https://www.unfpa.org/resources/haiti-situation-report-2-february-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNFPA</a>), over 60,000 people have been internally displaced since February.
William O’Neill, the UN’s independent expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, states that the rampant insecurity in the capital can be attributed to a consistent influx of firearms from the US to Haiti. According to <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/projects/gang-violence-in-haiti/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amnesty International</a>, over 600,000 guns are currently in circulation, with more coming in every day. 
“The gangs have access to an increasing number of high calibre weapons, and a seemingly endless supply of ammunition and some gangs have weapons that pierce armour. This is very dangerous because the Haitian National police and the multinational security support mission led by Kenya are really relying on their armoured vehicles to provide them protection,” said O’Neill. 
According to figures from the World Food Programme (<a href="https://www.wfp.org/countries/haiti" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WFP</a>), over 5.7 million people, or roughly half of Haiti’s population, faces acute food insecurity. 227,000 children from the ages of six months to five years, as well as numerous pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, are at risk of acute malnutrition, with over 125,000 severe cases having been recorded already. 
Haiti has also experienced another surge in sexual violence in the past month. On May 3, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported the death of a six year-old girl after experiencing a rape in a displacement site in Port-Au-Prince. According to the UN, over 333 women and girls were subjected to gender-based and sexual violence in the first quarter of 2025, with 96 percent of these cases being rape. These victims have struggled to recover due to a lack of judicial and psychosocial support.
Additionally, the lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services has led to a rise in cholera cases. The UN Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric has said that as of May 28, there have been over 2,100 cases of cholera reported, with 28 associated deaths. Dujarric added that rates of infection are highest in densely populated areas and displacement sites. 
“After the families informed us of these cases, the threat remains because no decontamination session has taken place in the camp. We lack the materials to carry out the cleaning. Where we live, we are exposed to all kinds of diseases,” said Jhonny Élysée, president of the Bois-Verna camp committee. 
Due to aid deliveries being hampered by threats of gang violence, basic services have been stretched to their limits for the majority of civilians in Haiti. According to Doctors Without Borders (<a href="https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/haiti-violence-pushes-msf-trauma-hospital-its-limits#:~:text=More%20than%2060%20percent%20of,%2C%20equipment%2C%20and%20specialized%20services." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MSF</a>), over 60 percent of healthcare facilities in Port-Au-Prince are nonfunctional or operate with significant shortages in personnel, funding, and medical supplies.
“The number of seriously injured patients has risen steadily over the past four weeks. Nearly 40 percent of them are women and children,” said Dr. Seybou Diarra, coordinator of MSF’s Tabarre Hospital. 
“We are now creating hospital rooms in the meeting rooms. The medical teams are exhausted, and the intensification of violence around the structure complicates the conduct of our activities, as we are located next to areas that are regularly under attack, with a high risk of stray bullets…If the situation doesn’t calm down, I fear that many of the wounded will die for lack of available treatment.” 
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>Can Money Change the World?</title>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 09:29:54 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Alfonso Fernandez de Castro</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Alfonso Fernández de Castro is Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uruguay]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="168" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/The-4th-International_-300x168.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/The-4th-International_-300x168.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/The-4th-International_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Plaza de España, Seville
 
The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) is scheduled to take place 30 June - 3 July 2025 in Seville, Spain. The conference will address new and emerging issues, and the urgent need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals, and support reform of the international financial architecture. FfD4 will assess the progress made in the implementation of the <a href="https://www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MonterreyConsensus.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Monterrey Consensus</a>, the <a href="https://www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Doha_Declaration_FFD.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Doha Declaration</a> and the <a href="https://www.un.org/esa/ffd/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/AAAA_Outcome.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Addis Ababa Action agenda</a>. Shifting finance towards sustainable development is not just an option—it is the path to closing gaps and building a resilient future. Uruguay shows that with vision, public policy, and financial innovation, it can be done.By Alfonso Fernández de Castro MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, May 29 2025 (IPS) While headlines often focus on crises, inequality, or instability, they rarely highlight one of the most powerful tools for transformation: development finance. Can money change the world? Yes—if mobilized with strategic vision, sustainability, and equity.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), <a href="https://unctad.org/publication/sdg-investment-trends-monitor-issue-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the investment gap to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 exceeds USD 4 trillion annually</a>. Yet, <a href="https://www.fsb.org/2022/12/global-monitoring-report-on-non-bank-financial-intermediation-2022/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">global financial assets total USD 486 trillion</a>, according to the Financial Stability Board.
What prevents even a small fraction of these funds from flowing toward sustainability? This gap represents not only a financial challenge but also an opportunity to rethink how the economic system works and reorient it towards more equitable and resilient growth.
<div id="attachment_190673" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190673" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Alfonso-Fernández-de-Castro.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="185" class="size-full wp-image-190673" />Alfonso Fernández de Castro</div>While several barriers can limit capital flows—such as underdeveloped regulatory frameworks, lack of appropriate incentives, subsidies that fail to promote sustainable practices, unclear standards, and perceived risks—tackling them with an ecosystem perspective can unlock the full potential of finance for development.
Redirecting financial flows toward social and environmental priorities is more urgent than ever. Every dollar invested with an SDG focus can reduce poverty, boost innovation, and protect ecosystems.
The goal is clear: to build an effective, inclusive, and accountable financial system, capable of responding to major global challenges. To achieve this, many countries are implementing financing frameworks that align domestic and international resources with social and environmental goals. 
These strategies mobilize investments that generate real impact in people’s lives and in planetary health: enabling energy transitions, reducing poverty, and fostering innovation in key sectors.
At the global level, maximizing the impact of Official Development Assistance (ODA) remains essential. In 2024, for every dollar spent on basic financing, the <a href="http://www.undp.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)</a> helped mobilize over USD 500 in public and private investment for the SDGs. Since 2022, this has amounted to over USD 870 billion in climate-resilient financing.
The upcoming <a href="https://financing.desa.un.org/ffd4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Financing for Development Conference (FfD4)</a>, in Seville, is a key opportunity to strengthen a global financial architecture that supports SDG-aligned investments, helps alleviate the debt burden on the most vulnerable countries, and promotes domestic resource mobilization through collaborative networks of governments, investors, and philanthropic organizations.
Efforts also focus on building sustainable investment ecosystems through SDG-aligned pipelines, de-risking mechanisms, financial innovation, and systems that steer investments toward sustainable activities with strong disclosure and impact-tracking frameworks.
Uruguay: Financial Innovation with Impact
In Uruguay, the push for a sustainable finance market aims to accelerate SDG progress and position the country as a regional hub. This agenda is coordinated through the Sustainable Finance Roundtable, an inter-institutional platform led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Central Bank of Uruguay (BCU), with the strong commitment and support of UNDP, along with banking and financial sector partners, to tackle the challenges of development finance.
A major milestone was the issuance of the <a href="https://www.mef.gub.uy/30687/20/areas/uruguays-sovereign-sustainability-linked-bond-sslb.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sovereign Sustainability Linked-Bond (SSLB)</a> in 2022. Its Reference Framework was developed by five ministries with technical support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and UNDP. The bond linked financing costs to environmental targets, with external verification by UNDP. 
Its first issuance, which drew USD 1.5 billion in demand, set a regional precedent for sustainable finance and marked a significant contribution to global public goods.
In 2024, Uruguay also launched its <a href="https://www.undp.org/es/presentacion_BIS_Uruguay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first Social Impact Bond (SIB) focused on dual education</a>—an instrument that links financial returns to measurable outcomes in inclusion and employability. Developed with the participation of civil society organizations, public institutions, and investors, it aims to finance educational projects that promote youth workforce integration.
The Risk of Greenwashing: More Transparency, Fewer Empty Promises
The growth of sustainable finance brings certain risks. One of the most prominent is greenwashing—that is, projecting a false environmental or social commitment without verifiable action or outcomes. To prevent it, it is essential to manage impact objectively, with clear transparency standards and independent verification mechanisms.
Uruguay, with its strong financial framework and performance-linked bonds, exemplifies how a transparent, results-based approach can effectively counter greenwashing and ensure every invested dollar yields real impact.
Financing the future means measuring the real impact of every decision. Only then can the 2030 Agenda become reality.
Money has no intrinsic purpose; its impact depends on our choices. We can use it to fuel inequality—or as a driver to build a more just, resilient, and sustainable world.
IPS UN Bureau
 
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Excerpt: Alfonso Fernández de Castro is Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uruguay]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Climate Justice Movement in Nigeria to Tackle Oil Polluters Launched</title>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 06:50:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Promise Eze</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Greenpeace Africa earlier in May brought together over 40 Nigerian civil society groups in Abuja to launch the Climate Justice Movement, the first of its kind in the country. The goal is to unite various climate efforts nationwide and address the severe impacts of climate change on Nigeria and the African continent. The Climate Justice […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="225" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/GREENPEACE-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Greenpeace Africa has brought together over 40 Nigerian civil society groups to launch the Climate Justice Movement. Credit: Promise Eze/IPS" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/GREENPEACE-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/GREENPEACE-629x472.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/GREENPEACE-200x149.jpg 200w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/GREENPEACE.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Greenpeace Africa has brought together over 40 Nigerian civil society groups to launch the Climate Justice Movement. Credit: Promise Eze/IPSBy Promise Eze ABUJA, May 29 2025 (IPS) Greenpeace Africa earlier in May brought together over 40 Nigerian civil society groups in Abuja to launch the Climate Justice Movement, the first of its kind in the country. The goal is to unite various climate efforts nationwide and address the severe impacts of climate change on Nigeria and the African continent.
The Climate Justice Movement in Nigeria is part of Greenpeace Africa’s broader effort to build new partnerships and strengthen collective action across the continent. <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/press/56091/greenpeace-africa-to-launch-the-climate-justice-movement-in-ghana/">Similar launches</a> have taken place in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Ghana. The movement promotes collaboration among grassroots groups, advocating for sustainable solutions and environmental justice across the region.
At the end of the two-day event, the groups signed the Polluters Pay Pact, calling on oil and gas companies to take responsibility for the environmental harm they have caused. A joint declaration followed, reaffirming their commitment to holding polluters accountable and ensuring Africa’s voice is heard in global climate negotiations.
“Africa’s contribution to the climate crisis, in terms of pollution, is so minimal that it’s almost negligible. Yet, our communities are among the hardest hit. While developed nations were industrializing, they polluted the environment and left us behind. Now, they are even resisting efforts to support other communities as we work to adapt and reduce the impact of climate change for the sake of our well-being and livelihoods,” said<a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/about-greenpeace-africa/senior-management-team/"> Murtala Touray</a>, Programme Director at Greenpeace Africa.
Speaking on the importance of the movement in Nigeria, he added, “The destruction we are witnessing today demands action. We must rise to protect our planet, safeguard the livelihoods and dignity of our communities, and leave the world better for future generations. The launch of the Climate Justice Movement in Nigeria is not just a one-time event; it marks the beginning of a long journey.”
The Curse of Oil in Nigeria
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NbaniFriday">Friday Nbani</a>, a resident of the oil-rich Niger Delta, has witnessed many oil spills. For him, oil, once seen as a blessing, has become a source of pain and destruction.
The Niger Delta is considered one of the<a href="https://youtu.be/fNIJ9B1LXbI?si=nxkPPVE8-OFxDUiY"> most polluted</a> regions in the world. Decades of unchecked oil extraction have led to oil spills, gas flaring, and the release of toxic chemicals. These have poisoned the land and water, destroying livelihoods and the environment. Despite the huge wealth generated from oil, the region remains poor, with polluted rivers and the loss of important mangrove forests.
Only recently, on May 5, 2025, a<a href="https://saharareporters.com/2025/05/07/niger-delta-community-takes-oil-giant-london-court-over-grossly-inadequate-spill-clean"> fresh oil spill</a> occurred in the Ikata community, Rivers State, in the Niger Delta. It happened along a 14-inch pipeline operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd. (RAEC). This company had recently bought Shell’s Nigerian assets in a $2.4 billion deal.
Now, RAEC is facing a lawsuit. The Bodo community in Gokana Local Government Area is taking the company to court. They say the cleanup of two major oil spills from 2008, caused by pipelines operated by Shell, is still not properly done. Those spills reportedly released over 600,000 barrels of oil into their waters and damaged large areas of mangrove forests. Experts say it was one of the worst oil spills in the world, with about<a href="https://www.climatejusticecentral.org/posts/impact-of-oil-gas-production-on-the-niger-delta#:~:text=Around%2040%20million%20liters%20of%20oil%20spill%20annually%2C,to%20pollution%20from%20oil%20spills%20and%20gas%20flaring."> 40 million litres</a> of oil spilled every year across the Niger Delta.
Shell, a British oil company that <a href="https://www.shell.com.ng/about-us/shell-nigeria-history.html">first pumped oil in the Niger Delta</a> in 1956, is considered a notorious oil polluters in Nigeria. It has been accused of damaging the Niger Delta for many years. Now, critics say it is trying to escape responsibility by selling off its assets.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherelee-odayar-289120b5/">Sherelee Odayar</a>, Oil and Gas Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, spoke out against this.
“For decades, oil giants like Shell have extracted billions in profits from Nigerian soil while leaving behind devastated ecosystems and broken communities. Recent media investigations exposing Shell’s negligence in the Niger Delta are an example of the toxicity and selfish, unempathetic profiteering communities have endured for generations. Through this declaration, we’re sending a clear message: the era of unchecked pollution and corporate impunity is over. It’s time for polluters to pay,” she said.
<div class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD" data-testid="paragraph-4">Shell, quoted by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/shell-should-take-responsibility-oil-spills-nigerian-community-leader-says-2025-02-13/#:~:text=A%20Shell%20spokesperson%20said%20the,cause%20the%20most%20environmental%20damage%22.">Reuters</a>, blamed the majority of spills on illegal third-party interference, such as pipeline sabotage and theft. Two communities have taken the company to court over the environmental damage. A Shell spokesperson said litigation “does little to address the real problem in the Niger Delta: oil spills due to theft, illegal refining and sabotage, which cause the most environmental damage.”</div>
Nbani, who leads the<a href="https://www.lekeh.org/about-us/#:~:text=The%20Lekeh%20Development%20Foundation%20%28LEDEF%29%20is%20a%20grassroots,local%20and%20global%20challenges%20in%20a%20constructive%20manner."> Lekeh Development Foundation</a>, a grassroots-based advocacy organization, and supports the Polluters Pay Pact, believes the Climate Justice Movement can help communities get justice.
“The spills have affected our health, farming, and fishing. Even our homes are not safe,” he told IPS. “People are speaking up because they are suffering. Only those who live here truly understand. But the government still talks about producing more oil. We feel forgotten. How much longer can we live like this?”
A People-Powered Movement
“I believe the solution is people power. People need to realize the power they have. Movements like the Climate Justice Movement are important because they help people understand their right to control their resources. If you own something, you should have control over it,” Nbani said.
He is excited that the movement is being led by grassroots communities, activists, and civil society groups directly affected by the climate crisis. He added that it allows those most impacted to organize, push for environmental justice, and demand accountability from polluters.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-moyo-6a951b44/">Cynthia Moyo</a>, Climate and Energy Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Africa, said launching a people-powered Climate Justice Movement in Nigeria is essential given the country’s significant role in the climate crisis.
“Nigeria’s climate and energy future depends heavily on political will, regional cooperation, and meaningful investment in clean energy. The choices we make in this decade will determine whether we become a climate-resilient continent with a stable economy or remain trapped in the risks and instability of fossil fuel dependence. It is essential that we begin a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy,” she told IPS.
While the Climate Justice Movement is people-powered,<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tolulope-gbenro-3934551a6/"> Tolulope Gbenro</a>, a social impact consultant, emphasized the importance of youth involvement.
“Climate change affects everyone, and the justice movement fights for both the present and the future. Young people are not just leaders of tomorrow but also of today. If they’re not involved in decisions that affect the climate, their future and the planet’s will be at risk,” she said.
Hope in the Dark
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandyson-harry-dandyson-19b30875/">Dandyson Harry Dandyson</a>, a human rights advocate and resident of the Niger Delta, wants the government to impose taxes on oil polluters to hold them accountable for the damage they have caused. He advocates for leaving oil in the soil and focusing on sustainable solutions such as renewable energy. For him, the Climate Justice Movement represents hope in the dark, as it aims to empower communities to halt oil production and promote eco-friendly energy alternatives.
“Putting pressure on oil polluters to take financial responsibility for environmental damage will be effective. One of the major concerns we have here in Nigeria is the government’s lackadaisical attitude toward implementing policies and treaties they sign. When governments fail to take action, we continue to face these issues. However, with the Climate Justice Movement, as we begin pressuring and shaming polluters, especially the International Oil Companies, government ministries, and parastatals complicit in these practices, I believe things will change. Naming and shaming these entities will help bring the necessary attention to these environmental crimes,” he noted.
At the end of the event, participants presented their next line of action, which they would undertake in their communities immediately. These included an intense campaign for the cleanup of the Niger Delta, holding town hall meetings to help community members understand their rights, and an accountability campaign for the utilization of funds to combat desertification, gully erosion, and ocean surges.
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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</ul></div> ]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Can These Prehistoric Sea Creatures Survive Climate Change?</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/can-these-prehistoric-sea-creatures-survive-climate-change/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-these-prehistoric-sea-creatures-survive-climate-change</link>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 06:19:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Manipadma Jena</dc:creator>
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<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.ipsnews.net/?p=190651</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<img src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2023/09/BURNING-PLANET-illustration_text_100_2.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="108" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-181966" /> While a rise in temperature brings an uncertain future for the olive ridley sea turtles, the efforts of international conservation organizations that ban the trade in turtle meat, leather, and shells; the Indian government; coast guards; and village volunteers, including fishermen, have made a huge difference in ensuring their continued existence. Even young village children are eager to do their bit to make sure the turtles survive.]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2023/09/BURNING-PLANET-illustration_text_100_2.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="108" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-181966" /> While a rise in temperature brings an uncertain future for the olive ridley sea turtles, the efforts of international conservation organizations that ban the trade in turtle meat, leather, and shells; the Indian government; coast guards; and village volunteers, including fishermen, have made a huge difference in ensuring their continued existence. Even young village children are eager to do their bit to make sure the turtles survive.]]></content:encoded>
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<title>The 2025 World Social Summit Must Not Be a Missed Opportunity</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/2025-world-social-summit-must-not-missed-opportunity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2025-world-social-summit-must-not-missed-opportunity</link>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 05:06:47 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Isabel Ortiz - Odile Frank - Gabriele Koehler</dc:creator>
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<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.ipsnews.net/?p=190664</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Rumors circulating at UN Headquarters suggest there is little appetite for ambition at the Second World Summit for Social Development, set to take place in Doha on 4-6 November 2025. Diplomats and insiders whisper of “summit fatigue” after a packed calendar of global gatherings—the 2023 SDG Summit, the 2024 Summit of the Future, and the […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="196" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Photo-Social-Summit-English__-300x196.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Photo-Social-Summit-English__-300x196.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Photo-Social-Summit-English__-629x410.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Photo-Social-Summit-English__.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />By Isabel Ortiz, Odile Frank and Gabriele Koehler GENEVA / NEW YORK, May 29 2025 (IPS) Rumors circulating at UN Headquarters suggest there is little appetite for ambition at the <a href="https://social.desa.un.org/world-summit-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Second World Summit for Social Development</a>, set to take place in Doha on 4-6 November 2025. Diplomats and insiders whisper of “summit fatigue” after a packed calendar of global gatherings—the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/conferences/SDGSummit2023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2023 SDG Summit</a>, the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/summit-of-the-future" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2024 Summit of the Future</a>, and the upcoming June <a href="https://financing.desa.un.org/ffd4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2025 Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development</a>. Compounding this fatigue is the chilling rise of anti-rights rhetoric and political resistance from some governments, casting a shadow over multilateral efforts. For some, just getting any multilateral agreement is good enough. As a result, the <a href="https://www.un.org/pga/wp-content/uploads/sites/109/2025/04/Zero-Draft-clean-as-of-24-April-2025-12pm.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zero Draft of the Social Summit Political Declaration</a> lacks the ambition required to confront the multiple social crises our world faces.

<div id="attachment_190667" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190667" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Isabel_Ortiz_200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="233" class="size-full wp-image-190667" />Isabel Ortiz</div>Many have raised the alarm: we need more than vague recommitments—we need a strong plan to bring people back to the center of the policy agenda. The stakes could not be higher. The world has changed dramatically since the historic <a href="https://social.desa.un.org/world-summit-for-social-development-1995" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1995 first Social Summit in Copenhagen</a>. Then, world leaders recognized the need for human-centered development. Today, the urgency has grown exponentially in our fractured and volatile world. People face multiple overlapping crises — a post pandemic poly-crisis, a cost-of-living crisis pushing millions into poverty, corporate welfare prioritized over people’s welfare, a rapid erosion of democracy leading to staggering disparities, an escalating climate emergency, a prolonged jobs crisis that is poised to dramatically worsen by the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Trust in governments and multilateral institutions is eroding, social discontent and protests are multiplying, and inequalities—within and between countries—have reached grotesque levels. A timid declaration would be a betrayal of the people who look to the United Nations as a beacon of fairness and human dignity.
The Summit is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for governments and the UN to remedy the grievous social malaise and lead a global recommitment to social justice and equity. For this, the Social Summit Declaration must offer more than aspirational language; it must define binding action with explicit commitments to build societies that work for everyone and bring prosperity for all, in areas such as:
<ul>• Reducing income and wealth inequalities, which deeply erode social cohesion, democratic governance, and sustainable development; 
<div id="attachment_190668" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190668" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Odile_Frank_200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="245" class="size-full wp-image-190668" />Odile Frank</div>• Making gender justice a pillar of the Declaration: a Social Summit that fails to prioritize gender equality will fail half of the world population and fail in its mission to deliver on human rights, dignity, and sustainable development;
• Delivering universal, quality public services by committing to publicly funded and delivered systems, with a clear focus on protecting public sector workers and eliminating barriers to quality services, in the context of robust public investment, grounded in fairer financing, reversing austerity cuts and aid cuts; 
• Ringfencing social development from budget cuts, privatization and blended finance, reversing the harmful impacts of austerity cuts, privatization/PPPs and commodification of public services, particularly their negative impact on affordability, accessibility, quality and equity of public services; 
• Addressing rising income precarity by investing in decent work with labor rights/standards and universal social protection systems and floors; 
• Regulating and taxing technology equitably. While AI is generating unprecedented private wealth, it is estimated that 40% of jobs could be lost to AI by 2030, with administrative roles (predominantly held by women) facing nearly triple the risk of displacement; governments need to redress the negative social impacts of IA such as job displacement and wealth concentration, providing adequate social protection measures for those affected by job losses and taxation of AI-driven profits to redistribute benefits back to societies;
<div id="attachment_190669" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190669" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gabriele_Koehler_200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" class="size-full wp-image-190669" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gabriele_Koehler_200.jpg 200w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gabriele_Koehler_200-100x100.jpg 100w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gabriele_Koehler_200-144x144.jpg 144w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />Gabriele Koehler</div>• Promoting a care economy supportive of women that prioritizes well-being over GDP growth;
• Moving beyond GDP growth, recognizing the limitations of growth-centric paradigms and committing to policies that promote ecological sustainability and equitable development; 
• Systematically assessing the social impacts and distributional effects of economic policies, including disaggregated data by, at least, gender and income group; if analysis reveals that the majority of people are not the primary beneficiaries or that social outcomes and human rights are undermined, policies must be revised to ensure equitable development; 
• Ensuring fair and sustainable resource mobilization, committing to progressive taxation, eliminating/reducing illegitimate debt, fighting illicit financial flows, collecting adequate social security contributions from corporations, and other feasible financing options; 
• Pushing back against anti-rights and anti-gender movements, reaffirming global commitments to human rights and democracy.
</ul>
Us make this summit the moment we choose dignity and social justice over apathy and mediocrity. We know we must strive for more ambitious commitments. The 2025 World Social Summit must not be a missed opportunity. 
Isabel Ortiz, Director, Global Social Justice, was Director at the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNICEF, and a senior official at the UN and the Asian Development Bank.
Odile Frank, Executive Secretary, Global Social Justice, was Director, Social Integration at the UN and senior official at the OECD, ILO and the World Health Organization (WHO). 
Gabriele Koehler, Board Member of Global Social Justice and of Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), was a senior official at UN-ESCAP, UNCTAD, UNDP and UNICEF.
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>UNOC3: Bringing Ocean Education and Science to the Global Agenda</title>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 07:17:19 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Naureen Hossain</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[A greater understanding and appreciation of the world’s oceans is needed to protect them. As the global community prepares to convene for the ocean conference, they must also prepare to invest in scientific efforts and education that will bolster their joint efforts. France and Costa Rica will co-host the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gr-SVRpXoAATSxc-300x200.jpeg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Li Junhua, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Secretary-General, Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the UN and Costa Rican Ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde during a press conference ahead of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice: Credit: Twitter" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gr-SVRpXoAATSxc-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gr-SVRpXoAATSxc-629x419.jpeg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Gr-SVRpXoAATSxc.jpeg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Li Junhua, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Secretary-General, Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the UN and Costa Rican Ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde during a press conference ahead of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice: Credit: TwitterBy Naureen Hossain UNITED NATIONS, May 28 2025 (IPS) A greater understanding and appreciation of the world’s oceans is needed to protect them. As the global community prepares to convene for the ocean conference, they must also prepare to invest in scientific efforts and education that will bolster their joint efforts.
France and Costa Rica will co-host the <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025">3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3)</a> in Nice, France, from June 9-13. Over the course of the week, governments, the private sector, intergovernmental groups, and non-governmental groups, among others, will convene over the urgent actions that need to be taken to promote the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans. 
This year’s conference will be the first to take place during the <a href="https://oceandecade.org/">UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development</a> (2021-2030), which brings together stakeholders in which the UN and its partners will oversee the actions that need to be taken to protect the oceans’ unique ecosystems and biodiversity and how to promote greater awareness and research into ocean sciences and how to better protect them.
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) oversees and tracks the progress of the UN Ocean Decade, which brings together the global ocean community on the principles of understanding, educating, and protecting the oceans.
There will be an emphasis on strengthening the data-collection capacities in the global system for observing the ocean. Data scarcity and limitations in collection methods have meant that organizations have challenges grasping the full scope of the ocean and the changes they face in the wake of climate change.
Julian Barbiere, UNESCO’s Head of Marine Policy, told reporters that science-based discussions will be at the core of UNOC. For UNESCO, there will be discussions over how to translate scientific facts into tangible climate actions. This includes scaling up the current efforts at ocean-floor mapping. At present, only 26.1 percent of the seafloor has been mapped out by modern standards, with the goal to have 100 percent of the seafloor mapped out by 2030.
<div id="attachment_190644" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190644" class="size-full wp-image-190644" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/4390.jpg" alt="Seaweed is grown or farmed in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, off Wasini Island, Kenya, with plants tied to ropes in the water. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Onyango / Climate Visuals" width="630" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/4390.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/4390-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/4390-629x419.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />Seaweed is grown or farmed in the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, off Wasini Island, Kenya, with plants tied to ropes in the water. Credit: Anthony Onyango / Climate Visuals</div>
Joanna Post, head of the IOC’s Ocean Observations and Services, remarked that there is a “real need for recognition” of the critical functions that the system performs, such as in monitoring weather conditions, mapping the ocean floor, maritime security, and disaster risk management. She announced a new initiative that would mobilize at least 10,000 commercial and research ships to collect data and measure the ocean. Commercial and research ship vessels play a key role in tracking and collecting data on the oceans, which Post emphasized must be shared across global channels.
UNESCO’s agenda for this forum also includes encouraging stakeholders to invest in and strengthen global education efforts on the ocean. “Education is key if we want to have a new generation that is aware of the importance of the ocean system,” said Francesca Santoro, a senior programme officer in UNESCO, leading the Ocean Literacy office.
Santoro stressed that education is not limited to students and young people; private investors should also be more aware of the importance of investing in the oceans.
UNESCO aims to continue expanding the networks of schools and educators that incorporate ocean literacy into their curricula, especially at the national level. Ocean literacy emphasizes the importance of the ocean for students, educators, and local communities within multiple contexts.
One such programme is the <a href="https://www.pradagroup.com/en/sustainability/cultural-csr/sea-beyond.html">SEA BEYOND</a> initiative, in partnership with the Prada Group, which provides training and lessons to over 20,000 students in over 50 countries. Under that initiative, a new multi-partner trust fund will be launched at UNOC3 on June 9, which will be used to support projects and programs that work toward ocean education and preserving ocean culture. As Santoro noted, “For many people and local communities, the main entry point to start interest in the oceans… is in [identifying] what UNESCO calls ‘intangible cultural heritage.’”
Human activity, including pollution, “directly threatens” the health of the ocean, according to Henrik Enevoldsen from UNESCO-IOC’s Centre of Ocean Science.
He announced the development of a new global assessment, led by UNESCO and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), on marine pollution, to be launched on June 12. This would be a “major leap forward,” Enevoldsen remarked, adding that this assessment would be the first of its kind that provided a global overview of ocean pollution.
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>Unmasking Harm Reduction: Youth Demand Action on Tobacco Industry’s New Tactics</title>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 06:11:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Helen Stjerna and Rajika Mahajan</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[The World Health Organization (WHO) for this year’s World No Tobacco Day (May 31) has chosen the theme, “Unmasking the Appeal”, to reveal the tactics employed by the tobacco and nicotine industries to make their harmful products enticing, particularly to young people. The tobacco industry promotes the concept of harm reduction by shifting focus from traditional […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[By Helen Stjerna and Rajika Mahajan STOCKHOLM / BANGKOK, May 28 2025 (IPS) The World Health Organization (WHO) for this year’s World No Tobacco Day (May 31) has chosen the theme, “<a href="https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/events/item/2025/05/31/default-calendar/world-no-tobacco-day-2025--unmasking-the-appeal#:~:text=31%20May%20is%20World%20No%20Tobacco%20Day%20(WNTD)." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unmasking the Appeal</a>”, to reveal the tactics employed by the tobacco and nicotine industries to make their harmful products enticing, particularly to young people.

<div id="attachment_190639" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190639" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Global-Youth-Voices_300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="215" class="size-full wp-image-190639" />Global Youth Voices at the 10th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). Credit: Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control</div>The tobacco industry promotes the concept of harm reduction by shifting focus from traditional smoking to modern alternatives such as e-cigarettes, vaping pens, nicotine pouches, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, heat-not-burn devices and other heated tobacco products.
The same tactics used decades ago to manipulate young people into smoking are now being rehashed to push these new products—often marketed under the guise of innovation or “safer” alternatives—to countries around the world. While the packaging and products may look new, the playbook remains the same: addict youth, expand markets, and shift the blame. And now, they’re calling it “harm reduction.”
The Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) estimates the tobacco industry costs the global economy a net loss of <a href="https://ggtc.world/knowledge/sustainability-and-human-rights/tobacco-industry-manipulating-the-youth-into-a-lifelong-addiction-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">USD 1.4 trillion</a> annually and kills more than 8 million people. Over 37 million teenagers aged 13-15 years use some form of tobacco. 
The tobacco industry’s promotion of novel and emerging tobacco products as “harm reduction” has been firmly challenged by the Global Youth Voices (GYV), a global coalition of over 40 youth organizations advocating for a ban on these new recreational products. The youths also want the industry to be held financially accountable for harms caused to both current and future generations. 
The GYV, in their 2024 Declaration, refused to accept compromised solutions that prioritize corporate profit over youth health. They have rejected the tobacco industry’s new so called “smoke-free products” and instead called for a ban on any new recreational and youth-appealing addictive products. 
“The industry’s ‘harm reduction’ narrative is a smokescreen. These so-called alternatives are gateways to addiction, not exits. We must act before another generation is lost to nicotine dependence.” 
Against this backdrop, Swedish member of GYV, A Non Smoking Generation, are warning global public health community not to follow the Swedish experience of embracing oral nicotine pouches, snus, as a safer alternative to cigarettes. 
Snus and new nicotine products in Sweden have been touted by the tobacco industry as safer alternative to smoking. In reality, it is fueling a surge in nicotine addiction among Swedish youth. Tobacco and nicotine use among young people is higher than ever, alongside their exposure to aggressive marketing of and easy access to nicotine products. 
<div id="attachment_190640" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190640" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/A-Nicotine-Pouch_.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168" class="size-full wp-image-190640" />A Nicotine Pouch. Credit: A Non Smoking Generation</div>Sweden is not a model to follow—it’s a warning. What’s happening there is spreading globally, and the cost will be another generation trapped in nicotine addiction.
According to Sweden´s public health agency, 11 percent of the population still smokes, while the use of e-cigarettes, snus and nicotine pouches is increasing dramatically – particularly among youth. 
A staggering 65 percent of high school students have tried at least one nicotine product, and smoking prevalence in this age group has increased from 17 to 21 percent in just three years. Swedish tobacco regulations have failed to protect children and youth from harmful nicotine addiction. 
When nicotine pouches and vapes entered the market, Sweden’s critical misstep was allowing them to bypass their tobacco legislation. As a logical step, these products should have been regulated as tobacco, since all commercial nicotine products, despite being labeled “tobacco-free,” still contain tobacco-derived nicotine. 
This regulatory gap allowed the tobacco companies to circumvent current regulations, and lure youth through misleading social media promotions, including candy flavored, youth-appealing products. 
Seven in ten Swedish youth state the fact that new nicotine products “seem less harmful” than traditional tobacco can be a reason to try these out. 
Nicotine is a poison and is addictive. Extensive use of nicotine involves a large number of scientifically proven and serious health risks such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and birth defects. It can also quickly impair cognitive functions and increase the risk of mental illness. 
The false narrative from Sweden — portrayal of vapes and pouches as harm reducing alternatives to cigarettes—is unfortunately spreading globally. The public awareness of all severe health risks associated with nicotine is alarmingly low, and risks having devastating consequences for public health. 
The Swedish government recently lowered the excise tax on snus, thereby increasing the risk of more young people initiating a harmful nicotine addiction. Nicotine pouches evade the excise tax on tobacco completely and can presently be sold at a price cheaper than ice cream. 
This completely ignores WHO’s recommendation that taxation as the most effective way to reduce youth access to tobacco and a cost-effective tool to prevent subsequent substance abuse. 
Since the problem is created by an industry, the youth urge the Swedish government—and others watching Sweden’s model—to hold the tobacco industry financially liable for the harm it causes. This includes implementing taxes, levies, compensation mechanisms, sanctions, and other legislative tools to mitigate the damage. 
Countries that have legalized new tobacco and nicotine products are now grappling with a significant rise in youth vaping. But there is hope—over <a href="https://ggtc.world/library/e-cigarette-ban-regulation-global-status-as-of-october-2023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">40 countries</a> have banned these products, including, most recently, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, which have banned e-cigarettes. 
Contrary to the tobacco industry´s claims about snus, vapes and pouches as products for smoking cessation, independent research show that these products more often work as a gateway to smoking and higher intake of alcohol and drugs. 
To reduce and prevent all forms of nicotine addiction, including smoking, the scientific evidence supports strong, coherent national regulations of tobacco and nicotine products. Not because each product carries identical risks, but because every child and young person is entitled to the highest standard of health and a sustainable future. 
A Non-Smoking Generation, together with GYV youths call on government officials and policymakers to not repeat the Swedish misstep but to unmask and reject the tobacco industry’s tactics and false narratives. 
Helen Stjerna is Secretary-General, A Non Smoking Generation, Sweden; Rajika Mahajan is Communication Officer, Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control & Convenor of the Global Youth Voices, Bangkok 
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>UN 80 Reforms, Lacking Transparency, Come Under Heavy Fire</title>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 05:03:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Thalif Deen</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[As the UN continues with its plans to restructure the world body, designated UN 80, the complaints continue to pour in—first, the Staff Union in New York and now, the Staff Union in Geneva. After a meeting with management last week– to discuss UN 80 through the Staff-Management Committee (SMC)—a memo addressed to staffers, says […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="66" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/UN-head-Geneva_-300x66.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/UN-head-Geneva_-300x66.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/UN-head-Geneva_-629x139.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/UN-head-Geneva_.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />The UN in GenevaBy Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, May 28 2025 (IPS) As the UN continues with its plans to restructure the world body, designated UN 80, the complaints continue to pour in—first, the Staff Union in New York and now, the Staff Union in Geneva.
After a meeting with management last week– to discuss UN 80 through the Staff-Management Committee (SMC)—a memo addressed to staffers, says that among the issues raised was “the continuing lack of transparency and lack of consultation”. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is quoted as having told the staff that “leaks and rumours may create anxiety”. 
“But how else are staff expected to find out about UN 80?”, the 4,500-strong Staff Union asked in a May 27 memo.
The Union points out:
<ul>• The requirement to move staff out of Geneva and New York: Staff found out from the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/world/un-budget-cuts-trump.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New York Times</a>. 
• The initial proposals, marked “strictly confidential” for organisational mergers: Staff found out from <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/un-eyes-major-overhaul-amid-funding-crisis-internal-memo-shows-2025-05-01/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reuters</a>. 
• The requirement to cut budgets by 20%: Staff had to pay attention to a <a href="https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1n/k1nnav1rew" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">two-hour video</a> of an informal session of the General Assembly, where the information was buried in a side remark. 
• Discussions between the UN and Qatar on hosting organisations in Doha: Staff found out from the <a href="https://www.tdg.ch/coupes-a-l-onu-le-qatar-se-profile-pour-concurrencer-geneve-304776454112?gift_token=0d4263bb5a39" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tribune de Genève</a>. 
• A proposal from Rwanda to host organisations in Kigali: Staff found out from <a href="https://www.devex.com/news/have-i-got-a-deal-for-you-un-in-search-of-cheap-housing-110117" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Devex</a>. 
• Discussions between OHCHR and Austria to move staff to Vienna: Staff found from <a href="https://www.letemps.ch/monde/vent-de-panique-au-haut-commissariat-aux-droits-de-l-homme?srsltid=AfmBOoo-dWg23DmYa9rlajicFcwQIFH1c5Un8qpA_sQ7DsYwVkjkHMcm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Le Temps</a> (management later stated that the number of posts moving to Vienna was much lower).</ul>
Currently over 40 <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=4fa71b8dbfa83ed9&cs=0&sxsrf=AE3TifMyx6knOfp69nHXZdkWImx94Xm9cg%3A1748361674735&q=UN+system+organizations+and+entities&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiF5_PjgsSNAxXsMVkFHfDGFf4QxccNegQIBRAC&mstk=AUtExfDvsigd9Vq3KTYAsg89vfwd4X3Twzc4-s11lQn73Sdo2bn1G3co6A3uDrajWGe2vf049-j9XYgUWKksz7j1DoS_qI8QUDAJ3byWrAnJ4xPSxxI3vkLRYwx-pqr0eC68-90uq-N2EzojYodGCYTdxt24SU3y6XsYs1r4ieAmaXI71Sg&csui=3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UN system organizations and entities</a>, along with the secretariats of numerous international treaty bodies, are based or have regional offices in Geneva.
This includes major UN agencies like the World Health Organization, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and International Labour Organization (ILO), among others. 
Asked for her comments, Stephanie Hodge, a former UNDP staff member (JPO 1994–1996; BDP staff 1999–2004) and UNICEF Education staff member (2008–2014), told IPS: “As an external observer who has worked closely with this institution for many years, I would like to express my support for the concerns raised by staff regarding recent developments.” 
“While I do not speak on behalf of any internal constituency, I believe it is important to acknowledge how these issues resonate beyond the organization’s walls.”
Staff voices are the backbone of any institution’s credibility and effectiveness, she pointed out. “When their insights, contributions, and lived experiences are sidelined in major reform efforts, it weakens not only internal morale but also the trust of partners and stakeholders who rely on the institution’s integrity. Many of us in the wider development and humanitarian community have long admired this organization’s ability to deliver in challenging environments”. 
That capacity is built on the dedication and expertise of its staff, said Hodge, who now serves as an independent evaluator and consultant for development programmes worldwide
The current climate of uncertainty, she noted, combined with the perception that staff are being informed through leaks or informal channels, is concerning. Transparency and consultation are not luxuries—they are preconditions for sustainable, mission-driven reform. 
No change initiative, however well-intentioned, can succeed without the active engagement of the very people tasked with carrying it forward, she argued.
Meanwhile, the Staff Union further says: “We also asked for clarification on what would actually be consulted on with staff unions (the Secretary-General has stated several times that the initiative is subject to consultation and that a meeting will take place in Kosovo). The reply was that any consultation would be limited to so-called mitigation measures, which could include:
<ul>• Imposition of external recruitment freezes 
• Priority consideration for internal candidates to the new positions 
• Facilitated relocation of GS staff to other duty stations, although at their own cost and subject to agreement by the new host country 
• Training courses 
• Separation packages (although we already know that there will be no enhanced packages).</ul>
As you can imagine, both the lack of transparency and lack of willingness for any meaningful consultation, renders hollow the words of the Secretary-General, says the Staff Union.
Added to this is a lack of clarity on how the proposed cuts and relocations will strengthen the UN, improve support for multilateralism in a transactional era or resolve the liquidity crisis.
“Some have described a sense of panic among New York management. We fear this will lead to an outcome that weakens and undermines the organization we believe in and work for.”
“As you may have seen, we are not the only ones with this view. Member states and civil society have been vocal too.
“We are therefore reaching out to all actors (member states, media, academia, civil society) to make our case. We have also been raising these concerns with you and through traditional and social media. We are in close contact with senior managers that share these concerns”. 
“Our aim is to bring reason and sense to any reforms that take place, knowing that the UN must evolve to survive.”
“At the same time, we are reviewing all legal options and coordinating with other staff unions on these matters. We will continue to keep you updated and rely on you in our next steps as we define our collective response”.
The memo was authored by Laura Johnson, Executive Secretary and Ian Richards, President of the Staff Union.
Meanwhile, the New York Staff Union, which was also critical of being left out of the discussions on UN reforms, was expected to: 
–Call on the Secretary-General to formally include the United Nations Staff Union (UNSU) as a full participant in all aspects of the UN80 Initiative, including by having designated representatives of the Union in the UN80 Task Force, notably in its Working Group, with a view to ensure staff representation in the deliberation and decision-making processes. 
— Request that the Staff Union be granted equal consultative status within the Task Force, including its Working Group, alongside other stakeholders, to provide input on matters directly impacting staff welfare, organizational efficiency and institutional reform. 
Emphasize that Staff Union involvement in change management process with such a global scale/impact is critical to provide insights into daily operations and identify potential inefficiencies and challenges for improving the effectiveness of the organization
Mandeep S. Tiwana, Interim Co-Secretary General, CIVICUS, told IPS for all intents and purposes the United Nations is the secular conscience of the world. Hence, it’s leadership is expected at all times to act with good faith, professional integrity and principled courage. 
For too long, he said, the UN’s top decision makers have impeded the institution from achieving its full potential, by resorting to bureaucratic ways of functioning, submission to perceived political realties and personal ambition. 
The current frustration expressed by the UN Staff Union in Geneva about lack of consultation and transparency by the UN’s leadership is a symptom of a much larger problem that pervades the institution, including of not taking responsibility for one’s own failures and seeking to place the blame wholly on the belligerent actions of UN member states
Elaborating further, Hodge said from the outside, what appears most pressing is the need to center reform not just on financial savings or structural shifts, but on strengthening the institutional culture and protecting the human capital that makes success possible. Efficiency is important, but it should never come at the cost of dignity, fairness, or clarity of purpose.
“I urge leadership to approach this moment not as a public relations challenge, but as an opportunity to reset the tone of internal dialogue. Meaningful inclusion of staff in shaping the future of the organization would not only improve outcomes—it would set a positive example for the entire multilateral system.”
“Those of us who care deeply about the UN as an institution want to see it thrive. That means listening to staff, acting with integrity, and making space for shared problem-solving. Reform done with people—not to them—is always more powerful and enduring.” She declared.
<a href="https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/uns-proposed-structural-changes-laid-strictly-confidential-internal-document/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/uns-proposed-structural-changes-laid-strictly-confidential-internal-document/</a>
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>Polish Border Wall Puts Local Tatars on the Brink</title>
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<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 17:09:21 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Karlos Zurutuza and Gilad Sade</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[Dzenneta Bogdanowicz never imagined she would witness the construction of a wall in the middle of nowhere, just two kilometres from her front door. “It’s right there, so close. And of course, it’s bad for business,” the 60-year-old Polish hotelier tells IPS outside the wooden guesthouse and restaurant she runs in Kruszyniany. It’s a village […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Dzenneta Bogdanowicz never imagined she would witness the construction of a wall in the middle of nowhere, just two kilometres from her front door. “It’s right there, so close. And of course, it’s bad for business,” the 60-year-old Polish hotelier tells IPS outside the wooden guesthouse and restaurant she runs in Kruszyniany. It’s a village […]]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Energy Storage Has Yet to Take Off in Mexico</title>
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<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 15:28:48 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Emilio Godoy</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Researcher Edilso Reguera and his team began studying electric battery manufacturing in 2016, but in 2023, they ramped up efforts to develop a lithium-based prototype for motorcycles. Commissioned by the Mexico City government in 2022, “we developed the battery from scratch. We are the most advanced research group in the country. We tested it on […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="225" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-1-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Edilso Reguera, a researcher at the Center for Research in Applied Science and Advanced Technology (Cicata) of Mexico’s public National Polytechnic Institute, displays an X-ray diffractometer used to study the structure of materials for electric batteries designed to store and recharge energy. Credit: Emilio Godoy / IPS" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-1-629x472.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-1-200x149.jpg 200w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-1.jpg 976w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Edilso Reguera, a researcher at the Center for Research in Applied Science and Advanced Technology (Cicata) of Mexico’s public National Polytechnic Institute, displays an X-ray diffractometer used to study the structure of materials for electric batteries designed to store and recharge energy. Credit: Emilio Godoy / IPSBy Emilio Godoy MEXICO, May 27 2025 (IPS) Researcher Edilso Reguera and his team began studying electric battery manufacturing in 2016, but in 2023, they ramped up efforts to develop a lithium-based prototype for motorcycles.
Commissioned by the Mexico City government in 2022, “we developed the battery from scratch. We are the most advanced research group in the country. We tested it on motorcycles, and it works well,” Reguera explained to IPS in his small office. He is an academic at the Center for Research in Applied Science and Advanced Technology Cicata, part of the <a href="https://www.ipn.mx/investigacion/estrategia-ipn/nuestros-investigadores.html">National Polytechnic Institute</a>, located in the northern part of the capital.
The research began with funding from the city government, and Cicata took charge of designing, producing, and testing the capacitor batteries."We developed the battery from scratch. We are the most advanced research group in the country. We tested it on motorcycles, and it works well." — Edilso Reguera 
In the laboratory, where around 40 students and researchers collaborate, staff analyze materials and examine substances using equipment with near-unpronounceable names, collectively worth thousands of dollars.
The Mexican government plans to promote energy storage in renewable plants and electromobility, making projects like Cicata’s crucial.
“A battery is a storage device, so it works well for multiple applications,” said Reguera, who also heads the National Laboratory for Energy Conversion and Storage under the newly created<a href="https://secihti.mx/secihti/#:~:text=La%20Secretar%C3%ADa%20de%20Ciencia%2C%20Humanidades,personas%20investigadoras%20y%20tecn%C3%B3logas%20para"> Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation</a>.
But this vision remains aspirational in Mexico, where only two photovoltaic projects currently include storage systems. While the government has ambitious plans to boost the sector, details remain unclear.
Despite the state-owned <a href="https://www.cfe.gob.mx/Pages/default.aspx">Federal Electricity Commission</a> (CFE) having storage goals since 2004, only two private projects currently have such systems.
One is the Aura Solar III photovoltaic plant, owned by Mexican company Gauss Energía, which has been operating since 2018 in La Paz, the capital of the northwestern state of Baja California Sur. It has a generation capacity of 32 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 10.5 MW.
The other is the La Toba solar park, owned by U.S.-based Invenergy, operational since 2022, also in Baja California Sur, with 35 MW of generation and 20 MW of storage.
This approach allows for savings in energy consumption and costs, as well as backup for the power grid, which is currently under strain due to insufficient generation and maintenance.
Additionally, since wind doesn’t blow constantly and sunlight is only available during the day, renewable energy requires storage capacity to compensate for variability and ensure a stable supply.
Andrés Flores, energy policy director at the non-governmental Iniciativa Climática de México, highlighted the urgency of the issue.
“We are in a high-risk situation, heavily dependent on gas for generation. Due to climate factors, we are already experiencing blackouts,” the expert told IPS.
He explained that Mexico has limited generation capacity and low power reserves, meaning “there is a need to invest in storage to minimize these risks, improve operational flexibility, and integrate more renewables in the near future.”
Flores authored the study<a href="http://www.iniciativaclimatica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AlmacenamientoEnergiaMX_PolEne-Enero-2025.pdf#page5"> Energy Storage in Mexico: Analysis and Policy Proposals</a>, published in January, which identified key challenges, including a 2-gigawatt deficit in operational reserves, limited capacity during peak consumption hours, and concentrated issues during evening and nighttime demand.
The study also found little clarity in energy planning regarding the deployment of storage systems.
<div id="attachment_190628" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190628" class="wp-image-190628" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-2.jpg" alt="The private photovoltaic plant Aura Solar III is one of only two facilities in Mexico equipped with a battery bank for energy storage. Credit: Gauss Energía " width="629" height="368" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-2.jpg 976w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-2-300x176.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-2-768x449.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-2-629x368.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />The private photovoltaic plant Aura Solar III is one of only two facilities in Mexico equipped with a battery bank for energy storage. Credit: Gauss Energía</div>
Ambitions
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, in office since October, presented the 2024-2030 National Electric Sector Strategy a month later, followed in February by the <a href="https://factorenergetico.mx/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/05febrero26-Plan-Fortalecimiento-y-Expansion-Sistema-Electrico-Nacional.pdf">Plan for Strengthening and Expanding the National Electric System</a>, which are interlinked.
The February plan aims to boost the electricity sector through measures such as adding 574 MW across five photovoltaic plants with capacitor batteries, representing a public investment of US$ 223 million. These plants are expected to come online by 2027.
In the same vein, the Federal Electricity Commission is advancing the bidding for phase II of the Puerto Peñasco photovoltaic plant, located in the namesake town in the northern state of Sonora. This phase will add 300 MW of capacity, backed by 10.3 MW in battery storage. The plant’s first phase (120 MW) has been operational since 2023. Once completed in 2026, the full project will deliver 1,000 MW at a cost of US$1.6 billion.
For Karina Cuentas, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s (UNAM)<a href="https://www.cnyn.unam.mx/?p=1507"> Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology</a>, the lag in energy storage stems from a lack of government support.
“We’re behind because not enough funding is allocated to technological development. We have all the tools to make progress, but it’s very difficult due to a lack of resources. There’s enthusiasm because the plan has been presented, along with the roadmap and scenarios to achieve it,” she told IPS from Ensenada, in the northwestern state of Baja California.
“The optimal storage solution for renewables is batteries,” she emphasized.
As president of the non-governmental Mexican Energy Storage Network—a group of around 200 specialists in the field—Cuentas believes progress will depend on “the rules of the game.”
A regulatory framework for energy storage has been in effect since March, but its implementing regulations may take up to two years to finalize, potentially delaying project development.
Additionally, critics argue that the regulation classifies storage backup as part of power generation itself and imposes restrictive guidelines on its applications.
Mexico has an installed capacity of 89,000 MW, and during the first quarter of this year, nearly 61% of electricity generation depended on fossil gas, followed by conventional thermoelectric (6%), wind (nearly 6%), hydroelectric (4.6%), solar photovoltaic (4.2%), coal-fired (3.3%), nuclear (3.2%), gas turbine (3.1%), and geothermal (1.2%).
Renewable energy sources have an installed capacity of over 33,000 MW but contribute only 21% of the electricity. To the current mix, the government’s plan would add 21,893 MW to the national energy grid, aiming to increase clean energy from the current 22.5% to 37.8%.
The electricity sector has suffered from the fossil fuel dependency of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador administration (2018-2024), who stalled the energy transition—a situation his ally and successor, Sheinbaum, seeks to correct.
<div id="attachment_190629" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190629" class="wp-image-190629" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-3.jpg" alt="The fishing community of San Juanico, in the municipality of Comondú, Baja California Sur, has a hybrid power plant since 1999 combining wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, and a diesel generator for electricity supply. Credit: CFE." width="629" height="299" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-3.jpg 976w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-3-300x143.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-3-768x365.jpg 768w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mexico-3-629x299.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />The fishing community of San Juanico, in the municipality of Comondú, Baja California Sur, has a hybrid power plant since 1999 combining wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, and a diesel generator for electricity supply. Credit: CFE.</div>
Forgotten Potential 
For over a decade, various studies have highlighted the potential of energy storage systems in this Latin American country, home to 129 million people and the region’s second-largest economy after Brazil.
The Federal Electricity Commission identified at least 169 sites in 2017 with potential for pumped-storage hydropower, but it never invested in this method, which is now difficult to implement due to current drought conditions and insufficient reservoir levels.
Civil society organizations estimate that storage capacity could reach 500 MW for industrial projects and 18 MW for residential photovoltaic systems by 2030.
The government’s <a href="https://www.gob.mx/sener/articulos/programa-de-desarrollo-del-sistema-electrico-nacional-2024-2038">National Electric System Development Program</a> for 2024-2038 outlines the deployment of seven gigawatts (GW) of storage systems between in 2024-2028 and eight GW in 2028-2038, but without specifying concrete projects or operational mechanisms.
The International Energy Agency (IEA), which represents major energy consumers, recommends incorporating storage into long-term energy planning and incentivizing its deployment. To this end, it suggests continuing regulatory reviews, implementing policies to promote battery recycling, and adopting measures for the trade of used energy storage systems.
The uncertainty surrounding energy storage progress in Mexico is evident in places like Cicata, where experts have called for stronger support.
“Having domestic technological development brings strength, improves the economy, and creates Mexican industrial companies without relying on foreign technology. Technological development is a matter of national security,” said researcher Reguera.
This year, his priorities include developing a sodium-based battery—safer and cheaper than lithium but with lower energy storage capacity—and securing around three million dollars to build a pilot plant capable of assembling about 500 catalysts daily.
Meanwhile, Cuentas, an energy storage expert, expressed hope that “mechanisms will be put in place to foster technological development in the country. With a more modern grid, variability wouldn’t cause as much disruption—it should withstand renewable energy fluctuations. It’s crucial to have more renewable generation and a strengthened grid.”
Finally, Flores, an energy policy specialist, proposed drafting a dedicated storage program and roadmap.
“There needs to be clarity in their plans. There are complementary options, integrating storage with large-scale traditional and renewable generators. For solar and wind energy, having storage facilities would be ideal,” he suggested.
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<title>Hide the Numbers, Control the Message</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/hide-numbers-control-message/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hide-numbers-control-message</link>
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<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 14:15:47 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Joseph Chamie</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Democracy]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Global]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[Population]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[In the past, Shakespeare famously wrote in his play Henry VI that the first step for those seeking power was to “kill off the lawyers”. Today, the first step taken by those seeking power is to hide the numbers and control the message. Various government leaders have adopted a political strategy that involves suppressing basic […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="168" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/censorship-300x168.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Many governments use various methods, such as internet censorship, media control and surveillance, to hide the numbers and control the message. These tactics restrict access to information, shape public opinion, and monitor online activity. Credit: Shutterstock" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/censorship-300x168.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/censorship.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Many governments use various methods, such as internet censorship, media control and surveillance, to hide the numbers and control the message. These tactics restrict access to information, shape public opinion, and monitor online activity. Credit: ShutterstockBy Joseph Chamie PORTLAND, USA, May 27 2025 (IPS) In the past, Shakespeare famously wrote in his play Henry VI that the first step for those seeking power was to “kill off the lawyers”. Today, the first step taken by those seeking power is to hide the numbers and control the message.
Various government leaders have adopted a political strategy that involves suppressing basic data, vital information and the statisticians and scientists who collect, analyze, and disseminate these numbers.
Without access to neutral data, objective information, and technically sound analyses, populations are left ill-informed and unable to express dissent. Censorship is often used to suppress numbers that may contradict the goals of government officials in controlling the message.
To gain power over a society, essential economic, social, health, environmental and demographic data, along with any resulting reports, are being suppressed. This suppression is achieved by failing to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate objective information on levels and trends.
Without access to neutral data, objective information, and technically sound analyses, populations are left ill-informed and unable to express dissent. Censorship is often used to suppress numbers that may contradict the goals of government officials in controlling the message 
 Statisticians, scientists and others responsible for collecting and reporting data are being dismissed, threatened or silenced. Knowledge-producing institutions that conduct studies are being defunded and reduced in size.
Many governments use various methods, such as internet censorship, media control and surveillance, to hide the numbers and control the message. These tactics restrict access to information, shape public opinion, and monitor online activity.
The primary strategy of many government leaders today is to hide numbers and control the message. Anything that contradicts their message is labeled as false, fake news, lies or treason, leading to legal action, criminal penalties and imprisonment for dissenters and those who publish what officials deem false news.
In countries like Cuba, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Myanmar, North Korea and Turkmenistan, for example, the media serves as a mouthpiece for government officials. Other countries, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Hungary, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Somalia, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Yemen, use harassment, surveillance, and detentions to control the media and the message.
In Russia, key demographic statistics on births, deaths, marriages and divorce have been classified following a decline in birth rates.
For about four decades, the Russian total fertility rate has remained well below the replacement level, estimated at approximately 1.4 births per woman in 2024, and the number of births has declined to record lows.
Detailed population data are no longer being published, leading to a lack of publicly available demographic statistics since March 2025.
Russian officials note that despite their country being the largest in the world, their population is decreasing every year because of their below replacement fertility rates.
After decades of population growth, Russia’s population peaked at nearly 150 million in 1990 and has been largely declining since then.
Russia’s current population of about 144 million is projected to continue declining, reaching about 126 million by the close of the century according to the United Nations medium variant projection. Without migration, however, Russia’s population in 2100 is projected to decline to 88 million, or about 60% of its current size (Figure 1).
 
<div id="attachment_190622" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190622" class="size-full wp-image-190622" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrussia1.jpg" alt="" width="629" height="572" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrussia1.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrussia1-300x273.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrussia1-519x472.jpg 519w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />Source: United Nations.</div>
 
To combat declining birth rates, Russian authorities have restricted access to abortions and contraception. They have implemented measures such as banning what they refer to as “child-free propaganda” and promoting traditional family values. Also, they recently announced a ban on TV series and films where women prioritize their careers over having children.
Similarly, in the United States, government leaders are reducing and silencing agencies that collect, analyze, and report vital information.
The communication platforms of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), for example, have gone silent. Crucial health data have been removed from public access and many of the CDC newsletters have stopped being distributed.
Alerts about disease outbreaks, which were previously sent to health professionals subscribed to the CDC’s Health Alert Network, have not been dispatched since March. Also, US officials have cut funding, dismissed staff, and denied negative data reports.
Although some federal health websites have been restored, others are still down after some numbers were purged. CDC has acknowledged that its website is being changed to comply with the executive orders of the president.
Another agency that has experienced staff firings and funding cuts, which has created a danger for public safety and well-being, is the country’s National Weather Service. Those reductions have impacted the collection of vital data used to make forecasts and the staff who analyze the data to issue critical warnings about hazardous and extreme weather.
To control the message, US government officials have reduced funding, fired and silenced staff, and openly dismissed the consequences of their actions.
Government officials deny any negative data and findings on levels and trends that are reported. They also dismiss anything they don’t enjoy hearing by saying those treasonous scientists, statisticians and others are spreading false rumors. And they often blame previous administrations for issues that they cannot dismiss.
Data on the economic effects of the recently announced US tariffs, including increased prices for consumers and businesses, are also being hidden, denied, downplayed or dismissed.
In contrast to the views of leading economists and many of those in the business community, administration officials deflect legitimate criticisms by saying tariffs will help domestic industries, reduce trade deficits and benefit national security and strategic independence.
Efforts to eliminate administration-declared waste, fraud, and abuse have hindered data collection, analysis and dissemination, laid off or put on leave tens of thousands of federal government employees, led to disruptions in services, and adversely affected research and development at various agencies. Troubling information is hidden from the public, and justifications for policy changes and staff layoffs are often confusing, illogical or simply outright lies.
For example, the numbers on the proposed reductions in government funded services and programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides food benefits to low-income families, coupled with the huge tax benefits to the wealthy are explained away by the use of jingoistic rhetoric, irrelevant issues, political illogic and empty promises.
Also similar to Russia, US government officials wish to raise the country’s low fertility rate, which in 2024 was about 1.6 births per woman. Besides blaming women for the country’s low birth rate, some officials have referred to prominent women without children as “childless cat ladies” and are promoting the return to traditional roles for men and women in American society.
Administration officials are proposing a modest financial incentive of about $5,000 for women to have a baby. Also, a bill proposed by the US House would provide $1,000 to children born between 2025 and 2028 that could be invested on their behalf.
The US population, approximately 342 million in 2025, is continuing to increase in size, after having more than doubled since 1950.
However, again, similar to Russia, the future growth of the US population depends on migration. The US Census Bureau reports that without migration, the country’s population is projected to decline by about a third by the close of the century.
Also, according to the United Nations medium variant projection, the US population is projected to reach approximately 420 million by the end of the century. Without migration, however, the US population in 2100 is projected to decline to 268 million, or approximately 78% of its current size (Figure 2).
 
<div id="attachment_190623" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190623" class="size-full wp-image-190623" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrusa.jpg" alt="" width="629" height="504" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrusa.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrusa-300x240.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/hidethenumbersrusa-589x472.jpg 589w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" />Source: United Nations.</div>
 
In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Under Article 19 of that Declaration, everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart news and express opinions.
Also, during the past several decades, many countries, especially in Europe, recognized that it was essential to ensure that national statistical systems would be able to produce appropriate data and analyses that adhered to certain professional and scientific standards.
In 1994, the United Nations Statistical Commission adopted the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. Two decades later, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the Fundamental Principles, stressing the critical role of high-quality official statistical information in analysis and informed policy decision-making and in support of sustainable development, peace and security.
In sum, to promote informed policy decision-making and prevent governments from hiding data and controlling the message, transparency, objectivity and accountability are crucial. These qualities are necessary for holding government officials accountable and ensuring the public is informed with objective, reliable and timely data and analyses.
Joseph Chamie is a consulting demographer, a former director of the United Nations Population Division, and author of many publications on population issues, including his recent book, <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-22479-9?source=shoppingads&locale=en-jp#toc">“Population Levels, Trends, and Differentials”</a>.
 
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<title>Kenya Pilots AI System to Protect Black Rhino Calves in Aberdare National Park</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/kenya-pilots-ai-system-to-protect-black-rhino-calves-in-aberdare-national-park/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kenya-pilots-ai-system-to-protect-black-rhino-calves-in-aberdare-national-park</link>
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<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 07:56:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Chemtai Kirui</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Africa]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Conservation]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[Kenya]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[Conservationists in Kenya’s Aberdare National Park have piloted an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to detect and deter hyenas—as part of an effort to protect black rhino calves ahead of their reintroduction to the zone. The initiative, led by Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust (Rhino Ark) in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), aims […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Conservationists in Kenya’s Aberdare National Park have piloted an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to detect and deter hyenas—as part of an effort to protect black rhino calves ahead of their reintroduction to the zone. The initiative, led by Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust (Rhino Ark) in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), aims […]]]></content:encoded>
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<title>The UN Faces a Different Kind of Crisis — a Slow Erosion of Trust, Legitimacy, & Effectiveness</title>
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<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 06:03:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Stephanie Hodge</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Editors' Choice]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[In 1945, with cities in ruins and hope stretched thin, 50 nations gathered in San Francisco and reached for a better world. From the ashes of fascism, genocide, and world war, they forged a charter — a binding declaration that peace, justice, and human dignity must be protected through international cooperation. The United Nations was […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="136" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/The-Secretariat-Building_-300x136.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/The-Secretariat-Building_-300x136.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/The-Secretariat-Building_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />The Secretariat Building at United Nations Headquarters, in New York. Credit: UN Photo/Rick BajornasBy Stephanie Hodge UNITED NATIONS, May 27 2025 (IPS) In 1945, with cities in ruins and hope stretched thin, 50 nations gathered in San Francisco and reached for a better world. From the ashes of fascism, genocide, and world war, they forged a charter — a binding declaration that peace, justice, and human dignity must be protected through international cooperation.

The United Nations was born not from idealism, but necessity. It was designed to prevent collapse.
Now, nearly 80 years later, the UN faces a different kind of crisis — a slow erosion of trust, legitimacy, and effectiveness. And yet, the sense of urgency that birthed the UN is absent from the reforms meant to save it.
Last week, Secretary-General António Guterres launched the “UN80 Initiative” — a promise to streamline, restructure, and modernize the institution. The speech was technically sound. It named real problems: fragmentation, inefficiency, and fiscal strain. 
But it did not do what this moment demands. Because reform without purpose is choreography, not change. And perhaps more dangerously, it may reinforce the very power asymmetries it claims to redress.
I watched the speech not just as a professional evaluator or former advisor, but as someone who has walked this system — from post-conflict zones to policy tables — for over three decades. I’ve seen the courage of communities and the inertia of agencies. And I know when reform is performance. UN80, as currently framed, risks becoming exactly that.
What Was Said
The Secretary-General laid out three workstreams:
<ul>1. A comprehensive review of all mandates assigned to the Secretariat by Member States; 
2. Identification of operational efficiencies across departments and entities; 
3. Structural reforms — including agency mergers and the formation of thematic clusters.</ul>
He stated that this would be a system-wide process, not confined to the Secretariat alone, and emphasized the goal of building a more nimble, coordinated, and responsive UN. He described the UN80 Initiative as a response to geopolitical tensions, technological change, rising conflict, and shrinking resources. And he framed it as an effort to better serve both those who rely on the UN and the taxpayers who fund it.
These are real problems. The system is under stress. But while the administrative diagnosis is clear, the political and strategic roadmap remains vague.
Structure cannot substitute for strategy, and operational tweaks cannot resolve foundational incoherence. Reform must begin with clarity about what the UN is meant to be — and for whom it is accountable.
But What Was Not Said: Strategic Purpose
The most important question — reform for what? — remains unanswered.
What is the United Nations for in the 21st century? Is it a humanitarian responder? A normative engine? A technical platform? A peace broker? A rights defender?
The UN was never intended to be a donor-driven delivery contractor. It was designed to hold the line against war, inequality, and tyranny. But in recent decades, it has been slowly transformed into a service bureaucracy, dependent on earmarked funds, political favors, and private partnerships.
Until the UN reclaims its strategic purpose, structural reform will only mask decay.
Who Holds the Power?
Power in the UN system has shifted — not democratically, but informally: 
• The P5 still hold vetoes over global peace and security; 
• The G7 and G20 shape global development and finance from outside ECOSOC; 
• Vertical funds (GCF, GEF, CIFs) operate in parallel, accountable more to their boards than to global norms; 
• Major donors define the agenda through earmarks; 
• And key leadership posts are quietly traded by geopolitical bloc.
UN80 is silent on this. But no reform is meaningful without confronting where power actually lives.
The Mirage of Clustering
I remember sitting in a government office in a post-conflict country a few years ago, trying to explain why three different UN agencies had shown up to offer nearly identical support on disaster risk planning. The local official — exhausted, polite — leaned back and asked me, “Is the UN not one family? Why do we get five cousins and no parent?”
This is the illusion that clustering now risks reinforcing. By merging agencies under thematic umbrellas, UN80 suggests that organizational dysfunction can be resolved through coordination and efficiency. But those of us who’ve worked in the field know: coordination without clarity, and structure without trust, rarely delivers.
Clustering is not inherently bad. But it is not a shortcut to legitimacy. Efficiency is not the same as coherence, and coherence is not the same as ownership.
You cannot engineer trust through organigrams. You must earn it through transparency, participation, and shared accountability. If Member States and local actors are not part of shaping how functions are grouped — and more importantly, how they’re governed — then the result is not reform. It’s rearrangement.
Staff know this. Many are not resisting change — they are resisting erasure. Clustering threatens not just jobs, but identities and mandates. It risks eroding technical expertise in favor of managerial simplicity.
True reform would start from the bottom: from countries asking what they need from the UN, and from people asking who speaks for them. Clustering should be a result of that dialogue — not a substitute for it.
Without that grounding, we risk building silos with broader walls and narrower doors — bureaucratic bunkers, not bridges.
History has shown us — from Delivering as One to UNDAF harmonization — that coordination cannot substitute for voice. Clustering, done wrong, will not solve dysfunction. It will make it harder to see.
If political appointments remain untouched, and if integration is led by budget pressure rather than strategic logic, clustering is not innovation. It is consolidation of power — dressed in reformist language.
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And history warns us: Delivering as One, the QCPR, UNDAF harmonization — all promised coordination. Few delivered accountability. Coordination without ownership, and structure without strategy, will not renew the system. It will only harden its fragilities.
The Case of UN DESA
UN DESA is a symbol of the UN’s internal confusion. Created to support ECOSOC, it now functions as a quasi-programmatic actor — duplicating the work of UNDP, UNCTAD, and regional commissions, often without field engagement or operational accountability.
DESA illustrates what happens when reform avoids politics: roles blur, duplication grows, and trust erodes.
Country Ownership: The Loudest Silence
UN80 risks becoming an elite project shaped by donors and technocrats, while the vast majority of Member States — especially those still recovering from colonization, debt, and climate injustice — are left out of the room. That’s not multilateralism. That’s managed decline.
The Global South — those who rely most on UN coordination, human rights mechanisms, and technical neutrality — were absent from this vision.
Where was their voice in designing UN80? Where were SIDS, LDCs, post-conflict governments, or frontline communities? How can reform be legitimate if it is not co-created with those it will affect most?
The Funding Problem
Guterres acknowledged financial stress — but sidestepped the truth:
<ul>• UN financing is largely non-core, non-predictable, and donor-controlled; 
• Agencies compete for funding rather than coordinate for impact; 
• Global funds have more leverage than ECOSOC, and less accountability.</ul>
A real reform would propose a new multilateral funding compact — one that aligns with national priorities, funds coordination as a global public good, and dismantles dependency.
Do We Need Another War to Reform the UN?
We are not just facing crisis fatigue. We are watching the slow re-emergence of something more dangerous — the normalization of authoritarianism, xenophobia, and surveillance disguised as security. 
Across regions, governments are shrinking civic space, dismissing international norms, and weaponizing fear. The ghosts of fascism are no longer metaphor. They are legislative proposals, detention centers, and unchecked algorithms.
The UN was created to prevent this. But unless it reclaims its moral clarity and structural legitimacy, it will become a bystander to its own irrelevance.
The UN Charter was written during war. The system it birthed was flawed, but urgent, and anchored in a vision that human dignity must be defended beyond borders.
Now we face cascading crises: ecological collapse, democratic backsliding, digital authoritarianism, and the erosion of global norms. Yet reform is treated as an internal budget exercise.
Do we really need another catastrophe to confront the imbalance of voice, power, and purpose in this system?
We already know what needs to change. What we lack is political will, institutional humility, and moral imagination.
Reform for What?
Not for balance sheets. Not for organizational charts.
Reform for justice. Reform for relevance. Reform for a world that will not wait.
Until we define the purpose, no amount of restructuring will restore credibility.
Final Thoughts
UN80, as currently framed, does not challenge the logic that broke the system. It risks becoming the next chapter in a long history of reforms that leave power untouched.
If we want more than managerialism — if we want meaning — we must:
<ul>• Declare the UN’s core function in this century; 
• End political appointments that corrode leadership integrity; 
• Integrate vertical funds under multilateral coordination; 
• Restore ECOSOC as the legitimate center of economic governance; 
• And above all, center those whom the system was created to serve.</ul>
The Charter was a promise. UN80 is a test.
Let us stop pretending reform is neutral. Let us confront the politics, follow the money, and name what we owe the future.
Let us be braver than the moment expects.
This critique is not a dismissal of the UN. It is an insistence that it live up to its founding promise. I write from within — not to tear it down, but to hold it to account.
Stephanie Hodge is an international evaluator and former UN advisor who has worked across 140 countries. She writes on governance, multilateral reform, and climate equity.
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>Romania’s Electoral Crisis: A Warning Shot for Democracy in the Digital Age</title>
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<pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2025 05:06:17 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Ines M Pousadela</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Crime & Justice]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[On 6 December 2024, Romania’s Constitutional Court made an unprecedented decision: with just two days to go before a presidential runoff expected to bring a far-right, Russia-sympathising candidate to power, the court took the extraordinary step of annulling the election due to evidence of massive Russian interference. It was the first time an EU member […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Andreea-Campeanu_-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Andreea-Campeanu_-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Andreea-Campeanu_.jpg 452w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Credit: Andreea Campeanu/Reuters via Gallo ImagesBy Inés M. Pousadela MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, May 27 2025 (IPS) On 6 December 2024, Romania’s Constitutional Court made an unprecedented decision: with just two days to go before a presidential runoff expected to bring a far-right, Russia-sympathising candidate to power, the court took the extraordinary step of annulling the election due to evidence of massive Russian interference. It was the first time an EU member state has cancelled an election over social media disinformation. It may not be the last.

Romania’s six-month electoral crisis, which finally concluded on 18 May with centrist Nicușor Dan’s runoff victory over far-right nationalist George Simion, offers both a stark warning and a glimmer of hope for democracies worldwide. The crisis began when Călin Georgescu, an obscure far-right candidate who’d consistently polled in single figures, shocked the political establishment by coming first in the November 2024 presidential first round with close to 23 per cent of the vote. A NATO-sceptic and Russia sympathiser, Georgescu benefited from what was later revealed to be a sophisticated disinformation campaign orchestrated by a ‘state actor’ widely understood to be Russia.
The interference wasn’t crude or obvious. Russia had spent years building a meticulously designed disinformation ecosystem, exploiting many Romanians’ deep-seated frustrations with economic hardship, widespread corruption and political stagnation. With over 22 per cent youth unemployment, wages among the EU’s lowest and trust in institutions at historic lows, Romania presented fertile ground for anti-establishment appeals. The timing of the interference was surgical: it was activated at the most politically opportune moment to maximise impact.
What distinguished Romania’s experience from previous Russian interference campaigns in votes from Brexit and Donald Trump’s first victory to elections in nearby Georgia and neighbouring Moldova was that authorities identified and acknowledged the manipulation while the electoral process was still live. Declassified intelligence documents revealed a massive campaign on TikTok, including AI manipulation and bot-driven activity, designed to tilt the election in Georgescu’s favour. Disinformation exploited legitimate grievances to seed elaborate conspiracy theories that portrayed Romania as a victim of EU, NATO and western elites. The European Commission subsequently launched proceedings against TikTok for failing to properly assess and mitigate risks to election integrity.
Both the first-round results and the court’s decision to annul the election triggered protests that laid bare Romania’s deep social divisions. Immediately after the results were announced, thousands of students and young people gathered in Bucharest’s University Square chanting ‘No fascism, no war, no Georgescu!’. When the election was cancelled, Georgescu’s supporters denounced it as a manoeuvre to prevent their victory. Amid intense polarisation, authorities arrested several armed men heading to Bucharest to participate in protests with axes, guns, knives and machetes in their vehicles.
When the rescheduled election took place in May 2025, it delivered another dramatic upset. With Georgescu barred from running, George Simion of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians emerged as the far-right standard-bearer, winning the first round with almost 41 per cent of the vote. The runoff became a referendum on Romania’s future direction: on whether it would continue its European orientation or pivot towards the regressive, Moscow-friendly stance taken by leaders of countries such as Hungary and Slovakia.
Russia’s disinformation campaign didn’t stop with the election annulment. Instead, it redoubled its efforts to sow distrust and further polarise voters, including through AI-generated smear campaigns against Dan.
Dan’s victory with almost 54 per cent of the vote provided reassurance to Romania’s western partners, but the margin was uncomfortably narrow. More troubling still, Simion refused to accept defeat, challenging the results at the Constitutional Court on unsubstantiated grounds of electoral fraud and alleging ‘foreign interference’ by France, Moldova and ‘others’. When the court quickly threw out his case, Simion called his defeat a coup, echoing dangerous Trump-like rhetoric that is becoming all too common around the world.
Romania’s experience exposes both the resilience and fragility of democracy in the digital era. The institutional response – from the Constitutional Court’s decisive action to civil society’s mobilisation – showed that democratic safeguards can function under extreme pressure. Yet the fact that around 40 per cent of voters backed far-right politicians reveals the depth of public disillusionment.
Many Romanians still feel cheated and denied their say. This sense of grievance provides fertile ground for divisive narratives to take deeper root, while neither the economy nor politics are currently in good enough shape to deliver on people’s rightful expectations.
Romania’s electoral saga serves as a cautionary tale. It points at both the vulnerabilities that can be exploited and the defences that can be mounted. Sophisticated disinformation campaigns can indeed be identified and countered – but only through vigilant institutions, engaged civil society and citizens committed to democratic values. The price of failure isn’t just political crisis but lasting damage to the foundations of democracy.
Inés M. Pousadela is CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for <a href="https://lens.civicus.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CIVICUS Lens</a> and co-author of the <a href="https://publications.civicus.org/publications/2025-state-of-civil-society-report/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">State of Civil Society Report</a>.
For interviews or more information, please contact <a href="mailto:research@civicus.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">research@civicus.org</a>
 
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<title>The World Must Respond to Africa’s Forgotten Crises</title>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 17:33:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Yasmine Sherif</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Africa]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Education Cannot Wait. Future of Education is here]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[Africa Day Statement by Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="171" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Education-is-a-humanitarian_-300x171.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Education-is-a-humanitarian_-300x171.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Education-is-a-humanitarian_.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Education is a humanitarian lifeline for the world’s most vulnerable children. Our investment in their education today is an investment in global security, economic stability and continued growth in the 21st century.By Yasmine Sherif NEW YORK, May 26 2025 (IPS-Partners) The challenges facing many parts of the African continent today are vast and immense. From the surge in violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to all-out-war in Sudan, years of progress are being obliterated by bombs, killings and other grave violations of international law.

The single best investment we can make in addressing these multiplying humanitarian crises is an investment in the vast potential and talents of Africa’s younger generations. By investing in their education, we empower them to prevent conflicts, end extreme poverty and ensure economic development, peace and stability. Without investing in education as part of this broader vision, none of these imperatives will be materialized.
The returns on investment are significant. As noted by the <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwsjksO4yAQBU8DOyzoxoAXLLLxNaI2tGMU_4KdeI4_8miWVU96qhwhJKud5Gi8Daa1LoCcImpk0k6bDtgntjBoN3ptUquDS0bLEl1AGDqgrvU-P03w2OrQAYBPwuqjZH6Xj1qozFwP5b0NufNtatWffPym5h7kHKfz3A-BDwG9gP66ruba6pwHWt_NVl8Cel4F9Pt3mEuis2w30VhLIrV_54Nv3GuZFWiwcuFcSFWemQ5WJcd_4vlfCHx0LXZO1jhSnWiliT5frjQttBph9euuatK2yOOszMv9EBAMmJGU9YjKIlg1YLDKawcUzIgZWf4i_A0AAP__WoBk2g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Bank</a>, foundational learning has the potential to double the GDP per capita in sub-Saharan Africa by 2050.
Responding to the education funding gap
Many traditional donor countries have dramatically reduced humanitarian aid in the past year, with recent analysis from <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJxEj7GO5CAQRL8GZz2yu7GBgGAT_8aqDe0BnW1mgdm7zz_5dNImFbwqPamiRxv0uAziJ6PtNOvF4pA87laWDd2sOdAyaqHNMInVJm67jjRkv1jCzSG72Zj4OVlD82gdIpqg9NhylF_5C07Oh9QGxmgbnZnDDH9i-06PuxgOn3p_NUUfCleF6-9SjwgS34F7LhdsR3k-Sn0qXHHEWeE66jvcvU3cITfoSeBVulw98wH5fHHoUHaoEuTqEN69Qb6Ac4ReftwK1-GUmBmqHMJNIEf_D3z-B4o-3ExuGarfuSa-OPHXWyqnk69J6fF5f3iEcg6tV5HzNljCCaedQRsi0IQaNrIazLgg22mnSDJ8e_wbAAD__wkddQc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNESCO</a> revealing a concerning drop of 14% in global aid to education. Yet, we all want to see a stable and prosperous Africa – a continent that deserves no less.
Still, Africa is falling even further behind. Estimates from <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszjGu8yAQBODTQIdldsFAQZHG14g2sI7RH-MEnOQ__pOfXjPFN9JocgSfzDhJjtoZr62ZPMg1WtaTM5oZ_GI8Qsg4ucA8IupsNcgSJ49wC0DBOpev2ju0ow8A4JIwYy-Z_5WX2qg8uHXlnPE5OJus-p_7Zx3OQj7iehzPLvAiYBYwf7_f4V25p33Y213AfOdNNX7u7RAwcz0jvxMdZa9qKZVqYrlxLqQaP5g6q5LjL1z_QOAlWAyTbHGhtlKllV5vbrRuVLUw4_18MqR9k_1ozNu54BE06IWUcYjKIBh1Q2-UGycgrxfMyPIT4ScAAP__xXhhVQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNESCO</a> indicate that, worldwide, there is a US$100 billion funding gap to reach the goal for universal education as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with US$70 billion of this gap found in sub-Saharan Africa.
<a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw0kcGSsyAQhJ8Gb5PCAQUPHlL7l0-w961JmAgVxSyQuHv5n31Lk5z6a5rpw4zr0Z61bCvua6Nt3ejWYuV7bUja1intVGc66xBtXbPsjK2lc11Thb61Ck8dUtcY475qa1QjbYeI5iy0zMHxNXzDTGHilMEYbV1nmnMDPy4__GELqqn3pdyyUEeBg8BhXdfDuqTJnSheD0saBQ4cBQ6R1yxwuCXOGRJPTJkFDigRBQ6y3VgJHIyE5QK1hF-mBMvkMsRlhRBhYkoxxBFuy4NT-YV7pNPEUBZITA4oOrhHxymXDQlymG9bzj9FoBLq-F-o4-7Uv0_PAhuU79LdvIp3dlRoBx9GP4XRl7zb8hrMfjlf98GPTx-e2UsyuU0_dnO6l2e2i3n-oCkvO6xpieOhmtkFem8Fguv3h6_3mtSxa1TXVqm_UPIUydP3nRP5mWIttBy3UxzOy1zlkpjnrcEqrLG-EGijFGiFGk7KajCyRbL1RTnF1aPHvwAAAP___B-woQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Learning poverty</a> is a concerning global trend. Nowhere is this more pressing than across Africa. Around four out of five African children cannot read or understand a simple text by age 10, according to <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszkGO3CAQheHT4F21TBU2sGAxUuRrjKqhPKBp22nA7eT2UUez_Z709KeALppxHiRoa5yezOxwyEH86rzXMxut50QmsSenbVzZIaeEQwmzI7x7ZD9Zmz61szSNziOijcqMrST5Lk_YuDykNrDWuOTtFCf4k9or397D8Ai5999N0YfCReFyXdft3KXF43bUL4WL7AoXrr3EhzSFy5Phytzh73HCLpLgez8u4Ptxdmidu4CkM3Ivxw681hJZ0ZLPu6JfZGjYJBWGKg_hJlBS-A-fP6Dow0_k56GGlWvmnTM_T6mcN961MuPXO_oWj21ovYps7wdHqFGvDMYSgSE0cCdnwI4zstMrJZLhFfBfAAAA___knHDG" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNESCO</a>, and many struggle with basic numeracy skills.
Compounding challenges like conflict, climate change and forced displacement are derailing development gains and impeding access to life-saving education in humanitarian crises – an investment that is indispensable to achieve peace and economic prosperity. According to the recent global estimates study by Education Cannot Wait (<a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszcGuozAMheGnIbsgYofEWWTRTV-jcmNToikwDbTM4496dbffkc4vGaj4IRjNLnpyow8EZs44hAIiyZF4Ii1uUhoDqAhKCuxMzYEQ7gk4jTHKzVHEcaAEALF0ftir6J_6sgvXp7bdxuhJUhzLaP_J_pn772CeeT6Ov3uHlw6uHVzP8-xV3oWPuq2F13U7Tq5Hv7VHB1ezqFS2TZ_Ku9oq-Qduv9DhJY2Ygml54jbzyjO_3tp4Xnh1nR8e32ZftsXsR1Ndvg-E4MBNbH1EtB7B2zuSt3EIwOQmFFTzyfA_AAD__4YvWuM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ECW</a>), about half of the world’s <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszj2O5CAUBODTQIYFDzAQEEzia1jP8NxG658eoMd7_JVHm35VKlWO4JORI6eonPHKmtED3yJQpuS8ArO6QEBLskhZkglKoloWXuLoNSwBMFjn8qy801b6AAAuMSNbyfSnfIsDy061CeeMz8HZZMXf3H624Qn4Hrfe343pLwYTg-m-74HyJ2Ev15nwPK9-Y-nDVV8MplY6NQZTphU_e2cwrWX_FZBghVQMptd-LbjP1Ho5sFObK72v2uenMbzzyg_KBUWlnbCRKDn-wvwfmP4KVoeR17hi3fDEDb8_VHE78FTMyNfze0jXwVuvRMez4DUoUCsK47QWRoMRi_ZGODkCerXqrIn_RPgXAAD__yXvcnI" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">234 million crisis-impacted school-aged children</a> reside in sub-Saharan Africa.
An entire generation is being left behind. “Although 75 million more African children are enrolled in school today compared to 2015, the number of out-of-school children has increased by 13.2 million to over 100 million during the same period,” according to the <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszkGO3CAQheHT4F21TBU2sGAxUuRrjKqhPKBp22nA7eT2UUez_Z709KeALppxHiRoa5yezOxwyEH86rzXMxut50QmsSenbVzZIaeEQwmzI7x7ZD9Zmz61szSNziOijcqMrST5Lk_YuDykNrDWuOTtFCf4k9or397D8Ai5999N0YfCReFyXdft3KXF43bUL4WL7AoXrr3EhzSFy5Phytzh73HCLpLgez8u4Ptxdmidu4CkM3Ivxw681hJZ0ZLPu6JfZGjYJBWGKg_hJlBS-A-fP6Dow0_k56GGlWvmnTM_T6mcN961MuPXO_oWj21ovYps7wdHqFGvDMYSgSE0cCdnwI4zstMrJZLhFfBfAAAA___knHDG" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2025 Transforming Learning and Skills Development in Africa</a> report.
You cannot have sustainable economic growth without stability. And you cannot achieve stability without education. Africa is a continent on the move, a continent of forced displacement as a consequence of armed and violent conflicts, as well as climate change. 
“In 2020, 21 million Africans were living in another African country. Since 1990, the number of African migrants living outside of the region has more than doubled, with the growth in Europe most pronounced. In 2020, most African-born migrants living outside the region were residing in Europe (11 million), Asia (nearly 5 million) and North America (around 3 million),” according to the <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw8jjmu4zAQBU8jZi1QzRaXgMFPfA2jJbZMYrTYFMee4w80y0-rCg8vRfQzaaskDo78MJL1qHKczGRpSSnQZMbJE3rydgmobdA-SVIlWm9wCshhdC7dB-_MqH1ARDd3pM-S5Ed5wcZllXqCc-RTcOM8wq90vnN_CbXG3Nrz7MxXh7cOb5-jrmkrj8qtHHuV51FbX46tL3u7dOYGH4F0_G_hO4a_NaBGgjnzs0kF0-GNl1pmVpukwlBlFT4FSop_wP0f6MxXGE2wqsaFa-adM79-SuW88T50pB_X334-NnW2KrJdC97ggMPCQM4YIIMEk_EETltkPywmGVHviL8DAAD__xyeb7U" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Migration Report</a>.
Our collective failure to respond to this pressing education crisis will have dire global consequences.
The situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Just look at the terrifying situation unravelling in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This region has been plagued by violence for decades, but it’s gotten much, much worse in recent months.
In all, there are an estimated <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw0z01u5CAQhuHTwK5aUIDBCxbZ9DWiMpQDav8k4HbP8UfO9OxKb0mP9OWIIVk1SI7a26CdHQLKEhHnSU1-dll51JQMmjT6mTQlUsMcZI1DMDiNSKPzPn_q4I1TYUREn4RVvWZ-1B9YqS7cOnhvQx69Sw7-5H6W2_WQSyzH8d2F-RB4F3h_vV63TicfhVOpS2683fb2JfD-7ALvNO3PA37PlXMloC3Dxq8roEIH3417h8YLU-er5pZgP7mB8U4pBf9VuKCeyr4vsO3tKPCo5xNa7Q_5j34jUHP8DZ_vIMzH6Mw4yBZnaoU2KvTz5EZlpU0Lq76uZbe0r7IfjXm9hGBQo54JrDcGrEELkwkWvBqQgp5NNizPiH8DAAD__wHzfgo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3.5 million</a> forcibly displaced children in DRC today. Millions risk unimaginable violations of their human rights, including killing, maiming, abduction and forced recruitment into armed groups. There are also unconscionable accounts of sexual violence against girls. In eastern DRC, a child is reported raped every half an hour, according to <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw0z02uozAQBODTwK4jaNvYXrB4m1zjqXE32Bp-kjYJM7cfZTRv-5VUpeIRQ7Ld0MrYext6Z4eAbR7JeDdFnKYuWmM8p6mbg3SOeHLRUGjLOASDU0SKznv-7oM3rgsREX1qbFcLy6_yhI3KKlrBexs4epcc_Ob6zrdP0K5jPs9HbcxXg_cG79d13V57STLfDl0avD9UagWVVahKbfCeclkZVB6HnsKg9BAGeYv-gUzrDPl4KQjVU3QH1gTvcqyyJwGlRSrQVhgWPa6yLzC_di770m7ChX5WoPD4D77_Q2O-ojNxaHWcSTPtlOn5EqW80d43tls-X27p2Np6qsj2aQgGe-xnAuuNAWvQwmSCBd8NSKGfDRtp3yP-DQAA___DOXvN" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNICEF</a>.
How can we tolerate the magnitude and depth of young girls and boys being systematically raped and killed? “More than 79 million girls and women – over 1 in 5 – across sub-Saharan Africa have experienced rape or sexual assault before turning 18,” according to <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw0z02u4yAQBODT4F1H0ICBhRdv42s8daAdM-OfPNpOcvyRRzPbr6QqVRkwZqf7jgcTXDTe9RG7eTCYvY5Za75bjVMkTVYnH7XvJ5-M7urQR4v3hJR8COXbxGC9jgkRQ1ZOSy38u_7ASnXhJhCCiyUFnz18irzm2xV0yzAfx1OU_VI4Khzf7_ft3Grm6ba3h8KRhRSOz8Yi0HhhEhaF4_7iBiHBWpel7hs8alsEaCvw3lfeQM47CM3UaAOaWs100S_OBxdo9GTYGwh_TlqAROhcjm7lUun_CNQy_IXvf6DsV_I29V0bJmozbTTTz8mN5pU2o5x-XIdueV87ORrzejVEiwbNROCCteAsOrjb6CDoHimayRbL3WvAPwEAAP__MTB7uQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNICEF</a>. Let’s put that number in perspective. That’s more than the total population of Australia and Spain combined.
For the children living in the midst of this chaos and fear, the options are limited. For girls, it’s a future as a child bride, continued poverty and early pregnancies. For boys, it might look like forced recruitment into terrorist organizations and other armed groups, forced labour or migration. For the world, this means growing forced displacement and migration, deeper and more widespread insecurity across the Global South, unstable markets, unstable populations and unstable futures.
The consequences of the war in Sudan
The situation in Sudan is soul-shattering and must end now. Recent estimates indicate that 30 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 16 million children. More than <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw8zk2OqzAQBODT2Dsju9u_Cy-y4RpRg5tgvUBebIjm-CNGo1nWV1KpSoY4W-0lZxNsNM76CHLNTrNPs3fsi5kWPUHSTKhnsqksCYOs2UeEKQElF0K5mxjQ6ZgAIMzC6l4L_6tvtVF9cusqBBtLCm526qv0zzpchXzm9Tj-d4E3AaOAsdBBw7mvcxte7SFg5F3A2Otx0lFfe7_CWWj_E7lxqaQaP5k6q1ryD9x_QeAtOUxetrxQW2mnld4nN1o32o2w-nHdGObXJvvRmLdrISIYMAspGxCVRbBqwmhV0B4omgULsvxk-A4AAP__uglhlA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">12 million people</a> have been displaced inside and outside Sudan since April 2023, straining education systems, budgets and capacity in neighbouring countries.
In all, the conflict and continuing challenges – including forced displacement, climate change, poverty and other factors – have left about 16.5 million children out of school in Sudan.
Education is the solution
As the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises in the United Nations, Education Cannot Wait (<a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszcGuozAMheGnIbsgYofEWWTRTV-jcmNToikwDbTM4496dbffkc4vGaj4IRjNLnpyow8EZs44hAIiyZF4Ii1uUhoDqAhKCuxMzYEQ7gk4jTHKzVHEcaAEALF0ftir6J_6sgvXp7bdxuhJUhzLaP_J_pn772CeeT6Ov3uHlw6uHVzP8-xV3oWPuq2F13U7Tq5Hv7VHB1ezqFS2TZ_Ku9oq-Qduv9DhJY2Ygml54jbzyjO_3tp4Xnh1nR8e32ZftsXsR1Ndvg-E4MBNbH1EtB7B2zuSt3EIwOQmFFTzyfA_AAD__4YvWuM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ECW</a>) and its strategic partners are making a value proposition to increase humanitarian funding for education in Africa and beyond. In doing so, we contribute to joint programming on education, hence the broader goal of peace, stability and economic development.
There is a strong economic argument to be made. Africa is the youngest, fastest growing continent on earth – 6 out of 10 people are under the age of 25.
Within all that youth and energy lies opportunity. According to the <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszksOozAQBNDT2Dsj3G7_Fl5kwzWiBjfBCp_EEJjjjxjNsl5JpcoJwoCtk5y0x6AtugBySuhCG6PFqIeASK4d2YyODEc79g6cLMkFA30Eitb7_NTBG9uGCAB-ENjuJfO7fNVCZea6K-8x5OjtYNWfvJ9TcxdyTtNxfHZhHgI6Ad11Xc211Tn3tL6brb4EdLwK6I7tU4Y75N9AR9lu206uZ-FLLpwLqcoz086q5PQPnv9BmEe0JjpZ00h1opUm-v640rTQqgW2r_tKM2yL3I_KvNwLwYAGPZJCb4xCA6h6E1D51gEFPZpsWJ4J_gYAAP__a-Zh-Q" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Bank</a>, there is a 10% increase in hourly earnings for every extra year of schooling.
At the same time, taken at a macro-economic level, the opportunity costs are unprecedented. “This generation of students now risks losing a combined total of <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw0j8GOrCAQRb8Gd9WBAgQXLmbjb0wKKVsyCg7Y7czfv_iS2Z3USereG0f0s5F9x6Nyxitreo_dOhodQmQ14LygjjMFHqTtfW8kW3Q2dGnsvcYwIA3WufipvNNW-gER3SyMbCnyV_qGndLGtYFzxsfB2dnCT2zv9XGLbhvX8zya0B8CJ4HTdV2Pq9QtBspfj1KfAifOAqfMVxM4HZVbg8obU2OBE0pEgZPsb9YCJyehLKAk_DJVKFtskMsFKcPGVHPKTzjKm-v5C69MYWM4C1SmCJQjvHLk2s4bCVraj9vzz9ntHBP95UKK4__D518R_TFYPfRdHReqK2Va6fvFldadshJGPu-xj7nsXTsr835_8BoVqoXAOK3BaDQQtDfgZI_k1aKj5u494r8AAAD__y-8gyE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US$21 trillion in lifetime earnings</a> in present value, or the equivalent of 17% of today’s global GDP – a sharp rise from the 2021 estimate of a US$17 trillion loss.”
The returns on investment in sub-Saharan Africa may be even more substantial, with some <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJwszk1uwyAQxfHTwA7LzPC5YJGNrxFhmAQUOzTgJO3tq1Td_p709M8BXFKz4RSkVU5qZRzwEoxR4JDAoNdR--QxOr2iXGefDCXgNRiHsHqIXlubz9JZ1LPzAGATU_OomW71IfZYN-pDWKtc9lYnLb7zeJXpM_AtlOP4GgxPDBYGy41-pqNQ7e_Wtzy1fmWwdBrt2RMNBguldm97TeLa2_sofKdco-i0URwkag5_cP4Hhiev0RvewyX2Eu-xxMeTeix7vEum5uunYkpt5-PoRPvnwSFIkJcolEUUCkGJFZ0SdjYQnbxgRuKvAL8BAAD__8znYOE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">analyses</a> indicating that every US$1 invested in tripling pre-primary education enrolment can generate up to US$33 in returns.
A lasting legacy
Education – as a transformative, immediate, life-saving and long-term investment –breaks cycles of poverty, displacement and conflict. Only then can we achieve peace, stability and economic development.
Deep inside us, we all agree that we can do better as a global community. We all know, instinctively, that the world would be a better place if we reduced global military spending – topping <a href="https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJw0z8FutSAQBeCngd3cwICCCxbd-BrNCKOSX9GC9vZ_--bepNuZk_PlpIA-WtVLDtpZrzvbe5Rr8I7MPEdl-uh1r-ZImtwUJxdRI86TzKH3BqcBaeicS5_aO9MpPyCii8KqlhP_y1-wU964NnDO-jS4Lnbwk9r3-ng95BbW6zqbMB8CR4Hj8_l8tHzW_DjqInDcOWUSOJ6VW4PKG1NjgSMq7ASOdzkrR05cLk5Qc2NYtmOiDfa85Yvqf-Cfk0vK110Z-K7HyVSASoI9p7QxMLUL2jtTFmh3XbjJN_vHQU7hffj8883H0JmhlzXMVFcqtNLXzZXWnYoWVi2vbY947LJdlXl_NXiDGvVMYJ0xYA1amIy34FSP5PVskmH5HfA3AAD__7GdgTY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US$2.7 trillion</a> – and instead invested in education, health, governance, infrastructure and livelihoods. We do know that we can be creative and turn vision into practical results. All it takes is investing just 0.02% (US$600 million) of this into education – and similar amounts into other sectors – which, together, provide the transformational power to build stability, spread peace and generate significant economic returns. This is not just logic. This is a legacy worth living.
 
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Excerpt: Africa Day Statement by Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif]]></content:encoded>
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<title>1 in 4 Jobs will be Transformed by Generative AI</title>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 16:44:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Oritro Karim</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has increased efficiency and output across numerous industries. However, labour organizations have expressed concern over AI’s ability to radically transform jobs around the world. Generative AI has been designed to mimic human cognitive functions and has the ability to process large amounts of data at a time. Unlike job automation from […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="190" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Chat-GPT-is_-300x190.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Chat-GPT-is_-300x190.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Chat-GPT-is_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Chat GPT is one of the most widely used generative AI systems in the world, estimated to have nearly 400 million active weekly users. Credit: Sanket Mishra/PexelsBy Oritro Karim UNITED NATIONS, May 26 2025 (IPS) Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has increased efficiency and output across numerous industries. However, labour organizations have expressed concern over AI’s ability to radically transform jobs around the world.

Generative AI has been designed to mimic human cognitive functions and has the ability to process large amounts of data at a time. Unlike job automation from previous decades, generative AI is able to facilitate decision-making processes, reshaping a variety of industries. Even jobs in creative fields, which were historically believed to be immune from automation, are now under direct threat from the emergence of generative AI tools. 
On May 20, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released a comprehensive study which details the impacts that generative AI usage has on jobs worldwide. Expanding on figures from <a href="https://www.ilo.org/publications/generative-ai-and-jobs-global-analysis-potential-effects-job-quantity-and#:~:text=Working%20paper%2096-,Generative%20AI%20and%20Jobs:%20A%20global%20analysis%20of%20potential%20effects,on%20dialogue%20and%20adequate%20regulation." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2023’s edition</a>, this year’s report uses “more refined” data collection tools for analyzing the impact of generative AI on employment shares, including both human studies and AI systems, covering nearly 30,000 tasks .
The report, titled <a href="https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-05/Research brief_GenAI 2025 Update.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure</a>, seeks to analyze rates of job transformation worldwide as a result of generative AI integration and help policymakers prepare for risks in job security and economy. Additionally, ILO urges employers and industries to consider ways to use generative AI tools to maximize productivity and job satisfaction.
“By combining human insight, expert review, and generative AI models, we’ve created a replicable method that helps countries assess risk and respond with precision,” said ILO Senior Researcher and lead author of the study Pawel Gmyrek. 
“It’s easy to get lost in the AI hype. What we need is clarity and context. This tool helps countries across the world assess potential exposure and prepare their labour markets for a fairer digital future,” said Janine Berg, the Senior Economist at the ILO.
A major objective of the 2025 report was to distinguish between job augmentation and automation. It states that human labour will likely be a part of job markets for the foreseeable future. Workers are far more likely to have their responsibilities changed as generative AI adopts their duties with higher rates of efficiency. 
“Currently, the main risk from generative AI is not the ‘end of work’, but rather the rapid and uncontrolled transformation of certain occupations,” Gymrek tolf IPS. “…The real challenge is to manage this transformation in a way that ensures job quality and prevents a widening of social, gender, and income inequalities.” 
However, this year’s edition states that roughly one in four workers worldwide are at risk of automation due to generative AI, marking a significant increase from the 2023 edition. Additionally, higher-income countries are estimated to be at a higher risk of widespread automation. 
It has also been found that workers in clerical fields are most commonly exposed to automation. Many of the responsibilities of these jobs, such as filing paperwork, scheduling appointments, answering phone calls, and managing records, can be facilitated much more efficiently by AI systems. In fields where technology already plays a key role, such as media, software and finance, AI is also effecting change.
“While most jobs still need human input, how much a job changes also depends on how digital it already is. Software development, for example, is already closely tied to AI and digital tools, so it may evolve further with GenAI. But jobs like administrative support in small offices, where digital tools are used less often, could face bigger disruptions – either because individual tasks get replaced by GenAI, or because entirely new tools are introduced that automate the whole workflow,” said Gmyrek.
Other office jobs such as media developers and software specialists have been greatly impacted, showing higher averages in terms of automation. This has been attributed to the increase of functional capability that generative AI systems have developed in the past two years. AI systems have improved in terms of media processing power and decision-making, allowing them to handle a much broader range of tasks than ever before.
Despite this, the report shows that in clerical fields, there are certain responsibilities that can only be handled by humans. The report underscores that as technological advancements develop and impact global industries, new roles are expected to emerge. 
On the other hand, it is believed that specialized positions such as jobs in maintenance, installation, repair, construction, food production, and personal care, face the lowest average risks of AI exposure. According to figures from the <a href="https://www.commerce.nc.gov/news/the-lead-feed/generative-ai-and-future-work" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">North Carolina Department of Commerce, Labor, & Economic Analysis Division (LEAD)</a>, occupations involving physical labor have much lower average exposure scores than clerical positions. Generative AI is less effective in industry-specific roles making the full extent of its impacts on these fields unknown.
According to the ILO report, nearly all countries are at equal risk of job augmentation from the rise of generative AI, indicating that the world has the ability to harness the increased efficiency from AI in a beneficial way that doesn’t harm workers. However, higher-income countries on average show the highest average rates of exposure to AI automation, with around 5.5 percent risk. Lower-income countries are only at a 0.4 percent risk. 
Automation as a result of generative AI usage generally affects women at significantly higher rates than men. This gender disparity is attributed to the fact that women tend to work in high-exposure jobs more commonly than men. ILO estimates that high-exposure jobs compose approximately 9.6 percent of female jobs, compared to 3.5 percent among men. 
Despite these disparities, it is imperative that policymakers and corporations around the world remain dedicated to facilitating a smooth and fair transition, one that harnesses the new advancements in efficiency and values human labour. Furthermore, ILO emphasizes the importance of social protections for workers as human labour is indispensable for situations that require specialized practice, ethical considerations, and creativity. They warn that without these considerations, and if efforts are not made for the workforce to evolve with generative AI and integrate new tasks, then even partial automation could lead to a decline in overall job demand in the fields with high exposure to AI automation.
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>As Climate Change Threatens, Maldives Is No Island Paradise</title>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 14:18:29 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Robbie Newton</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Every year, thousands of couples choose to spend their honeymoon in the Maldives. Tucked in the Indian Ocean, this tropical atoll nation consistently ranks among the world’s most desirable destinations for newlyweds. But beyond the crystal-clear waters and pristine, white-sand beaches, local communities are facing a far harsher reality: a growing water crisis driven by […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="225" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/maldiveswater-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="As tourism booms in the Maldives, climate change is creating a water crisis for islanders—exposing deep inequalities and human rights concerns" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/maldiveswater-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/maldiveswater.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/maldiveswater-200x149.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Climate change impacts, are already placing a considerable strain on the Maldives' natural freshwater sources, like groundwater and rainwater. Credit: ShutterstockBy Robbie Newton GENEVA, May 26 2025 (IPS) Every year, thousands of couples choose to spend their honeymoon in the Maldives. Tucked in the Indian Ocean, this tropical atoll nation consistently ranks among the world’s most <a href="https://nypost.com/article/best-honeymoon-destinations-per-experts/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nypost.com/article/best-honeymoon-destinations-per-experts/?utm_source%3Dchatgpt.com&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw3dkmUY74wo2SOHqHepH0rk"> desirable</a> destinations for newlyweds.
But beyond the crystal-clear waters and pristine, white-sand beaches, local communities are facing a far harsher reality: a growing water crisis driven by climate change. While tourists sip cocktails in overwater bungalows, some neighboring islands are literally running out of fresh water.
Tourism <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/maldives/publication/maldives-development-update-2025#:~:text=Tourism%2C%20representing%20about%2021%20percent,per%20tourist%20has%20been%20moderating." data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/maldives/publication/maldives-development-update-2025%23:~:text%3DTourism%252C%2520representing%2520about%252021%2520percent,per%2520tourist%2520has%2520been%2520moderating.&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw3P6ipGq_CCCIrPy79Gkjph"> accounts</a> for more than 20 percent of Maldives’ GDP and is likely to grow, with President Mohamed Muizzu recently visiting the United Kingdom to <a href="https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/33405" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/33405&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw1mFVxP4ZQvIZmOegkpPITJ">promote</a> a new “Visit Maldives” campaign. But the boom in tourism belies the looming existential crisis facing this South Asian nation.
Climate-financing countries have an obligation under the Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change, to provide “continuous and enhanced” financial support and technical assistance to small island nations, like the Maldives, that bear the brunt of a global climate crisis 
Scattered across 1,192 islands and 26 atolls, the Maldives is the world’s <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148158/preparing-for-rising-seas-in-the-maldives" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148158/preparing-for-rising-seas-in-the-maldives&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw1DOdDu3RgCp36LQMPiRyjO"> lowest lying</a> country. The majority of its islands are less than half a meter above sea-level and scientists warn that at the current rate of climate change, large swathes of the Maldives archipelago could become <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148158/preparing-for-rising-seas-in-the-maldives.?utm_source=chatgpt.com" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148158/preparing-for-rising-seas-in-the-maldives.?utm_source%3Dchatgpt.com&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw3Tj8VGUdpteKOIp-S33o3f"> uninhabitable</a> by 2050.
An even more immediate threat is the lack of access to clean, safe, and affordable water. Climate change <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGII_Chapter15.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGII_Chapter15.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw2_xNdOcWgO_kM15sYOKdD5"> impacts</a>, such as saline intrusion, sea-level rise, and drought, are already placing a considerable strain on natural freshwater sources, like groundwater and rainwater.
While resort islands and urban centers – like the capital, Malé – benefit from desalination, imported bottled water, and more sophisticated water infrastructure, many remote islands face shortages as rainwater tanks are drying up and groundwater is becoming increasingly saline and contaminated.
The Maldives’ tourism secret to success could well be its 1978 <a href="https://www.tourism.gov.mv/dms/document/2c416b0d5af4e157efb737d242a95f93.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tourism.gov.mv/dms/document/2c416b0d5af4e157efb737d242a95f93.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw1bHwRydjDNRq0TQv1750G1"> “one island, one resort”</a> policy, offering a unique sense of exclusivity and privacy to its 130 resort islands. However, that image sold to tourists is world’s away from the lived reality of many Maldivians. It has meant that the honeymooner or social media influencer can remain blissfully unaware of the water crisis that may be playing out on a neighboring non-resort island.
A recent Human Rights Watch report focusing on two islands affected by water shortages, Kanditheem and Nolhivaranfaru, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/05/14/maldives-communities-lack-equitable-access-water" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/05/14/maldives-communities-lack-equitable-access-water&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw2EBFDXHXcYFBFsSfi7SKK_"> found</a> that despite government efforts to address water shortages, many marginalized communities still face significant barriers to accessing clean, safe, and affordable water.
On both islands, the Maldivian government recently initiated water projects, <a href="https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/funding-proposal-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/funding-proposal-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw3UmHRyb-P47w95EnePDFRO"> supported</a> by climate funding, to introduce Integrated Water Resource Management systems, combining desalination, rainwater harvesting, and groundwater recharge to diversify the islands’ water sources.
While they look good on paper, these projects have suffered from systemic faults that have exacerbated inequalities in accessing water in the Maldives. Issues include inadequate consultations with affected communities, poor government monitoring, and elevated water bills for users. Islanders on Nolhivaranfaru said that many of the houses that were meant to be covered by the project lacked water connections for over two years after the project was initiated.
This caused islanders to continue relying on groundwater, even though they said it was “foul-smelling” and believed it to be contaminated. In Kanditheem, the water system, which should have been completed over two and half years ago, still lacks a functioning water testing lab despite it being a regulatory requirement.
Having historically relied on rainwater and groundwater, which were largely free, islanders are now forced to incur an additional financial burden – in a context where they’re already very stretched.
Agricultural workers are particularly affected. A farmer on Kanditheem said that if the groundwater becomes too saline, they won’t be able to afford to pay for desalinated water for irrigation and would lose their livelihoods.
The remote outer islands in the Maldives have <a href="https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/funding-proposal-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/funding-proposal-fp007-undp-maldives.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw3UmHRyb-P47w95EnePDFRO"> higher poverty rates</a> than the more populated islands like Malé and Addu. In addition, communities living on these islands are often not adequately consulted about key decision-making processes, including surrounding <a href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/10/18/we-still-havent-recovered/local-communities-harmed-reclamation-projects-maldives" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/10/18/we-still-havent-recovered/local-communities-harmed-reclamation-projects-maldives&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw1FFkP_w87z_FKTMnkfgHIN"> development projects</a> on their own islands.
The result is that infrastructure projects like these often suffer from chronic shortcomings and risk widening existing inequities within the country, instead of narrowing them.
The climate crisis is not a distant reality to island communities in the Maldives – it’s an everyday struggle, which requires the support of the international community. Climate-financing countries have an <a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw2BR3R34OatH_3cY0HH1G1p">obligation</a> under the Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change, to provide “continuous and enhanced” financial support and technical assistance to small island nations, like the Maldives, that bear the brunt of a global climate crisis.
High-income governments should also create the conditions globally for the Maldives and similarly situated countries to have the fiscal space to raise resources to fund climate adaptation measures like water projects.
At the same time, the Maldives government has an obligation under international and <a href="https://www.environment.gov.mv/v2/en/download/11340" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.environment.gov.mv/v2/en/download/11340&source=gmail&ust=1748348030943000&usg=AOvVaw1uU6A-ENmhRSktNPL4dQcc">domestic law</a> to provide access to water for all its people. To do this effectively, it should ensure that its climate adaptation efforts protect the rights of those most affected by the climate crisis, including by addressing systemic problems that have led to inequities in Maldivians’ access to water.
Robbie Newton is a senior Asia coordinator at Human Rights Watch.
 
 
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<title>COMMENTARY: Immigration Police Spread Dragnets Across U.S.</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/commentary-immigration-police-spread-dragnets-across-u-s/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=commentary-immigration-police-spread-dragnets-across-u-s</link>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 12:07:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Peter Costantini</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Headlines]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Human Rights]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Migration & Refugees]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[On May 21, I was in the Seattle immigration court accompanying a young mother from a South American country who was applying for asylum to a routine hearing. Local media had reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had arrested several people there the previous day. Immigration courts have long seemed to be relatively safe places […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="248" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/NevadaImmigrantCoalition-ICE-plainclothes-Instagram-300x248.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="A searing first-hand account of how immigration courts — once seen as safe — are becoming flashpoints for fear and quiet arrests. The line between legal process and targeted intimidation is vanishing" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/NevadaImmigrantCoalition-ICE-plainclothes-Instagram-300x248.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/NevadaImmigrantCoalition-ICE-plainclothes-Instagram-571x472.jpg 571w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/NevadaImmigrantCoalition-ICE-plainclothes-Instagram.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Poster shared by the Nevada Immigrant Coalition on Instagram warns that ICE agents may operate in plain clothes and be mistaken for other law enforcement.By Peter Costantini SEATTLE. US, May 26 2025 (IPS) On May 21, I was in the Seattle immigration court accompanying a young mother from a South American country who was applying for asylum to a routine hearing. Local media had reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had arrested several people there the previous day.
Immigration courts have long seemed to be relatively safe places where immigrants were unlikely to be arrested, because they were already in the immigration legal system. [<a href="https://justice.gov/eoir">EOIR</a>] [<a href="https://ice.gov">ICE</a>]
While we were waiting, a group of four Haitians with a four-month-old baby sat down across from us. When I heard them speaking Kreyol and French, I introduced myself as someone who had lived in Haiti. We chatted briefly about their country and the immigration situation here, and smiled at the baby. Then they were called into court before us, and when they emerged, they seemed unperturbed by whatever was the outcome of their hearing.
This infernal Catch-22 is showing immigrants who have escaped from dangerous places that they have mistakenly entrusted their hopes to yet another gratuitously cruel police state for migrants. It is falsely branding all of them as criminals and dumping them into a rent-a-gulag of private for-profit prisons 
However, when they walked out of the waiting room, they were surrounded by a group of burly men in Northwest-style outdoor wear and ball caps who proved to be agents of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The officers wore nothing that identified them as ICE or police, and I did not see them display any badges or warrants. They operated quietly, apparently trying not to attract public attention. They did not arrest the baby and its father, but took the mother and the two other men.
The arrestees looked stricken but did not resist, and I don’t believe the police handcuffed them. The father was left holding the baby in a basket, stunned and unbelieving. Further down the hall, another group of officers arrested a man who spoke to them in Spanish, asking them not to arrest him and crying. They put handcuffs and leg shackles on him and wrestled him onto an elevator.
This brought the young woman I was accompanying and myself to tears, as it was designed to do. Fortunately, though, her case was not dismissed. She was granted a future court hearing and was not detained by ICE.
As they were designed to do, the arrests left other witnesses, many with children, fearing that they could be next. Remember, this is not a court where people had to go because they were accused of crimes; they were there to make their cases for asylum or other protections, or to change their address. They were following authorized paths of immigration.
Staff from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, a Seattle non-profit law office, circulated through the Federal Building explaining the new situation: the courts are now dismissing some immigrants’ cases at the request of the government. This might seem like a good thing for the immigrants, but it’s not: without an active case, most of these immigrants have no immigration status.
They are now vulnerable to being grabbed by ICE and placed in expedited removal, a form of rapid deportation without recourse to a judge. This provides la migra, as they are known in Spanish, with a new, unforeseen way to terrorize immigrants. [<a href="https://nwirp.org">NWIRP</a>]
The strategy of the Trump administration for immigrants with pending cases requesting authorized statuses such as asylum seems to be to deploy a variety of ways of questionable legality to summarily reject and remove them, or to make life so miserable here that the immigrants “self-deport”.
National and international media have reported similar arrests of immigrants after dismissing their cases across the country. [<a href="https://theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/22/ice-arrests-immigration-courts">Anguiano & Singh 5/22/2025</a>] As CBS News pointed out, expedited removal can be used to summarily deport immigrants “who entered the U.S. with the government’s permission at legal entry points”.
So it could possibly be applied to the nearly one million immigrants who entered the U.S. using a cell-phone app introduced by the Biden administration, which allowed them to enter with authorization. [<a href="https://cbsnews.com/news/ice-ending-migrants-court-cases-arrest-move-to-deport-them">Montoya-Galvez & Cavazos 5/23/2025</a>] Hundreds of thousands who entered under the auspices of other government programs may also be at risk.
This is not an immigration policy; it is the business end of an ethnic cleansing policy. It dovetails nicely with the long-term imperative of white sado-nationalists such as Trump’s Make America Great Again movement to try to reverse what they call “The Great Replacement” of white U.S.-born citizens by immigrants of color from Latin America, Africa and Asia.
As historian Mae Ngai of Columbia University told me in an interview, “I think there’s too many brown people in this country for [the Trump administration’s] tastes — that’s what it all comes down to.” [<a href="https://fpif.org/manufacturing-illegality-an-interview-with-mae-ngai">Costantini 1/16/2019</a>]
The Department of Homeland Security has introduced other new operations to threaten immigrants as well. In Nashville, Tennessee, the state Highway Patrol is reportedly running joint operations with ICE officers on the streets of immigrant neighborhoods.
According to New York Times columnist Margaret Renkle, ICE has been throwing “a wide, seemingly race-based net” to catch people who might appear to be immigrants with flurries of traffic stops for minor infractions by the state patrol. These stops allow ICE to check the immigration status of large numbers of local residents and detain some of them. [<a href="https://nytimes.com/2025/05/22/opinion/ice-raids-nashville-immigrants.html">Renkl 5/22/2025</a>]
Nashville is a city with a two-thirds Democratic electorate in a heavily Republican state. State Senator Jeff Yarbro told Renkle: “They were basically pulling someone new over every two minutes. That’s not a ‘public safety operation.’” And Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell commented: “What’s clear today is that people who do not share our values of safety and community have the authority to cause deep community harm.”
On top of other forms of arbitrary deprivation of immigrants’ rights, these new attacks are destroying any sense of safety for people who are trying to follow the rules. They already seem to be resulting in more fearful immigrants skipping appointments, and then being subject to even more certain arrest and removal.
This infernal Catch-22 is showing immigrants who have escaped from dangerous places that they have mistakenly entrusted their hopes to yet another gratuitously cruel police state for migrants. It is falsely branding all of them as criminals and dumping them into a rent-a-gulag of private for-profit prisons. More detainees will likely be rendered to El Salvador, Libya, South Sudan, and other human-rights-free zones and held without due process or <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/habeas_corpus#:~:text=A%20writ%20of%20habeas%20corpus,holds%20the%20defendant%20in%20custody">habeas corpus</a>.
The Statue of Liberty wept.
* * * 

Notes
For the past 40 years, I have volunteered with immigrants. Since the first Trump administration, I have accompanied them to court and other official appointments. Accompaniment is organized by local immigrant justice and human rights groups, and usually entails working with attorneys (which I am not) to support and inform immigrants, and interpreting between English and their languages (in my case, Spanish and French).
Immigration courts are run by the Executive Office for Immigration Review in the Department of Justice. They are administrative courts and not part of the judiciary branch. [<a href="https://justice.gov/eoir">EOIR</a>]
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the police agency within the Department of Homeland Security that enforces immigration laws in the interior of the country, while Customs and Border Protection (which includes the Border Patrol) handles enforcement from the border up to 100 miles inland. [<a href="https://ice.gov">ICE</a>] 

 
References
Dani Anguiano & Maanvi Singh. “Ice arrests at immigration courts across the US stirring panic: ‘It’s terrifying’”. London: The Guardian, May 22, 2025. 
<a href="https://theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/22/ice-arrests-immigration-courts">https://theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/22/ice-arrests-immigration-courts</a>
Peter Costantini. “Manufacturing illegality: An Interview with Mae Ngai”. Foreign Policy In Focus, January 16, 2019. 
<a href="https://fpif.org/manufacturing-illegality-an-interview-with-mae-ngai">https://fpif.org/manufacturing-illegality-an-interview-with-mae-ngai</a>
Legal Information Institute. “habeas corpus”. Cornell Law School, no date 
<a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/habeas_corpus#:~:text=A%20writ%20of%20habeas%20corpus,holds%20the%20defendant%20in%20custody">https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/habeas_corpus</a>
Camilo Montoya-Galvez & Nidia Cavazos. “ICE ending migrants’ court cases in order to arrest and move to deport them”. CBS News, May 23, 2025. 
<a href="https://cbsnews.com/news/ice-ending-migrants-court-cases-arrest-move-to-deport-them">https://cbsnews.com/news/ice-ending-migrants-court-cases-arrest-move-to-deport-them</a>
Margaret Renkl. “The ICE Raids in Nashville Aren’t About Public Safety”. New York Times, May 22, 2025. 
<a href="https://nytimes.com/2025/05/22/opinion/ice-raids-nashville-immigrants.html?smid=nytcore-android-share">https://nytimes.com/2025/05/22/opinion/ice-raids-nashville-immigrants.html</a>
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<title>Palestinians Call Out Israel’s Mission To Destroy Their History and Cultural Heritage in Gaza</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/palestinians-call-out-israels-mission-to-destroy-their-history-and-cultural-heritage-in-gaza/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=palestinians-call-out-israels-mission-to-destroy-their-history-and-cultural-heritage-in-gaza</link>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 10:32:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Catherine Wilson</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Armed Conflicts]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Editors' Choice]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[Humanitarian Emergencies]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[Middle East & North Africa]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainable Development Goals]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[TerraViva United Nations]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Gaza]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Gaza Strip]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[IPS UN Bureau]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[IPS UN Bureau Report]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Israel - Palestine]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.ipsnews.net/?p=190594</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Israel’s ongoing war of annihilation in Gaza has wiped out hospitals, schools, homes, water, and food, reducing the Palestinian territory to a wasteland and leaving a death toll of more than 53,000 people. But an equally lethal campaign has been unleashed against the foundations of Palestinian society and identity. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-1-Destruction-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2023-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="A brutal military onslaught by Israel since October 2023 has destroyed hospitals, homes, food, water, and sanitation in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, with an estimated death toll of more than 53,000 people. Credit: Hosny Salah" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-1-Destruction-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2023-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-1-Destruction-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2023-629x419.jpg 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-1-Destruction-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2023.jpg 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A brutal military onslaught by Israel since October 2023 has destroyed hospitals, homes, food, water, and sanitation in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, with an estimated death toll of more than 53,000 people. Credit: Hosny SalahBy Catherine Wilson LONDON, May 26 2025 (IPS) Israel’s ongoing war of annihilation in Gaza has wiped out hospitals, schools, homes, water, and food, reducing the Palestinian territory to a wasteland and leaving a death toll of more than 53,000 people. But an equally lethal campaign has been unleashed against the foundations of Palestinian society and identity.
The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has targeted libraries, repositories, and institutions of Palestinian culture and heritage in a mission to eradicate the history, literary accomplishments, and political and social existence of Palestine as a place and people. 
“The losses in Gaza are vast, incalculable, as we are still in the throes of a genocidal war that has already destroyed 70 percent of the Gaza Strip and killed or maimed 10 percent of its embattled population,” Raja Khalidi, Co-Administrator of the Khalidi Library, an Arab public library founded by the Khalidi family in East Jerusalem more than a century ago, told IPS. “So has the Israeli war machine in Gaza and the West Bank wrought indiscriminate destruction that threatens erasure of Palestinian written, architectural, and archaeological cultural heritage.”
In a recent report on the destruction of libraries, archives, and museums in Gaza since the conflict erupted in 2023, the solidarity organization <a href="https://librarianswithpalestine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/LAP-Gaza-Report-2024.pdf">Librarians and Archivists with Palestine (LAP) </a>stated that “the destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza impoverishes the collective identity of the Palestinian people, irrevocably denies them their history, and violates their sovereignty.”
“The greatest loss remains the normalization of the daily massacres of Gazans, including children. Every Palestinian life is a record, a history. The Zionist war machine realises this and the targeting of children, in particular, is an attempt at destroying the future narrative of Palestine,” Ahmad Almallah, a Palestinian poet who grew up in Bethlehem and now lives in Philadelphia in the United States, told IPS.
<div id="attachment_190596" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190596" class="size-full wp-image-190596" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-2-Children-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2024.jpg" alt="Palestinian children live their lives under Israeli siege in Gaza, December 2024. Credit: Hosny Salah" width="630" height="420" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-2-Children-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2024.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-2-Children-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2024-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-2-Children-in-Gaza-H-Salah-2024-629x419.jpg 629w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />Palestinian children live their lives under Israeli siege in Gaza, December 2024. Credit: Hosny Salah</div>
Bordered by Israel to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Gaza comprises 365 square kilometers of land that is home to about 2.1 million Muslim and Christian Palestinians who have lived under siege for more than half a century. Many Palestinians fled to Gaza following Israeli dispossession of their villages and homes during the Al-Nakba, or the ‘Catastrophe,’ in 1948. Then the territory was part of Egypt. Israel subsequently seized Gaza during the Six-Day War of 1967 until 1993, when the Oslo Accords made way for it to be administered by the Palestinian Authority.
The Islamic resistance organization, Hamas, then took power in 2005. Its launching of a raid and attack within Israel in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67039975">October 2023</a>, which resulted in the death of 1,200 Israelis with 251 taken hostage, triggered the current Gaza war. Since then, the IDF has sustained a relentless military onslaught leading to the obliteration of every facility for human habitation in Gaza and the escalation of a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-gaza-crisis-hunger-palestinians-war-9caf8f6eb19efe038c1fd50aa1d2d8ec">humanitarian crisis</a> due to lack of food, water, shelter, and medical services.
While a ceasefire began on 19 January, disputes between Israel and Hamas about progress in hostage and prisoner exchanges led to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq6yp5d5v9jo">ceasefire fracturing on 18 March</a>. The IDF resumed its offensive with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu further threatening to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-gaza-hamas-katz-annex-idf-palestinian-witkoff-rcna197434">annex parts of Gaza</a>.
This month <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/gaza/assessment">UNESCO</a> reported that Israel had destroyed 107 important cultural sites in the Palestinian enclave, including historic buildings, mosques, churches, and museums. And last year, LAP detailed the damage and destruction of <a href="https://librarianswithpalestine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/LAP-Gaza-Report-2024.pdf">22 libraries and archives</a>, including Gaza’s Central Archives, which contained valuable documentation of the enclave’s 150-year history. The Diana Tamari Sabbagh Library, which held tens of thousands of books, was also destroyed, as was the Omari Mosque and Library, which was built in the 7th century and held a major collection of rare books dating to the 14th century. Four university libraries in Gaza also suffered damage, including the Al-Quds Open University Library and the Jawaharlal Nehru Library of Gaza’s Al-Azhar University. Historical records destroyed in Gaza include those that proved Palestinian land and property ownership.
“Several years ago, the occupation destroyed the National Library in Gaza, razing its towering structure to the ground. With its destruction, the dream of creating a repository for both ancient and modern Palestinian works was obliterated. The site that once promised to preserve a rich cultural heritage became little more than a platform for displaying political party flags and leaders’ portraits,” Palestinian novelist <a href="https://internationaleonline.org/contributions/the-library-and-the-massacre-a-novelists-testimony-on-the-destruction-of-libraries-in-the-gaza-strip/">Yousri al-Ghoul </a>wrote in January.
<div id="attachment_190598" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190598" class="size-full wp-image-190598" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-3-Dan-Palraz-Great-Omari-Mosque-Gaza-2022.jpg" alt="The Omari Mosque in Gaza, portrayed in 2022, before its destruction by an Israeli attack in December 2023. Credit: Dan Palraz" width="630" height="674" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-3-Dan-Palraz-Great-Omari-Mosque-Gaza-2022.jpg 630w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-3-Dan-Palraz-Great-Omari-Mosque-Gaza-2022-280x300.jpg 280w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Image-3-Dan-Palraz-Great-Omari-Mosque-Gaza-2022-441x472.jpg 441w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" />The Omari Mosque in Gaza, portrayed in 2022, before its destruction by an Israeli attack in December 2023. Credit: Dan Palraz</div>
The current conflict continues attempts to erase Palestinian history and identity that began during the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-nakba-how-the-palestinians-were-expelled-from-israel-205151">Al-Nakba</a> when Palestinian homes and their contents were looted and destroyed.
“As a child of the first intifada in Palestine, even words, the raw material for books, were very dangerous toys to play with. The Israeli occupation banned using the word ‘Palestine,’ and children and teenagers caught inscribing the word on a wall were either shot dead or arrested and subjected to torture. But that didn’t stop Palestinians from writing the word and piling on it poems, literature, and personal and natural history,” Almallah said.
Together with this loss, Palestinian writers, intellectuals, artists, and journalists have been killed, putting in jeopardy the continuity of knowledge and culture within society and its transmission to the next generation. Those who have lost their lives since 2023 include the writer <a href="https://www.all4palestine.org/ModelDetails.aspx?gid=7&mid=121099&lang=en">Abdul Karim Hashash</a>, who has written many books on Palestinian poetry and culture, and <a href="https://madisonrafah.org/meca-colleague-and-friend-doaa-al-masri-killed-in-gaza/">Doaa Al-Masri</a>, Librarian at Gaza’s Edward Said Library.
In 2016 the International Criminal Court identified the desecration of a people’s cultural heritage as a <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2016/09/541172">war crime</a> in a case about Islamist attacks on UNESCO-protected monuments in Timbuktu in Mali. Subsequently, in 1954, the <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/heritage-armed-conflicts/1954-convention">Hague Convention</a>, an international treaty stipulating the protection of cultural property in armed conflicts, was established and has now been signed by 136 countries.
More recently, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67922346">South Africa</a> included allegations of cultural dispossession in the case it launched in 2023 of genocide by Israel in Gaza in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It will likely take the court years to reach a ruling. But in January last year, it issued initial orders to Israel to prevent and punish acts and public incitement to commit genocide by its military, an order that Israel continues to ignore.
“The international community has failed Palestinians; it has failed Gaza now! It has not done anything to stop the genocide and the massacring of children. I don’t expect they will do anything to save our books. But despite all Zionist attempts to silence them, we are witnessing Palestine becoming part of world heritage; Palestine is now everywhere!” Almallah declared.
In the meantime, there are important institutions in the region taking action to ensure the tactics of erasure will not succeed. In Jerusalem, the <a href="https://www.khalidilibrary.org/en">Khalidi Library</a>, which is home to a rich collection of thousands of books and Islamic manuscripts representing an Arab literary heritage over many centuries, is a testament to cultural resilience. It also conducts extensive manuscript conservation, restoration, and digitization work and has been a pillar of vibrant Palestinian scholarship, thought, and writing since the early twentieth century.
Khalidi emphasized that, looking ahead, in any reconstruction plan for post-war Gaza, “the first task will be for competent organizations, such as UNESCO, to launch a proper survey of the destruction of cultural heritage in Gaza… then ensure the future preservation and restoration or digitization of salvaged collections.”
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>South-South Cooperation: An Engine for Transformational Change in Achieving the 2030 Agenda</title>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 06:19:45 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Dima Al-Khatib</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[With just five years to 2030, the world stands at a pivotal juncture. The collective promises of our 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all – remain urgent and vital. Yet, progress is uneven, and in many areas, we risk falling short. Amid this global […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="135" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Director-Dima-Al-Khatib-300x135.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Director-Dima-Al-Khatib-300x135.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Director-Dima-Al-Khatib.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />UNOSSC Director Dima Al-Khatib addresses the 21st Session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation last year. UNOSSC serves as the Secretariat of the High-level Committee. Credit: UNTV
   
The 22nd session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation will be convened 27-30 May 2025 to review progress made in implementing the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, the New Directions Strategy, the Nairobi outcome document of the High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation and the Buenos Aires outcome document of the second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40).By Dima Al-Khatib UNITED NATIONS, May 26 2025 (IPS) With just five years to 2030, the world stands at a pivotal juncture. The collective promises of our 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all – remain urgent and vital. Yet, progress is uneven, and in many areas, we risk falling short.

Amid this global uncertainty, we must look not only at what is faltering, but also where the rays of hope are shine.
South-South and triangular cooperation brings hope.
Across continents and oceans, developing countries are rising – together. They are innovating, collaborating, and forging new paths toward sustainable development. It is in this context that the <a href="https://unsouthsouth.org/our-work/policy-and-intergovernmental-support/high-level-committee-on-south-south-cooperation/22nd-session/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">22nd session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation</a> convenes under the theme: “Accelerating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: South-South Cooperation as a Driver for Transformation.”
This theme is not only timely; it is inspiring. South-South cooperation has emerged as a dynamic force, reshaping the global development landscape and offering new pathways to shared prosperity. It is a testament to the ingenuity, solidarity, and resilience of countries of the Global South – powerful agents of change.
Addressing Shared Challenges Through Collective Action
The world today faces complex, interconnected crises: persistent poverty, widening inequalities, the climate emergency, and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, among others. These challenges do not know borders, and no country can tackle them alone. South-South cooperation offers a powerful model for collective action – one that is inclusive, adaptable, and rooted in the lived experiences of developing countries.
A recent example is the African Union’s Peace Fund, which allocated $7 million to support peace initiatives in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other countries facing instability.1 This commitment demonstrates how regional organizations of the Global South are mobilizing resources and expertise to address development challenges through solidarity and shared responsibility. 
By supporting knowledge sharing and capacity-building activities, among others, the Peace Fund is helping to lay the groundwork for sustainable development and regional stability.
South-South cooperation also thrives in sectoral partnerships. For instance, Brazil and India have collaborated on satellite technology to monitor deforestation and boost agricultural production, while Mexico has invested in food security and job creation programs in Honduras and El Salvador, benefitting over 40,000 people.2 These efforts underscore the diversity and adaptability of South-South solutions.
Leveraging Innovation and Digital Transformation
The digital divide continues to deepen. Over 2.6 billion people – most of them women and girls – remain offline, excluded from education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
The promise of digital transformation must not become the privilege of the few. This is why South-South cooperation matters now more than ever.
Across the Global South, countries are harnessing digital technologies to leapfrog traditional development barriers. For example, AI is being deployed to strengthen early warning systems for climate resilience in Dominica, to improve crop forecasting with satellite data in Kenya, and to support multilingual education platforms in India. 
In Brazil, AI is helping optimize public health responses, while Rwanda is using AI-driven tools to expand financial services to rural communities. When developed and deployed ethically, AI can offer scalable, low-cost solutions tailored to local realities.
UNOSSC’s <a href="https://southsouth-galaxy.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">South-South Galaxy</a> platform is a living repository of such solutions, connecting practitioners and policymakers; and the <a href="https://southsouth-galaxy.org/sstc-solutions-lab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">South-South and Triangular Cooperation Solutions Lab</a> is incubating and scaling up successful initiatives. From mobile banking in East Africa to e-governance initiatives in Asia, digital transformation is expanding opportunities and empowering communities.
Science, technology, and innovation (STI) are great equalizers – if we ensure equitable access. Artificial Intelligence holds enormous potential to transform development: optimizing crop yields, predicting disease outbreaks, advancing renewable energy. But it also brings real risks – of deepening inequality, displacing jobs, and eroding trust.
To ensure AI and frontier technologies serve people and planet, we must shape them with inclusive governance, ethical foresight, and robust international cooperation.
South-South and triangular partnerships are critical to this effort. By pooling resources, knowledge, and talent, countries in the Global South can leapfrog outdated systems and build resilient, inclusive digital economies. The Havana Declaration, adopted by the Group of 77 and China, underscored this collective commitment to harnessing STI for sustainable development.
The Transformative Power of South-South Cooperation
South-South cooperation is grounded in mutual respect, solidarity, and partnership. It is about countries with similar challenges and aspirations coming together to find solutions that work in their own contexts. Across the Global South, we see a myriad of homegrown innovations that are making a tangible difference. UNOSSC is proud to mandate trust funds that are scaling up these innovations.
The <a href="https://unsouthsouth.org/unfssc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">United Nations Fund for South-South Cooperation</a> stands a beacon of this spirit. Over the past 30 years, 47 government entities have contributed to the Fund. Working in partnership with 45 United Nations entities, projects and initiatives supported by the Fund have reached over 70 countries and benefited people in 155 countries and territories globally — strengthening institutions, building capacity, and fostering lasting cooperation.
For example, thanks to the partnership with the Government of China, under the Global Development Initiative, over 1,000 development practitioners from 100+ countries have been trained in cross-border e-commerce and digitalization.
Since its establishment in 2017, the <a href="https://unsouthsouth.org/indiaunfund/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">India-UN Development Partnership Fund</a> has supported more than 75 demand-driven, transformational projects in 56 developing countries, with a strong focus on Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. Its initiatives range from strengthening climate resilience in Pacific Island nations, to expanding renewable energy in Africa, and supporting pandemic response in the Caribbean.
During the COVID-19 crisis, the India-UN Fund quickly mobilized resources to provide medical supplies and personal protective equipment to 15 countries, demonstrating the speed and responsiveness that South-South cooperation can deliver in times of crisis.
Similarly, the <a href="https://unsouthsouth.org/ibsafund/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IBSA Fund</a> – a unique partnership among India, Brazil, and South Africa – has supported over 40 projects in more than 35 countries, focusing on poverty reduction, food security, access to clean water, education, and gender equality. 
In Haiti, the IBSA Fund supported the construction of community health centers and the establishment of a solid waste management system, directly benefiting thousands of vulnerable people. In Sierra Leone, the Fund contributed to the rehabilitation of agricultural infrastructure, boosting food security and livelihoods in rural communities. 
These projects are concrete expressions of solidarity and South-South learning, designed to be replicable and scalable across the developing world.
The <a href="https://unsouthsouth.org/pgtf/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Group of 77/Pérez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation</a> (PGTF), established by the United Nations in 1983, has been instrumental in promoting economic and technical collaboration among developing nations. Over the past four decades, the PGTF has supported over 400 projects benefiting 140+ countries, focusing on areas such as food security, renewable energy, trade, and technology. 
For instance, in Uruguay, the PGTF facilitated refurbishment of small hydropower centers, enhancing access to sustainable energy in rural communities. Among others, in Africa, the Fund is supporting projects that strengthen food systems and empower women-led cooperatives. 
By providing seed funding and fostering partnerships, the PGTF exemplifies principles of South-South cooperation, promoting shared knowledge and collective self-reliance among nations of the Global South.
The Role of Triangular Cooperation
While South-South cooperation is led and owned by developing countries, it is further strengthened through triangular cooperation – partnerships that bring together countries of the South, traditional donors, and multilateral organizations. These collaborations combine resources, expertise, and networks, amplifying the impact of development efforts.
A recent UNDP publication showcases how these partnerships are delivering results in environmental protection, disaster risk reduction, and gender equality, supporting global transformational shifts aligned to the SDGs.3 
A notable example – with the support of the Republic of Korea – the <a href="https://southsouth-galaxy.org/capacity-development/rok-unossc-facility/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNOSSC PLINK initiative</a>, focused on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, is supporting vulnerable communities in the Lower Mekong Basin (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam) to co-create and scale sustainable solutions to the compounding effects of climate change, unsustainable agriculture, and rapid urbanization. Such partnerships demonstrate the value of combining South-South leadership with global expertise.
To further institutionalize and expand the reach of such collaborations, UNOSSC has established a <a href="https://unsouthsouth.org/unfssc/#tcw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Triangular Cooperation Window</a> under the United Nations Fund for South-South Cooperation (UNFSSC). Launched as a dedicated facility, the Triangular Cooperation Window is mobilizing resources, knowledge, and expertise from a wide range of stakeholders-including governments, UN entities, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners. Partnership to the Window has been provided by Colombia, Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.
A Call to Action
As we gather for the 22nd session of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, and prepare for the <a href="https://financing.desa.un.org/ffd4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4th International Conference on Financing for Development</a>, I urge all development partners and stakeholders to invest in the transformative potential of South-South and triangular cooperation.
Let us draw inspiration from the successes of the Global South and commit to sharing knowledge, building capacity, and mobilizing resources for sustainable development. Let us ensure that the voices and experiences of developing countries are at the heart of global decision-making.
1 Report of the Secretary-General on Measures taken by United Nations organizations to implement decision 21/1 of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation through support for South-South and triangular cooperation to accelerate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development <a href="https://unsouthsouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2505786E.pdf">SSC/22/2</a> 
2 <a href="https://unctad.org/news/unctad-helps-countries-measure-south-south-cooperation">UNCTAD helps countries measure South-South cooperation</a> 
3 <a href="https://www.undp.org/publications/strengthening-south-south-and-triangular-cooperation-people-and-planet">Strengthening South-South and Triangular Cooperation for People and Planet</a>
Dima Al-Khatib is the Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. She took up her duties as Director of UNOSSC on 1 March 2023. She is a Sustainable Development Professional bringing more than 25 years of leadership and management experience in several duty stations to her role. Prior to joining UNOSSC, Ms. Al-Khatib served as the UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova. Prior to that, she held several positions including that of Programme and Policy Coordinator at the UNDP Regional Hub in Amman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kuwait, and UNDP Deputy Country Director in Libya.
Ms. Al-Khatib holds a Diplome d’Etudes Approfondies (DEA) in Environmental Health from the Lebanese University and France University of Bordeaux II, and a Bachelor of Science and a Teaching Diploma in Environmental Health from the American University of Beirut. Dima Al-Khatib tweets at @dimaalkhatib
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>Islands are Solutions: the Case for Island-Ocean Coalitions</title>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 May 2025 05:20:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Penny Becker - Stuart Sandin - Wes Sechrest</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[As the world confronts escalating climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and ocean degradation, islands stand as critical test cases—not just as sites of vulnerability, but as living laboratories of resilience, restoration, and innovation. Too often, they are framed as victims of global circumstances, awaiting salvation from external forces. But they have long been proving grounds for […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Robinson-Crusoe-Island_-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Robinson-Crusoe-Island_-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Robinson-Crusoe-Island_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago is home to a community of about 1,000 people who depend on the island’s natural resources. Credit: Jose Cabello/Island ConservationBy Penny Becker, Stuart Sandin and Wes Sechrest SEATTLE, Washington / SAN DIEGO, California / AUSTIN, Texas , May 26 2025 (IPS) As the world confronts escalating climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and ocean degradation, islands stand as critical test cases—not just as sites of vulnerability, but as living laboratories of resilience, restoration, and innovation. Too often, they are framed as victims of global circumstances, awaiting salvation from external forces.

But they have long been proving grounds for ecological restoration, climate adaptation, and scalable conservation solutions that both draw from and help protect Indigenous and local knowledge, cultural practices, and local economies of island communities. 
From the Republic of Seychelles’ pioneering blue bonds, which finance marine protection in the Westen Indian Ocean, to New Zealand’s ambitious Predator Free 2050 initiative restoring native bird populations and ecosystems, to the Galapagos Islands improving livelihoods and rewilding species on the brink of extinction, islands have time and again demonstrated that large-scale ecological recovery is both possible and rapid. 
<div id="attachment_190585" style="width: 634px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190585" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mona-Island_.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="416" class="size-full wp-image-190585" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mona-Island_.jpg 624w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Mona-Island_-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px" />Mona Island, Puerto Rico is one of the most ecologically and culturally important islands in the archipelago. Credit: Tommy Hall/Island Conservation</div>
Their contained ecosystems allow for swift, measurable results, making them ideal places to refine and implement nature-based strategies that can be expanded globally. 
The interconnectedness of islands and oceans is deeply understood by Indigenous communities, whose knowledge systems have emphasized this direct relationship for centuries. Holistic island restoration directly benefits ocean health, as terrestrial ecosystems play a vital role in nutrient cycling that support marine biodiversity and ecosystems – for instance, seabirds return nutrients to land from marine environments of hundreds or even thousands of miles away. 
Removing human-introduced, damaging invasive species from islands, for instance, dramatically improves native wildlife populations, bolsters coral reef health, and enhances local food security. 
That’s why Island Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, and Re:wild came together to found the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC) in 2022. We launched this initiative to learn from and partner with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, whose wisdom bridges the gap between island, coastal, and marine ecosystem management, recognizing the profound link between terrestrial and ocean restoration. 
By collaborating with island communities, their governments, NGOs, scientists, and funders, we aim to holistically restore 40 globally significant island-ocean ecosystems from ridge-to-reef by 2030. Twenty island-ocean ecosystems, from Palau to New Zealand to France and more, have already joined the challenge. And, to date, fifty IOCC partners have pledged to help advance this global vision and island restoration portfolio. 
The IOCC’s work is based on the irrefutable evidence of impact we gathered from projects across the globe. Consider these success stories: on Palmyra Atoll (in the Pacific’s Northern Line Islands), removing invasive predatory rats led to a 5,000 percent increase in native trees, which strengthened surrounding coral reef ecosystems that now host more Manta Rays. 
On Loosiep Island in the Federated States of Micronesia, restoration interventions improved traditional agriculture practices, reducing reliance on imported food. And in French Polynesia, the Critically Endangered Polynesian Storm-petrel has returned to nest on Kamaka Island for the first time in 100 years—less than two years after ecosystem restoration efforts began. 
Around the world, these revitalized habitats capture more carbon, provide more storm resilience, and protect unique endemic plant communities, support healthier local fisheries, and enrich marine ecosystems. These restored islands demonstrate the power of nature’s resilience when native species are once again given the chance to thrive and rewild their ecosystems. 
These wins are more than just community conservation and environmental victories—they’re stories of hope: tangible solutions to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and ocean degradation. Studies have shown that restored islands can capture millions of metric tons of carbon, resist coastal erosion, bolster food security for local communities, nurture up to fifty percent more fish, and grow coral reefs up to four times faster. 
These successes on islands are scalable; the discrete geographic scale of islands allows for systematic restoration efforts with impacts that reach far beyond their shores. 
For those who care about ocean health, investing in terrestrial restoration is critical. The fate of marine ecosystems is tied to the health of island environments and vice-versa. For those who care about island communities and nature, investing in adjacent ocean ecosystem restorations is also undebatable. Ignoring these connections risks overlooking one of the most effective levers for ocean and island resiliency. Visible gains for local communities foster greater engagement in ocean protection efforts.
The capacity of large oceanic island states and territories to model solutions for global crises is outsized. By shifting our perspective of islands as hubs of innovation, restoration, and resilience we can truly harness the power of “our sea of islands”, unlocking their full potential—not just to safeguard their own futures, but to inform the recovery and health of our entire planet. 
The choice is clear: invest in island-ocean system resilience with local communities now, or lose irreplaceable biodiversity, cultural heritage, and proven solutions to our most pressing global challenges. The world’s island communities are ready to lead. There is no better time than now to step up for islands. 
Dr. Penny Becker is CEO, Island Conservation; Dr. Stuart Sandin is Biological Oceanography Professor, Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography & Wes Sechrest is CEO, Re:wild 
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>The Children of Gaza Deserve Their Humanity – Their Education Cannot Wait</title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 08:14:55 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Yasmine Sherif</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Armed Conflicts]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[Statement by Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif on the need for life-saving education in Gaza]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="205" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Children-of-Gaza-Deserve_-300x205.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Children-of-Gaza-Deserve_-300x205.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Children-of-Gaza-Deserve_.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />By Yasmine Sherif NEW YORK, May 23 2025 (IPS-Partners) 22 May 2025, New York – In the past two months alone, more than <a href="https://educationcannotwait.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6baddf6a91b194dcd2e82ac11&id=35f7b8384d&e=9415dd8371" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">950 children</a> have reportedly been killed in strikes across the Gaza Strip. That’s 15 children every day who lose their lives in this horrific conflict. Those who survive face the risk of famine, illness, and the collapse of essential services, including education.

As the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises in the United Nations, Education Cannot Wait (<a href="https://educationcannotwait.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6baddf6a91b194dcd2e82ac11&id=b1b724ac4c&e=9415dd8371" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ECW</a>) stands ready with our partners to support the delivery of mental health and psychosocial services as part of our education in emergency response to the children who have suffered so much over the past 19 months. Today, no child is safe in Gaza.
The education system is in ruins. Since the onset of hostilities, more than 95% of schools in Gaza have been partially or completely destroyed and 88% will require significant reconstruction before they can function, according to the <a href="https://educationcannotwait.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6baddf6a91b194dcd2e82ac11&id=891478f043&e=9415dd8371" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Global Education Cluster</a>.
More than 658,000 children are out of school – they are deeply traumatized, have lost their homes and their loved ones, and are living a daily life of extremely painful survival.
As <a href="https://educationcannotwait.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6baddf6a91b194dcd2e82ac11&id=7075026faa&e=9415dd8371" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNICEF</a> recently stated: “The daily suffering and killing of children must end immediately.”
For the well-being of children to be protected, safe access to education must urgently be restored. Even amidst the destruction, Gaza’s families, teachers and local organizations are doing what they can to mitigate the enormous impact on children, including limited learning activities where conditions allow. Through ECW’s support to partners on the ground, we must help these innocent children.
But this is far from being enough to meet the needs of the entire population of school-aged girls and boys. To scale up urgent education support, a ceasefire is crucially needed. We call for: 
<ul>• An end to hostilities and respect for international humanitarian law by all parties 
• Safe, unimpeded humanitarian access 
• The immediate release of all hostages 
• Protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools</ul>
As <a href="https://educationcannotwait.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6baddf6a91b194dcd2e82ac11&id=bd974a09ba&e=9415dd8371" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tom Fletcher</a>, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in his statement to the UN Security Council: “Our response as humanitarians is to make a single ask of the Council: let us work. The UN and our partners are desperate to resume humanitarian aid at scale across Gaza, in line with the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.”
Where children suffer excruciating pain, nothing can wait. Yet, the children in Gaza are desperately waiting for a response to this single ask.
 
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Excerpt: Statement by Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif on the need for life-saving education in Gaza]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Economic Growth is the Wrong Metric for Our Time</title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 07:58:59 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Kirsten Stade and Alan Ware</dc:creator>
<category><![CDATA[Biodiversity]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[As the United States lurches toward isolationism and authoritarianism, its political problems are now bleeding into pocketbook anxieties that Trump’s policies will torpedo economic growth, both domestically and globally. The UN forecasts a slowdown in global economic growth due to Trump’s destructive tariff and trade policies. Though stocks rallied as the US suspended some tariffs, […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Indonesia’s-largest-coal_-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Indonesia’s-largest-coal_-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Indonesia’s-largest-coal_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Indonesia’s largest coal mining company in operation. Even "green" energy requires destructive mining for trace minerals. Credit: Dominik VanyiBy Kirsten Stade and Alan Ware SAINT PAUL, Minnesota, May 23 2025 (IPS) As the United States lurches toward isolationism and authoritarianism, its political problems are now bleeding into pocketbook anxieties that Trump’s policies will torpedo economic growth, both domestically and globally.

The UN forecasts a slowdown in <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/un-forecasts-slower-global-economic-234903518.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">global economic growth</a> due to Trump’s destructive tariff and trade policies. Though stocks rallied as the US suspended some tariffs, and some analysts are <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6373074653112" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spinning the numbers positively</a>, economic growth signals have turned decidedly negative.
US GDP <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gdp-report-today-trump-tariffs-economy-first-quarter-2025/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shrank 0.3%</a> in the first quarter. Moody’s <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-credit-rating-downgraded-by-moodys-loses-aaa-status/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">downgraded the United States’ credit rating</a> citing burgeoning US debt and an unfavorable debt-to-GDP ratio. 
In most countries, GDP is an indicator of a society’s success — even though it includes things like military expansion, oil spill cleanups, and prison construction. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/jul/02/obsession-with-growth-is-enriching-elites-and-killing-the-planet-we-need-an-economy-based-on-human-rights-olivier-de-schutter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Growthism goes mostly unchallenged</a> and passes for a rational guiding principle for governance and proxy for human well-being.
Yet it ignores important things like climate change, biodiversity collapse, and pollution which are the consequences of endless economic growth, and which threaten the survival of humanity and the millions of species with whom we share this planet.
Economic growth is not just failing as an indicator of human progress. It is failing as an indicator of economic health. The <a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/richest-1-bag-nearly-twice-much-wealth-rest-world-put-together-over-past-two-years" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vast majority of economic growth in recent years</a> has accrued to the top 1%. Meanwhile <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=OE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rates of growth in rich countries have been slowing for decades</a> while <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2025/04/23/rising-global-debt-requires-countries-to-put-their-fiscal-house-in-order#:~:text=We%20project%20global%20public%20debt,the%20decade%2C%20surpassing%20pandemic%20levels" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">global debt continues to rise more rapidly</a>.
Understanding why requires understanding the central role of cheap energy in modern civilization. Roads, bridges, sewers, airports, and the electrical grid were all constructed on the back of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/may/22/wealth-redistribution-and-population-management-are-the-only-logical-way-forward" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cheap energy and materials</a>. 
With the discovery and extraction of fossil fuels 200 years ago began the modern industrial era, and a frenzy of human enterprise that would not have otherwise been possible. 
Now maintenance of all this infrastructure has <a href="https://phys.org/news/2022-09-america-aging-infrastructure-sags-pressure.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">come due</a>. Those roads, bridges, sewer and water systems are disintegrating and require expensive and ongoing maintenance, on top of new construction to provide for growing populations and economies. But the energy and materials required for all this are no longer as easy to come by. 
Skyrocketing debt is a claim on future resources, as all economic activity is dependent on minerals, wood, clean water, and of course fossil fuels that are increasingly scarce and expensive.
<a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01052025/insurance-crisis-threatens-united-states-economy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Growing risks of climate catastrophes</a> add further to escalating costs, as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/select/homeowners-insurance-has-skyrocketed-over-50percent-in-these-states/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">skyrocketing homeowners insurance</a> adds to the cost of housing. Against this backdrop, prospects for continued economic growth look bleak indeed.
These realities are largely absent from mainstream discourse about economic growth, suffocated under endless proclamations of faith in human ingenuity. Growth proponents are fond of invoking a seamless “green energy transition” without acknowledging that <a href="https://www.truthdig.com/dig/green-tinted-glasses/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">electricity is only 20% of global energy demand</a>, and essential building blocks of growth – <a href="https://time.com/6175734/reliance-on-fossil-fuels/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">steel, cement, fertilizer, and plastics</a> – are manufactured using fossil fuels in processes that cannot be decarbonized at scale.
Renewable technologies themselves require vast amounts of these materials in their construction, along with trace minerals like lithium, cobalt, and other <a href="https://theintercept.com/2022/12/03/climate-biodiversity-green-energy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">metals whose mining </a>ravages ecosystems, pollutes water, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/02/01/1152893248/red-cobalt-congo-drc-mining-siddharth-kara" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">exploits child labor</a>, and requires massive inputs of fossil fuel energy.
Renewables boosters fail to acknowledge that with constant population growth there has never been an energy transition, only energy addition. Even as uptake of “renewable” technologies <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/wind-and-solar-are-fastest-growing-electricity-sources-in-history/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has expanded</a> since 2000, <a href="https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/jean-baptiste-fressoz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">global coal use went up by 80% over the same period</a>.
Rather than deal with this, growth enthusiasts espouse boundless faith in human innovation. But innovation is slowing according to many measures, and has done little to change the <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-cost-of-being-poor-is-rising-and-its-worse-for-poor-families-of-color/#:~:text=The%20figure%20shows%20that%20the,goods%20and%20services%2C%20respectively" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cost of life’s essentials: </a>food, housing, transportation, health care, and education have proven remarkably resistant to breakthroughs that would lower prices or improve quality. As one of Donald Trump’s favorite growth proponents, Peter Thiel, argues, <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/peter-thiel-weve-seen-innovation-in-bits-but-not-enough-in-atoms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">we’re seeing innovation in bits, not atoms</a>.
AI is perhaps the last bastion of hope for continued economic growth, with allegedly unlimited potential for finding new sources of energy and driving production while minimizing capital and labor costs. For all the hype, though, real breakthroughs in materials and energy remain to be seen from AI, which is simply a means to turbocharge extraction of finite materials that will still run out, only sooner. 
Meanwhile, AI data centers <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/ai-race-fossil-powered-generators-are-data-centers-dirty-secret-2068791" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">guzzle fossil fuel energy</a> and require <a href="https://andthewest.stanford.edu/2025/thirsty-for-power-and-water-ai-crunching-data-centers-sprout-across-the-west/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">billions of gallons of water</a> to cool all that frenetic digital activity.
No doubt there are still some ways we can squeeze a bit more economic growth out of a system already in ecological overshoot and demanding more of the planet than it has to give or can regenerate. But further growth will require further ravaging nature and the world’s poor, already pushed to the brink. 
Is that truly the best path to improve human well-being, especially for the most impoverished who are the most directly impacted by further exploiting and depleting the land, water, trees and minerals? 
Ultimately, the question is not how we can tweak the growth system to prolong it indefinitely. It is whether we will face disaster brought on by economic and environmental collapse and all its consequent human suffering, and to make the choice to shrink our population and economy. 
It’s whether we are wise enough to choose simplicity over excess and relationships over commodities. Continued economic growth benefits the few already at the top, but conscious, gradual contraction enables the basics of a good life for all. The choice should be clear. 
Kirsten Stade is a conservation biologist and Lead Writer at the NGO Population Balance. Alan Ware is a researcher and writer who cohosts Population Balance’s OVERSHOOT podcast.
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>Human Life Hinges on the Preservation of Biological Diversity</title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 07:16:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Oritro Karim</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Since 2000, the United Nations (UN) recognizes May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity, in hopes of promoting international cooperation and conversation surrounding biodiversity issues. Through the 2025 theme; Harmony With Nature and Sustainable Development, the UN seeks to increase public awareness around biodiversity loss and promote progress in the Sustainable Development Goals […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Philemon-Yang-centre_-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Philemon-Yang-centre_-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Philemon-Yang-centre_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Philemon Yang (centre), President of the seventy-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly, addresses the high-level meeting on Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development. Credit: UN Photo/Loey FelipeBy Oritro Karim UNITED NATIONS, May 23 2025 (IPS) Since 2000, the United Nations (UN) recognizes May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity, in hopes of promoting international cooperation and conversation surrounding biodiversity issues. Through the 2025 theme; <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harmony With Nature and Sustainable Development</a>, the UN seeks to increase public awareness around biodiversity loss and promote progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In addition to the SDGs, this year’s event highlights the <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/kunming-montreal-global-biodiversity-framework" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework</a>, a set of goals for 2050 that focus on the impacts of human activity on ecological health. Some of these goals include reversing ecosystem damage by 20 percent and reducing the introduction of invasive species by 50 percent. 
Recognizing the key drivers of biodiversity loss and ecological issues are of the utmost importance for the preservation of human health. According to figures from the UN, the current practices that undermine ecological health are estimated to undermine progress toward 80 percent of the SDGs. Additionally, humanitarian organizations have expressed concern as the current rate of extinction is higher than ever before. It is estimated that approximately 1 million plant and animal species are currently at risk of extinction, which pose significant threats for human stability.
“Biodiversity is the bedrock of life and a cornerstone of sustainable development.Yet humanity is destroying biodiversity at lightning pace – the result of pollution, climate crisis, ecosystem destruction, and – ultimately – short-term interests fuelling the unsustainable use of our natural world,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “No one country, however rich or powerful, can address it alone. Nor can they live without the rich biodiversity that defines our planet.”
Currently, several vital ecosystems that are integral to human health, including lakes, forests, oceans, and farmlands, are under threat of extreme biodiversity loss. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), biodiversity is a “key environmental determinant of human health”. Figures from the <a href="https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/international-day-for-biological-diversity/#scroll-nav__4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Geneva Environment Network</a> indicate that roughly 75 percent of terrestrial ecosystems and 66 percent of marine ecosystems have been significantly “altered” by human actions.
This poses a massive risk to human health as roughly 80 percent of the human diet is composed of plants that are cultivated in these threatened areas. It is also estimated that at least 80 percent of individuals in rural communities depend on traditional plant medicines for their healthcare. Additionally, a third of freshwater species are currently threatened by biodiversity loss. This puts 3 billion people who rely on fish for animal protein at risk of food insecurity. 
High levels of biodiversity among crop species is essential in ensuring adequate food security. Degraded agricultural ecosystems are highly vulnerable to damage from pesticides, disease, and natural disasters. It is estimated that anywhere from 1.3 to 3.2 billion people are dependent on food that is supplied from areas affected by environmental degradation. 
Additionally, the UN underscores the importance of ecological health in relation to human life as environmental degradation increases the severity of natural disasters, conflict, and zoonotic disease. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, indigenous communities, the disabled, women, and people living in poverty, are disproportionately affected. 
For example, damage to the coastal mangroves in South Asia has been known to exacerbate the severity of tropical cyclones. Deforestation has also been observed to contribute to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Wildfires, ocean acidification, and rising global temperatures are also linked to biodiversity loss. 
Additionally, widespread biodiversity loss threatens to significantly damage the worldwide economy, totaling billions of dollars in potential losses if unaddressed. The <a href="https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/01/nature-forward-global-economy-instability-inequality/#:~:text=Half%20of%20global%20GDP%20%E2%80%93%20$44,$2.7%20trillion%20annually%20by%202030." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a> (WEF) estimates that approximately 44 trillion USD, which is about half of the world’s gross domestic product, is dependent on natural resources.
Furthermore, it is projected that the world could experience an average economic decline of 2.7 trillion annually by 2030 if biodiversity loss continues at the current rate. Several building blocks of human society, such as social wellbeing, equality, and economic development, will be impacted around the world. 
Biodiversity loss also threatens to exacerbate the climate crisis. Carbon sinks, which are known as ecosystems which store significant amounts of carbon and help to offset global greenhouse gas emissions, are essential in preventing the progression of climate change. According to the <a href="https://research.noaa.gov/deforestation-warming-flip-part-of-amazon-forest-from-carbon-sink-to-source/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), the Amazon rainforest is one of the biggest carbon sinks in the world, storing approximately 123 billion tons of carbon above and below the ground. However, due to deforestation, the Amazon’s carbon storage capabilities have weakened and at times, emit more carbon than it stores.
In order to ensure the longevity of human life and planetary wellbeing, it is imperative that regulations are put in place to allow for sustainable consumption practices at a wide scale. 
Cooperation between governments, scientists, policymakers, and citizens is the only way to reverse biodiversity loss and ensure the stability of global food systems. Governments should also consult with independent bodies such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Independent Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), when drafting comprehensive policies and solutions.
Furthermore, solutions to biodiversity loss must frame the most vulnerable populations at the center as a sustainable future must include people from all walks of life. 
“As we pursue sustainable development, we must transform how we produce and consume, and how we value nature, and deliver on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We need policies, regulations, and other incentives to support sustainable livelihoods and build strong, green economies,” said Guterres. 
“That means governments building on progress made at CBD COP16, including by delivering domestic and international finance, and shifting public subsidies and other financial flows away from activities that harm nature. And it means countries delivering National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans that put the Framework into effect, address inequality, advance sustainable development, respect traditional knowledge, and empower women, girls, Indigenous People and more”. 
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>In Harmony with Nature: A Dryland Perspective on Development and Biodiversity</title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 06:08:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Himanshu Pathak</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[Dr Himanshu Pathak is Director General of The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="225" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_-200x149.jpg 200w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Each year, the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22) invites us to reflect on the living fabric that sustains life—biodiversity. The 2025 theme, “<a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development</a>,” underscores an increasingly urgent truth: sustainable development must go hand in hand with the preservation of nature.By Himanshu Pathak HYDERABAD, India, May 23 2025 (IPS) Nowhere is this more apparent than in the world’s drylands. Covering 41% of the Earth’s land surface, these regions are home to over two billion people and support 50% of the world’s livestock and 44% of its cultivated systems (<a href="https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/2018-06/GLO English_Ch12.pdf?" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNCCD</a>). Far from being marginal, drylands are central to global food security, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

As climate change intensifies and population growth amplifies resource demands, these critical ecosystems face escalating threats. About 20-35% of drylands are already degraded, and up to 45% of Africa’s drylands are affected by desertification—a crisis eroding biodiversity, weakening traditional agricultural systems, and undermining livelihoods. 
Agricultural homogenization has also taken a heavy toll: the FAO estimates that 75% of crop diversity has been lost over the last century, as traditional varieties give way to genetically uniform crops.
Biodiversity in Drylands: A Foundation for Resilience
In dryland regions, biodiversity is not an abstract concept—it is survival. These lands, among the most severely affected by climate change, host a wealth of highly nutritious, underutilized crops, indigenous livestock breeds, traditional knowledge, and ecosystems honed by millennia of adaptation. Preserving this biological wealth is essential for dryland communities, but also for global sustainability.
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), headquartered in India and operating across the drylands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, has been working in close collaboration with national and international partners for over five decades to advance agricultural development in harmony with ecological stewardship. One of ICRISAT’s earliest and most enduring commitments has been to the conservation of crop diversity.
Since the 1970s, the ICRISAT Genebank in Hyderabad has served as a global sanctuary for the wild and cultivated relatives of dryland crops such as sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, and small millets. Today, as one of the 11 international Genebanks under the CGIAR, the ICRISAT Genebank is a multi-crop facility conserving six of the 25 major crops safeguarded by CGIAR Genebanks.
<img src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_2.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="391" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-190570" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_2.jpg 624w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_2-300x188.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px" />
As a signatory to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, ICRISAT has distributed nearly 1.5 million seed samples to researchers across more than 150 countries. A critical function of the Genebank is the repatriation of lost germplasm to countries whose national collections have been compromised by natural disasters, conflict, or other disruptions. 
To date, ICRISAT has restored over 55,000 accessions to 12 national programs across Asia and Africa, with South Korea being the most recent recipient.
Shared Heritage, Shared Responsibility
Preserving seeds in cold storage is only part of the picture, however.
True biodiversity conservation is dynamic—it lives in the hands of farmers and on the plates of consumers. 
It thrives when local communities in fragile environments are empowered to adapt to climate change. It flourishes with revived soils, and it nurtures life when sustainable water management ensures year-round availability to support both livelihoods and ecosystems.
<div id="attachment_190571" style="width: 634px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190571" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_3.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="468" class="size-full wp-image-190571" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_3.jpg 624w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_3-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_3-200x149.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px" />The International Day for Biological Diversity, observed annually on May 22nd, is a UN-designated day to raise awareness and understanding of biodiversity issues and the importance of conserving the planet’s diverse life forms. It serves as a platform to educate the public, highlight the threats to biodiversity, and promote action to protect and restore ecosystems.</div>
This is why, at ICRISAT—with over five decades of experience in fragile ecosystems—our focus continues to be on smallholder farmers in the drylands. We champion resilient agriculture by reviving traditional crop varieties, reintroducing neglected and underutilized crops like small millets, and restoring degraded landscapes through sustainable practices in water conservation and soil management.
Reviving Traditional Crop Varieties
Dryland cereals such as sorghum and millets, once overlooked, are now gaining global attention. The Government of India’s declaration of 2021 as the National Year of Millets and the United Nations’ observance of 2023 as the International Year of Millets have helped spotlight their benefits. 
Recognized as <a href="https://www.smartfood.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Smart Food</a>—food that is good for the consumer, the cultivator (farmer), and the climate (planet)—these cereals are not only rich in nutrients but also highly resilient to drought and heat.
Their resurgence is timely. According to the FAO, more than three billion people globally cannot afford a healthy diet, and micronutrient deficiencies remain widespread. Promoting these hardy crops through our Smart Food Initiative supports dietary diversity while building food systems that are more resilient to climate variability—a triple win for nutrition, climate adaptation, and biodiversity.
Reviving Degraded Landscapes
Restoring degraded landscapes is essential for ecosystem regeneration and biodiversity conservation. ICRISAT has demonstrated success across dryland regions of Asia and Africa by integrating landscape-level restoration with water conservation, sustainable soil management, and agroecosystem regeneration. 
Notable examples include our work in <a href="https://pressroom.icrisat.org/icrisat-wins-prestigious-undp-mahatma-award-2023-for-work-in-bundelkhand-india" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bundelkhand</a> and <a href="https://pressroom.icrisat.org/with-science-we-can-degraded-lands-transform-into-productive-farms-in-latur-india" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Latur</a>, India; and the <a href="https://oar.icrisat.org/11264/1/Yewol watershed flyer_1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yewol Watershed</a>, Ethiopia—serving as compelling models of transformation.
<div id="attachment_190572" style="width: 634px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190572" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_4.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="207" class="size-full wp-image-190572" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_4.jpg 624w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Dryland-Perspective_4-300x100.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px" />Before and after images of ICRISAT’s intervention in Matephal village in Latur, India</div>
These initiatives show that protecting biodiversity does not mean halting development—it means guiding it in a way that is regenerative, inclusive, and enduring. It means recognizing that healthy ecosystems underpin not only agriculture, but also human well-being and economic opportunity. These are not competing priorities—they are interdependent outcomes.
Looking Ahead: A Biodiverse Future
As the global community looks toward the future, the threats to biodiversity—climate change, habitat loss, soil degradation, and agricultural uniformity—continue to grow. But there is also cause for hope. The tools to halt biodiversity loss and restore ecosystems already exist—in science, in partnerships, and in the lived knowledge of communities that have long cultivated harmony with nature.
Conservation is not without challenges. It requires sustained investment, enabling policies, and often tough trade-offs. As we accelerate efforts to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the moment for decisive action is now—by investing in nature-based solutions, supporting community-led conservation, and championing policies that place biodiversity at the heart of sustainable development.
On this International Day for Biological Diversity, let us remember that the path to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable future begins with the choices we make every day—about what we cultivate, what we consume, and what we choose to conserve.
At ICRISAT, through our continued commitment to crop diversity, resilient food systems, and landscape restoration, we remain proud to walk alongside our partners in making choices that honor both people and the planet—especially the 2.1 billion who call the drylands home.
Harmony with nature is more than a theme. It is a responsibility we must embrace with urgency, purpose, and deep respect for the natural systems that sustain us all.
IPS UN Bureau
 
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Excerpt: Dr Himanshu Pathak is Director General of The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)]]></content:encoded>
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<title>The Largest Multi-Billion Dollar Deal in US History– & a Potential 51st American State?</title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2025 05:10:53 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Thalif Deen</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[When US President Donald Trump offered to declare neighboring Canada as America’s 51st state, the Canadians vehemently rejected the proposal. “We don’t want to be part of America,” was the rallying cry. And the short-lived offer was shot down in flames. The next target was Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark which […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/A-Royal-Saudi-Air_-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/A-Royal-Saudi-Air_-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/A-Royal-Saudi-Air_.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA. Credit: US Department of Defense (DoD)By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, May 23 2025 (IPS) When US President Donald Trump offered to declare neighboring Canada as America’s 51st state, the Canadians vehemently rejected the proposal.
“We don’t want to be part of America,” was the rallying cry. And the short-lived offer was shot down in flames. 

The next target was Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark which retains control over foreign policy, defense, national security, and the judicial and legal system. 
Trump said he wants to purchase Greenland. But the Danes were not impressed. “Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland,” said Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
One of Trump’s enduring political slogans “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) is embedded in thousands of baseball caps, posters and tee shirts. In one of several political demonstrations in Greenland, directed against the US, one placard flipped the MAGA slogan: “Make America Go Away” (MAGA).
Perhaps Trump may be successful in campaigning for a more highly prosperous relationship with Saudi Arabia as a trusted ally and possibly America’s 51st state, according to a joke circulating in the delegate’s lounge, the UN’s watering hole.
The Saudis, who gave him a right royal welcome last week, promised a staggering $600 billion dollar investment in the United States.
Trump praised Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman calling him “an incredible man” and a “great guy,” but made no mention of human rights concerns in the country.
The history-making deal was focused primarily on US arms sales and military assistance to the Saudis, along with investments by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), two other countries Trump visited. 
An oil-blessed Middle Eastern nation, Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s biggest single purchasers of American arms—including fighter planes, combat helicopters, missiles, battle tanks and armored personnel carriers.
Following Trump’s heavily-publicized visit to Riyadh last week, the White House was emphatic in declaring that Saudi Arabia remains “our largest Foreign Military Sales (FMS) partner” with active cases valued at more than $142 billion–nearly double Saudi Arabia’s 2025 <a href="https://breakingdefense.com/2025/02/saudi-arabia-increases-defense-spending-to-78b-in-2025/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">defense budget</a> of $78 billion.
“Our defense relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is stronger than ever under President Trump’s leadership, and the package signed (May 13), the largest defense cooperation deal in U.S. history, is a clear demonstration of our commitment to strengthening our partnership”, the White House said.
“The agreement opens the door for expanded U.S. defense industry participation and long-term sustainment partnerships with Saudi entities.”
Zain Hussain, Researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) told IPS Saudi Arabia is heavily reliant on arms imports from the USA. 
In 2020-2024, the USA supplied 74% of all Saudi imports of major arms, and in the last decade (between 2015 and 2024), the USA supplied 72% of Saudi imports of major arms, he pointed out.
 Looking further at different armament categories reveals the extent of Saudi reliance on arms imports from the USA. 
For example, between 2015 and 2024, the USA supplied around 80% of Saudi imports of aircraft, 84% of Saudi imports of missiles, 65% of Saudi imports of armoured vehicles, and 89% of Saudi imports of air defense systems. 
Of course, despite the strong reliance of Saudi Arabia on the USA for arms imports, Saudi Arabia also imports arms from other states. For example, Saudi Arabia’s imports of ships between 2015 and 2024 were from Spain (67%), France (21%) and Germany (12%), declared Hussain.
 Today in Saudi Arabia, President Donald J. Trump announced Saudi Arabia’s $600-billion commitment to invest in the United States, building economic ties that will endure for generations to come. 
“The first deals under the announcement strengthen our energy security, defense industry, technology leadership, and access to global infrastructure and critical minerals.” 
<ul>• The deals celebrated are historic and transformative for both countries and represent a new golden era of partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia. 
• From day one, President Trump’s America First Trade and Investment Policy has put the American economy, the American worker, and our national security first, said the White House.</ul>
Dr. Natalie J. Goldring, who represents the Acronym Institute at the United Nations, focusing on conventional weapons and arms trade issues, told IPS: ““We’ve seen this movie before”. 
In 2017, President Trump said that US companies would sell $110 billion of military equipment to Saudi Arabia. Roughly a year and a half later, Glenn Kessler, fact checker for The Washington Post, concluded that there had been little progress toward implementing the agreement. 
He gave the administration’s claim four Pinocchios, the maximum the paper normally gives for a false claim. There’s little if any evidence that the current agreements have any greater basis in fact.”
“As with any number of other issues, President Trump tends to make grandiose claims that frequently are not supported in reality,” said Dr Goldring.
In this case, the press release touts his role as ‘the dealmaker in chief,’ even though it includes virtually no details about the proposed sales of military equipment and services. That makes it impossible to discern what proportion of these proposed sales originated in the Biden administration – or the first Trump administration, for that matter.” 
“The Trump Administration’s approach puts the focus squarely on the hypothetical economic benefits of these agreements, rather than foreign policy and international security risks. The Trump administration needs to recognize that weapons aren’t toasters, and shouldn’t be sold as if they are. Yet the proposed deals don’t appear to reflect consideration of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, for example,” she pointed out. 
“Based on US law, Saudi Arabia’s human rights offences should disqualify them from receiving military equipment and services from the United States. And Saudi Arabia is by no means alone in this regard; for example, Israel should be ineligible on similar grounds,” declared Dr Goldring.
A White House Fact Sheet released last week says: Saudi Arabia is one of the United States’ largest trading partners in the Middle East.
Saudi direct investment in the United States totaled $9.5 billion in 2023, focused on the transportation, real estate, and automotive sectors.
In 2024, U.S.-Saudi Arabia goods trade totaled $25.9 billion, with U.S. exports at $13.2 billion, imports at $12.7 billion, and a trade surplus in goods of $443 million
Thalif Deen is a former Director, Foreign Military Markets at Defense Marketing Services (DMS) and one-time UN correspondent for Jane’s Defence Weekly, London. A Fulbright scholar with a Master’s Degree (MSc) in Journalism from Columbia University, New York, he is Senior Editor at IPS and author of the 2021 book on the United Nations titled “No Comment – and Don’t Quote me on That”. The link to Amazon via the author’s website follows <a href="https://www.rodericgrigson.com/no-comment-by-thalif-deen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.rodericgrigson.com/no-comment-by-thalif-deen/</a>
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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<title>How Computational Biology Is Zoning in on the Future of Agriculture</title>
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<pubDate>Thu, 22 May 2025 18:54:43 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Megan Matthews</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[When pioneering agronomist and father of the “Green Revolution” Norman Borlaug set out to breed a disease-resistant, high-yielding variety of wheat, he spent years laboriously planting and pollinating different specimens by hand. He manually catalogued every outcome until he landed on the variety that would transform farming and avert famine. The result was even greater […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[By Megan Matthews CHAMPAIGN, Illinois, May 22 2025 (IPS) When pioneering agronomist and father of the “Green Revolution” Norman Borlaug set out to breed a disease-resistant, high-yielding variety of wheat, he spent years laboriously planting and pollinating different specimens by hand. He manually catalogued every outcome until he landed on the variety that would transform farming and avert famine. The result was even greater than expected: it is estimated that he saved <a href="https://www.worldfoodprize.org/en/dr_norman_e_borlaug/extended_biography/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more than a billion people</a> worldwide from starvation.

<div id="attachment_190563" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190563" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Megan_Matthews.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="317" class="size-full wp-image-190563" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Megan_Matthews.jpg 250w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/Megan_Matthews-237x300.jpg 237w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />Megan Matthews</div>Today, computational tools like modeling can be used to inform and anticipate the expected outcomes of early-stage experiments, helping to prioritize which strategies to pursue and cutting down the time needed to achieve the same goal.
With the world facing the same existential need as during Borlaug’s time to transform agriculture to sustainably feed the global population, more efficient technologies and processes are critical. Computational biology and modeling offer tools that can guide scientists towards the most promising areas of emerging research and accelerate the breakthrough discoveries needed to make farming more equitable and sustainable. Combining data analysis, computer science and modelling, computational biology brings together these techniques to better understand biological systems.
An exciting possibility on the horizon for crop science is the early progress towards engineering cereal crops to source their own nutrients and reduce the need for fertilizer. Legumes like beans, peas and lentils already have this ability, but improving nutrient uptake and growth in non-legume plants would have a transformative impact on yields and sustainability.
Researchers, including those involved in the Engineering Nutrient Symbioses in Agriculture (<a href="https://www.ensa.ac.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ENSA</a>) project working with funders like <a href="https://www.gatesagone.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gates Agricultural Innovations</a>, are investigating plant interactions with a soil bacteria called rhizobia, as well as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which provide the plant with nitrogen and phosphorus through biological processes.
Harnessing this ability would reduce the need for inorganic fertilizers to provide these key nutrients, ensuring multiple benefits. For one, fertilizer is often a big expense for farmers, especially given <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/03/g-s1-57918/tariffs-threaten-to-upend-markets-american-farmers-depend-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">price volatility</a> over the last several years. This can be a prohibitive cost for farmers in low-income countries or communities.
Furthermore, the overuse of fertilizers can cause negative environmental impacts. Nitrogen fertilizer production and use accounts for around five percent of greenhouse gas emissions and the nitrous oxide produced is <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/11092019/nitrous-oxide-climate-pollutant-explainer-greenhouse-gas-agriculture-livestock/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">300 times</a> more potent than carbon dioxide. Fertilizer run-off also causes dangerous algal blooms that develop in waterways, killing off aquatic biodiversity.
While the benefits of giving more plants the ability to source nutrients biologically are evident, it has not been clear until now what the exact effect of these nutrient symbioses would be on plants. More specifically, scientists know the interactions between soil bacteria or fungi and plants impact growth, but not by how much.
<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.28.635303v1.full" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Recent research</a> by my group has examined this for the first time using a metabolic model for maize. It analyzed the hypothetical growth rate of maize if it were to acquire the ability to interact with rhizobia, which it does not currently have. The model also assessed the growth rate when maize is associated with AMF. 
Rhizobia aids in nitrogen fixation, pulling nitrogen from the air and sharing it with plants in exchange for carbon. AMF, instead, help plants access more nutrients in the soil beyond what can be accessed by their roots alone. The findings suggest that stacking these traits to allow for interactions with both rhizobia and AMF could more than double maize growth rates in nutrient-limited conditions. While the model does not predict changes in yield, it is reasonable to expect that higher growth rates under these conditions would also lead to higher yields.
The results of the modelling are particularly significant given the global importance of maize as a food security crop. For example, maize is one of the most important crops in sub-Saharan Africa, providing <a href="https://www.iita.org/cropsnew/maize/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a third</a> of all consumed calories, yet the region experiences chronically lower maize yields than other parts of the world. For an average smallholder maize farmer in sub-Saharan Africa with a two-hectare plot, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48859-0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">doubling maize yields</a> would equate to an additional $1000 each year.
Using a model that was developed and validated with experimental data, we were able to quantitatively highlight the potential of combining these two approaches, which may not have been prioritized otherwise. Without modeling, this kind of analysis would take years to collect, evaluate and classify, on top of the time needed to successfully engineer nitrogen-fixing maize, which does not currently exist. 
Too often, modeling and experimental science are treated as separate and distinct from one another. And yet, when combined, the two offer enormous potential to accelerate crop science for the public good.
It does not take a vivid imagination to consider the many ways in which modeling can help validate and justify research priorities. 
By uniting scientists across these disciplines at the Society of Experimental Biology’s <a href="https://www.sebiology.org/events/seb-annual-conference-antwerp-2025/sessions-2025/plant.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">annual conference</a> later this year, I hope to ignite a conversation about how modeling can support and enhance translational experimental science. And by working together, we can compound the advances we are making towards more sustainable food systems for all.
Megan Matthews, a principal investigator with the Enabling Nutrient Symbioses in Agriculture (ENSA) project and Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois
IPS UN Bureau
 
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<title>Global Push to Protect Oceans Gains Momentum Ahead of UN Conference in Nice</title>
<link>https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/global-push-to-protect-oceans-gains-momentum-ahead-of-un-conference-in-nice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=global-push-to-protect-oceans-gains-momentum-ahead-of-un-conference-in-nice</link>
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<pubDate>Thu, 22 May 2025 15:39:27 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Kizito Makoye</dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[As delegates prepare for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, momentum is building around ocean governance, finance for marine conservation, and an urgent shift toward a regenerative blue economy. Ocean advocates say the world is at a critical juncture—and the next few weeks could shape the future of marine protection for […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="300" height="200" src="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/1000272303-300x200.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="A group of employees from Tanzania Standard Chartered Bank remove plastic waste at Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam as part of the bank's social corporate responsibility initiative. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPS" srcset="https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/1000272303-300x200.png 300w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/1000272303-629x419.png 629w, https://www.ipsnews.net/Library/2025/05/1000272303.png 630w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A group of employees from Tanzania Standard Chartered Bank remove plastic waste at Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam as part of the bank's social corporate responsibility initiative. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPSBy Kizito Makoye DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, May 22 2025 (IPS) As delegates prepare for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, momentum is building around ocean governance, finance for marine conservation, and an urgent shift toward a regenerative blue economy. Ocean advocates say the world is at a critical juncture—and the next few weeks could shape the future of marine protection for decades.
“Oceans sustain all life on Earth,” said Rita El Zaghloul, Senior Programme Manager at the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People. “Protecting our ocean is fundamental for our food security, our cultural heritage, and our economies and livelihoods.” 
El Zaghloul cited new data from the OECD showing that the ocean economy, if treated as a single country, would have ranked as the world’s fifth-largest economy in 2019. It provides food for 3.2 billion people and contributes $2.6 trillion to global GDP each year.
Despite this, only 8.4 percent of the ocean is currently under formal protection. Advocates say that figure must rise to at least 30% by 2030—a goal enshrined in the Global Biodiversity Framework and reaffirmed by the 2023 High Seas Treaty, also known as the BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Treaty.
“Let us not forget that discussions on this treaty started eight years ago,” El Zaghloul said. “To enter into force, we need at least 60 ratifications. So far, we have only 21. UNOC represents a key milestone to change that.”
From Pledges to Action
Activists and policymakers alike are calling for a clear shift from pledges to implementation.
“We are only five years away from 2030,” warned El Zaghloul. “We must move beyond rhetoric.”
Examples of effective action are emerging across the globe. El Zaghloul highlighted several: the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor—a collaborative effort between Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama—has connected five marine protected areas to strengthen ecosystem management. The Marshall Islands has designated a marine area larger than Switzerland as a no-fishing zone. And in 2024, Australia expanded a marine reserve to cover over 52 percent of its national waters.
“These examples show that progress is possible—regardless of income level,” El Zaghloul said. “But of course, much more is needed.”
Financing the Ocean’s Future
One major hurdle remains: funding.
“We really need to make sure that finance is directly reaching the coastal communities that are working to safeguard our oceans,” said El Zaghloul. “From the HAC perspective, we’ve launched a rapid deployment mechanism offering small grants between USD 25,000 and USD 50,000 as seed funding. But of course, that’s only a start.”
Kristin Rechberger, CEO of Dynamic Planet and co-organizer of Monaco’s Blue Economy Finance Forum (BEFF), echoed the need to rethink the role of private finance in ocean conservation.
“For too long, extraction and pollution have been the business model, with little investment in protection or regeneration,” Rechberger said. “We need to create a new regenerative ocean economy that puts conservation at its heart.”
Rechberger said a new study shows that to achieve the 30×30 goal, 190,000 small marine protected areas must be established within the next five years—just within territorial waters.
“That requires smart programming, investment products, and scalable initiatives that restore marine life and generate returns,” she said. “This isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s an economic opportunity.”
Rechberger’s initiative, Revive Our Ocean, brings together proven partners working to demonstrate that marine protection can lead to coastal prosperity. She also pointed to the upcoming Ocean, Coastal Resilience, and Risk conference in Nice—slated to bring mayors and governors into the conversation.
“Some local leaders are already protecting coastlines and reaping the benefits through increased climate resilience and tourism,” she said. “We hope many more follow.”
France’s Role and the Path Ahead
France, the host of the upcoming UNOC, has pledged strong support. The French government, backed by HAC and other organizations, is pushing for new marine protected area announcements at the conference.
“We’re working to move from 8.4% to something closer to 30%,” said El Zaghloul. “But it’s not just about expanding coverage—we need to make sure these areas are effectively managed, inclusive, and resilient.”
El Zaghloul concluded with a call for unity: “We must ensure ministers and technical experts are aligned to push for more ambition. We need to quadruple ocean protection—and do so inclusively and effectively.”
Filimon Manoni, the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, has underscored the region’s unwavering commitment to ocean governance and climate resilience. Despite being home to small island nations, the Pacific has long been a global leader in marine protection, from advancing Sustainable Development Goal 14 to spearheading community-led marine conservation efforts.
“We take this opportunity very seriously,” Manoni said, emphasizing that the conference provides a rare platform for Pacific nations to voice their ocean-climate concerns, which are often sidelined at global climate talks.
At the heart of the Pacific’s agenda is the urgent call for the ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, a crucial step toward ending lawlessness in the high seas. Manoni warned that ongoing inaction could jeopardize years of marine conservation within national waters. He also called for a binding global plastics treaty and a reevaluation of global trade systems that continue to fuel ocean pollution.
“We, the small island developing states, continue to carry the burden of plastic waste,” he said, pointing to the need for systemic changes in international commerce to curb marine degradation.
The UNOC in Nice promises to be a pivotal moment. Whether it succeeds will depend not only on bold declarations but on the tangible steps taken afterward. For the world’s oceans—and the billions who depend on them—the stakes could not be higher.
IPS UN Bureau Report
 
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