Co-ordinating global environmental responses within the UN system
Two Africa-wide efforts and a national drive highlight rising commitment to biodiversity and reforestation. UN officials warn biodiversity loss remains urgent as Africa grapples with climate shocks, while Ethiopia readies to plant 800 million seedlings in a single day as part of the Green Legacy Initiative, underscoring continental leadership in climate resilience.
El Niño is strengthening and is likely the strongest in modern records. Forecasts foresee hotter global temperatures, worsened heatwaves, floods and droughts across regions as climate warming interacts with the natural cycle.
A section of glacier near Langtang Lirung has collapsed and has sent a fast-moving surge of ice, rock and water through valleys of Tibet and northern Nepal. Rescue teams from Nepal, China and international partners have been searching for survivors; officials have reported hundreds dead and thousands missing while authorities warn of further flood risk from newly formed lakes.
The UN Environment Programme has published a report saying the world will likely exceed the Paris 1.5°C limit within years. UNEP has recommended an "overshoot, peak and decline" pathway that combines immediate, deep cuts to greenhouse gases, rapid methane reductions and carefully governed carbon dioxide removal to bring temperatures back below 1.5°C this century.
Climate patterns have intensified this year, driving heatwaves, droughts and floods across multiple regions. Governments are mobilising finance, strengthening resilience, and adjusting policies as temperatures and rainfall shift. Aid budgets face pressure while activists warn of rising humanitarian needs.
A series of articles shows how tree-planting and forest management are reshaping climate resilience, biodiversity and policy. From Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative to debates over biodiversity net gain in the UK and sustainable timber in Brazil, the coverage reveals both progress and persistent challenges in sustaining green growth.
The 81st UN General Assembly High-Level Week is under way as world leaders gather to assess climate action, pandemic preparedness, sea-level rise and progress on the SDGs. The week also marks milestones on development charters and anti-discrimination work, with diplomacy conducted largely behind closed doors.
Pacific nations and allies press for urgent action on climate finance, ocean health, and keeping 1.5°C within reach ahead of COP31 in Turkey. Pre-COP meetings in Fiji and Tuvalu highlight vulnerability to sea-level rise and demand concrete, community-level finance and adaptation.
Retail coverage shows luxury totes and practical carry-alls moving into focus as discounts appear across brands. From Kate Spade and COACH to Amazon picks, shoppers are weighing value against status as the season starts.