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Carrying whatever possessions they can, women arrive in a steady trickle at a camp for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) established next to a base of the African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) near Jowhar. Heavy rains in Somalia, coupled with recent clashes between clans, has resulted in over four thousand IDPs seeking shelter at the base.

“Harrowing” intelligence report still downplays threat of climate change to national security

A first-of-its-kind report by 18 US intelligence agencies explains how the climate crisis could increase geopolitical tensions around the globe—but will government heed the warning?

Now is the time for another Green Revolution

Changes in agricultural methods and more scientific research will help stave off global food insecurity.
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Benefits of curbing climate change far outweigh costs

It actually costs more to do nothing.

El Niño increases global health threats that require a One Health response

By | Weekly sea surface temperature patterns in the tropical Pacific. Animation of maps of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean compared to the long-term average over five-day periods from the end of January to early June 2023. The waters in the key monitoring region, which scientists call “the Niño-3.4 region,” start out cooler … Continued
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A plant that could save civilization, if we let it

The carbon dioxide level in Earth’s atmosphere reached its highest level in human history last month, at 410 parts per million. Humans are a factor: We put carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, where it contributes to the warming of the planet, by burning fossil fuels. So far, Earth has warmed by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 … Continued

The spread of mosquito-borne diseases

There are approximately 2,500 mosquito species in the world, but a mere fraction of them feed on human blood. Of this fraction, only the females are vampires, as they require blood to nourish their eggs. When she's ready to lay these eggs, which usually number in the hundreds, the female typically does so on a small, still body of water. In some mosquito species, she creates little rafts for the eggs. They float until they hatch as tiny larvae a few days later. Like butterflies, they eventually turn into pupae, which ultimately metamorphose into the insects we know.

Brussels steps up as a leader in nuclear and radiological security

With a cutting-edge project in Southeast Asia, the EU asserts a trailblazing role in fighting global CBRN threats
World leaders celebrate with hands up after signing Paris climate accords at COP21

Can climate action gain traction at COP26 in Glasgow?

Experts say an increased focus on climate justice could help propel talks.

Africa’s pursuit of nuclear power

In Africa, nearly every aspect of human development (health, agricultural, educational, or industrial) depends upon reliable access to modern energy sources. Therefore, it's worth investigating whether nuclear power can safely alleviate energy shortages and optimize an energy mix consistent with the national interests of African countries.
A billboard in South Africa.

Corona-free? How disinformation could be clouding the true pandemic picture in Africa

World Health Organization data shows Africa accounts for about 4 percent of global COVID-19 cases, a surprisingly low number. In some countries misinformation may be obscuring the true impacts of the pandemic.

New roots of famine: How climate crises and global conflict combine to threaten millions in the Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa is on the verge of famine as the worst drought in 40 years has extended through its fourth rainy season, but drought alone is rarely what causes famine.

North Korea might not denuclearize, but the US Senate should

The United States would have more credibility as a critic of North Korea’s nuclear program if it joined denuclearization agreements in Africa, Central Asia, and the South Pacific.

What Cape Town learned from its drought

The ordeal was hard, but the lessons learned made it worthwhile. And Cape Town is still not out of the woods; some city reservoirs are still 90 percent empty.

Gene drives, malaria, and the back roads of Burkina Faso

A high-tech project to eliminate malaria from Africa requires the consent of local people. But how do you gain their consent when they have little idea what you’re talking about?
Cow. Credit: Roboiitgrs. Accessed via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Who hacked the slaughterhouse? When robots and AI take over farms

Advanced tech in farming promises to maximize crop yields, minimize the impact of climate change, and fight global food insecurity. Yet swift adoption without consideration of the risks may increase food-system vulnerabilities, intensify socio-economic inequality, and harm the environment.

The Black Sea: Center of the nuclear black market

The Black Sea region is one of the world's critical crossroads, a strategic intersection of east -- west and north -- south corridors that enable the free flow of people, ideas, and goods from Asia to Europe and from former Soviet territory to the Middle East and Africa. It is also the center of the world's nuclear black market.

1978: Is mankind warming the Earth?

This report is based on a monograph the author prepared for the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Is the spread of regional denuclearization dead? Or a path toward eventual disarmament?

Despite being an important step toward disarmament, no new zone free of nuclear weapons has entered into force since 2009—the longest stretch ever without a pact.

NATO joins the Pentagon in deeming climate change a threat multiplier

A new NATO special report concludes that climate change will make things worse in the world's most unstable regions.

Day Zero: Lessons from Cape Town’s crisis

Water expert and MacArthur “genius” award winner Peter Gleick says we can learn much from watching what happens in South Africa. Biggest lesson: The cheapest source of new water is not actually new water.