The Sahel’s Silent Exodus: A Crisis of Climate, Conflict, and Survival
The Sahel stretches across the spine of Africa like a fragile thread, a vast semi-arid belt where the desert meets the savannah and where, today, the future of millions hangs in the balance. The UN warned on Friday that nearly four million people have been uprooted across the region, forced to flee again and again […]
U.S. Refuses to Back World Bank Climate Statement, Deepening Rift Over Global Green Finance
WASHINGTON — Fault lines in global climate finance deepened this week when the United States stood apart from nearly every other major shareholder, refusing to sign a World Bank joint statement calling for a stronger climate mandate. The statement, backed by 19 of the Bank’s 25 executive directors, urged that 45% of annual financing be […]
UN Report Calls for Overhaul of Mining Finance to Make Responsibility the New Default
GENEVA — As the race for clean energy accelerates, the minerals powering the transition—lithium, nickel, copper, and rare earths—are creating new frontlines of inequality. A United Nations report released this week warns that without an overhaul of how mining is financed, the energy transition could reproduce the same social and environmental injustices that defined the […]
Exclusive to Insiders: Planetary Health at a Crossroads — Seven Boundaries Breached
In a stark new assessment released this week, scientists warn that humanity has crossed seven of nine planetary “boundaries” — the biophysical limits that sustain Earth systems — placing the world on a perilous trajectory. The Planetary Health Check 2025 frames this as an existential moment: if humanity fails to change course, the costs to nature and […]
Exclusive to Insiders: France Plunged Into Political Uncertainty After Prime Minister’s Resignation
A Government in Crisis PARIS — France has entered a new phase of political turmoil following the resignation of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu after less than a month in office. His abrupt departure comes amid growing economic pressure, widespread political fragmentation, and a fragile public mood. The resignation was announced just one day after Mr. Lecornu […]
Exclusive to Insiders: A New Era Under Sanae Takaichi — Implications for Japan’s Agenda
Japan is entering a moment of political change as Sanae Takaichi prepares to assume the mantle of prime minister. Her rise marks a historic milestone: she is expected to become the country’s first woman in that role. Her ideological leanings, policy priorities, and leadership style suggest both opportunities and challenges for Japan’s pursuit of sustainable […]
Exclusive to Insiders: Chair of UN Plastics Treaty Steps Down, Throwing Negotiations Into Crisis
UNITED NATIONS, October 7 — The global effort to end plastic pollution was thrown into disarray today after the chair of the United Nations plastics treaty negotiations, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, announced his resignation, citing “personal and professional reasons.” The surprise decision comes amid deep divisions between nations and growing criticism of the process’s transparency, raising fears […]
Exclusive to Insiders: Europe Challenges Washington Over Climate Finance Leadership
BRUSSELS — The European Union is preparing to confront the United States over the future of global development finance. As ministers gather for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings this month, a widening divide between Brussels and Washington is emerging over how multilateral banks should respond to the climate crisis. At the heart of […]
Exclusive to Insiders: Egyptian Scholar Poised to Lead UNESCO Amid Financial and Political Turbulence
PARIS — In a decision that blends symbolism with strategic urgency, the executive board of UNESCO has nominated Egyptian Egyptologist and former minister Khaled el-Enany to serve as its next Director-General. If confirmed by the organization’s full membership next month, he will become the first Arab leader to helm the UN’s premier cultural and educational body. […]
INSIDERS EDITION: Trump Administration Escalates Pressure on Global Climate Governance
With the world already confronting accelerating climate disasters, the Trump Administration has intensified its campaign to roll back multilateral environmental agreements. The strategy is unsettling allies, emboldening oil producers, and leaving fragile negotiations in disarray just weeks before the United Nations General Assembly. Oil Politics and Trade Coercion The administration’s latest moves highlight a strategy […]
