Decades of Monitoring, Uneven Progress The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF this week warned that billions remain without safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, despite steady progress since 2000. The findings come from the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), the UN system’s official tracker of global water and sanitation progress
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
NATADOLA, Fiji — Pacific nations have taken another step toward strengthening regional cooperation with the launch of the Pacific Interparliamentary Assembly (PIPA), a new institution designed to formalize dialogue among parliaments and create a stronger legislative voice for the region on the global stage. Previously operating as the Pacific Islands
WASHINGTON — As the United States prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, more than 180 current and former employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency have issued a public warning. In a letter to Congress and the FEMA Review Council, they argue that the agency has been
State Street, one of the world’s largest custodians, has taken a significant step into digital finance by joining JPMorgan’s blockchain platform to support tokenized debt issuance. The move marks a first for an independent custodian and underscores how traditional financial institutions are adopting blockchain to modernize capital markets. On August
In a year defined by global uncertainty and uneven progress, the newly released 2025 Sustainable Development Report confirms what many observers have long noted: the Nordic nations remain the undisputed frontrunners in the race to achieve the world’s most ambitious goals. Finland, Sweden, and Denmark top the global rankings, setting
New London, CT — The Trump administration has ordered a stop to construction of the Revolution Wind project, a $4 billion offshore wind farm led by Denmark’s Orsted. With 45 of 65 turbines already standing in the waters off Connecticut and Rhode Island, the decision threatens to derail one of
A divided country, disputed elections, and a fragile roadmap to stability UNITED NATIONS — Nearly 15 years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya remains caught between rival administrations, cycles of transitional governments, and a restless population pressing for long-promised national elections. This week, Hannah Tetteh, head of the UN
After failing to deliver a legally binding UN treaty on plastic pollution in Busan last December, the Geneva INC-5.2 talks last week were a near facsimile. Negotiations once again collapsed, leaving country delegates and observers alike wondering if a deal will ever be reached. The talks collapsed because the divisions
A Global Coalition Expands The Ocean Elders, a coalition of world leaders, scientists, and cultural icons devoted to protecting the planet’s oceans, has welcomed two new members: Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua, Speaker of Tonga’s Legislative Assembly, and Prince Hussain Aga Khan, a conservationist and acclaimed photographer. The additions expand a group
