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The UK government's approval of the Jackdaw North Sea gas field, despite widespread global criticism, undermines its climate credibility and international standing. The project, set to meet just 2% of UK gas demand for a decade, was re-approved following a quashed initial consent due to inadequate emissions accounting. This move contrasts with global trends toward fossil fuel phase-out and weakens the UK's position to oppose similar projects elsewhere. While the UK has historically led climate initiatives and enshrined net zero law, its support for new fossil fuel extraction risks setting a double standard. The decision comes amid growing global efforts to transition from fossil fuels, legal pressures, and the prospect of peak fossil fuel demand accelerating sooner than expected.
Jackdaw decision could haunt the UK at future climate summits
Generation Z across Europe faces overlapping crises including climate change, mental health challenges, academic and economic pressures, and housing insecurity. Adolescence, extending into the twenties, is marked by increased school demands, reduced family and peer support, intensified parental expectations, and amplified social comparison via social media. Economic concerns such as high living and education costs, and uncertain job prospects exacerbate stress. The visible climate crisis causes anxiety, compounded by a perceived lack of youth involvement in decision-making, fueling frustration and protests. Despite rising mental health issues linked to broader societal pressures, many young people remain engaged, expressing agency through activism and showing growing support for collective solutions like the EU.
Africa | Health
Youth protests across Europe: the overlapping crises facing Gen Z
Autumn and Halloween wreaths reflect a growing trend in "doorscaping," adding seasonal color and personality to front doors. This interest in decoration could encourage more front garden planting, helping counteract the widespread paving of British front gardens, which limits greenery and its environmental benefits. While practical concerns like parking and space exist, even small plantings—containers, bulbs, or climbers—can improve aesthetics, support wildlife, and aid cooling and flood control. Encouraging door decoration to extend into garden planting may enhance street appeal, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
Autumn wreaths and ‘doorscaping’: why we need more life in our front gardens
Climate data visualizations simplify complex climate issues but often overlook local experiences and vulnerable communities, such as small Pacific islands like Tonga. While global visualizations accurately depict broad trends, they may lack localized data crucial for representing the lived realities of those most affected by climate change. Emotional responses to these visuals can drive awareness and discussion; however, meaningful climate action is more likely when individuals feel empowered to act at local or national levels. Effective climate communication must ensure diverse representation and foster both concern and agency, making visible not only the scale of the crisis but also the people behind the numbers.
Africa | Health
When climate data is transformed into visuals some people and places get overlooked
Social unrest in China can inadvertently foster entrepreneurship due to local governments' responses rather than the protests themselves. When protests arise—often around environmental or social issues—authorities may initially use coercion but then concede by improving communication, shelving contentious projects, and loosening regulatory or financial barriers to restore public confidence. This sequence—street protest leading to government reaction, resource reallocation, and ultimately increased venture formation—creates unexpected economic opportunities. Empirical analysis from 2008 to 2019 shows protests correlate with thousands of new startups, driven by increased business lending and relaxed regulations, highlighting how political pressure can generate entrepreneurial opportunities indirectly.
How street protests can spark entrepreneurship
The Intentional Data Community for Food and Nutrition Security (IDC) was launched to strengthen and connect data systems critical for anticipating, preventing, and responding to food and nutrition crises. Despite increasing pressures from conflict, climate shocks, and economic disruptions, funding for these data systems declined by an average of 31% in 2025, impacting key programs like FEWS NET and IPC. The IDC aims to protect data infrastructure, boost local data collection, and improve the use of information for timely, effective government and community action to save lives and protect livelihoods amid escalating global risks such as El Niño.
Africa | Health
New Global Coalition Calls for Action as Funding for Critical Food and Nutrition Security Data Systems Declines
By 2050, developing Asia will have 1.2 billion people aged 60 or older, with rising one-person households and social isolation increasing long-term care demand. Around 43% of older adults needing help do not receive it. Care extends beyond caregiver-recipient roles, emerging through mutual presence, shared routines, and everyday interactions—termed care-with. Social networks provide companionship, recognition, reciprocity, and support that formal care does not replace but complements. Strengthening aging care systems involves supporting these relational networks alongside formal services, fostering environments where social connections naturally develop to enhance older adults' well-being and inclusion.
Africa | Health
Development Asia: How Social Connections Can Strengthen Care Systems in Aging Societies
Existing poverty reduction and local development programs can be adapted to enhance climate resilience among poor and marginalized communities. Experiences from Indonesia and Nepal demonstrate practical methods for improving beneficiary targeting by integrating climate vulnerability, coordinating investments, strengthening local governance, and empowering community participation. The approach includes linking household assistance with essential community systems and establishing accountable financing mechanisms for locally identified adaptation priorities. A phased roadmap is provided for governments and development partners to mainstream climate resilience into existing programs and public investments.
Africa | Health
Enabling Inclusive Climate Resilience Through Local Development Programs
Coastal hazards such as rising sea levels, cyclones, storm surges, and salinity intrusion significantly diminish socioeconomic well-being in Asia and the Pacific. This study identifies nine key domains of well-being loss and reviews existing methods for measuring disaster impacts. It proposes an integrated measurement framework with specific indicators and data collection approaches adaptable to government systems. Insights from a pilot study following Cyclone Remal in Bangladesh and stakeholder input inform policy recommendations to improve disaster risk reduction and response, emphasizing gender-disaggregated data and institutional integration.
Africa | Health
Well-Being Losses from Coastal Hazards
Meghan Busse, a strategy professor at Kellogg, and Matthew Roling, executive director of the Abrams Climate Academy, explore the complex landscape of climate change and clean energy in the U.S. and globally. They discuss how firms respond to climate policies, the divergent directions of renewable energy adoption worldwide, the potential of AI in addressing climate challenges, and the roles individuals and companies can play in fostering a sustainable future. Despite setbacks, they emphasize that hope remains for progress through informed leadership and innovation.
The Insightful Leader Live: Why We Shouldn’t Give Up Hope on Climate Change
The UK experienced record highs in renewable energy generation from April 2025 to March 2026, with solar and wind providing over 38% of electricity, while gas generation dropped to 25%. However, extreme temperatures challenge grid resilience by increasing demand and causing infrastructure damage. The cold snap in January 2026 saw wind generation fall as demand peaked, requiring costly gas-powered backup. Conversely, the warm summer of 2025 caused infrastructure faults, power cuts, and limited nuclear output due to heat stress. Upgrading the grid to withstand temperature extremes and enhance capacity is vital to ensure a reliable energy system amid increasing climate variability.
Hot and cold climate extremes push UK’s energy system to its limits, new report reveals
The UK autumn budget is expected to be cautious, constrained by weak economic growth, high government debt near £3 trillion, and rising inflation. Chancellor John Healey faces limited options to support cost-of-living pressures without raising taxes that could harm growth or spook bond markets. The government may limit energy bill subsidies to benefit claimants and fund these by cutting other spending. Major issues like social care funding, regional tax redistribution, and defense budget increases are likely postponed until next year’s spending review. The budget aims to maintain market confidence but may disappoint public expectations for substantial help.
The UK autumn budget: why the chancellor’s options are limited
Small fish like sardinella are vital affordable protein sources in West Africa but are increasingly diverted for export and aquaculture feeds in wealthy regions, impacting local nutrition. While aquaculture, a fast-growing food sector, relies on marine ingredients like fishmeal and fish oil, wild fish catches are declining globally due to better management. These marine inputs remain important, especially for certain species, but supply is vulnerable to climate effects. Fish processing by-products now contribute significantly to fishmeal and oil production, improving sustainability. However, issues persist with sourcing tied to local food insecurity, highlighting the need for efficient, ethical, and locally attuned aquaculture feed strategies. Tools measuring nutrient conversion efficiency, such as Fish In: Fish Out ratios, can optimize resource use and bolster global food security.
Wild fish are a precious resource – here’s how aquaculture can bolster food security
The UK government's approval of the Jackdaw gasfield in the North Sea will add about 6.5% to UK North Sea gas production but is unlikely to noticeably lower household energy bills, as gas prices are linked to international markets. While Jackdaw can modestly enhance energy security by reducing imports, it won't make the UK energy independent or shield consumers from global price fluctuations. The project’s tax contributions are complicated by investment-related deductions and evolving tax regimes, and gross sales may not fully cover development costs by 2029. Overall, Jackdaw offers limited economic and security benefits amid ongoing exposure to international gas prices and environmental considerations.
Jackdaw approval: what a new North Sea gasfield means for UK energy security, bills and tax
Coastal areas in Asia and the Pacific are vital economic hubs supporting food production, trade, cities, tourism, and livelihoods but face escalating risks from climate impacts. Disruptions to these coastal systems can affect not only local communities but also regional supply chains and economies. The 2026 Asia-Pacific Climate Report delivers the first comprehensive assessment of coastal risks across 30 developing member countries, using satellite data, flood models, surveys, and expert analysis. It emphasizes that investing early in coastal resilience yields high returns by securing critical infrastructure, food and water supplies, and development gains while enabling adaptive planning aligned with evolving risks and priorities. Governments that adopt adaptive, well-financed, and cooperative approaches can transform rising risks into long-term resilience.
Africa
Asia-Pacific Climate Report 2026 — Coastal Risks on the Rise: Actions for a Resilient Future
Over 2.5 billion people worldwide need assistive technology, a figure expected to surpass 3.5 billion by 2050 due to aging populations and rising noncommunicable diseases. In Asia-Pacific alone, 750 million people require such aids, which range from basic devices like glasses and canes to advanced AI-driven tools. Assistive technology is crucial for supporting independence, especially for those with conditions like diabetes, and offers significant social, health, and economic benefits, including a potential $10 trillion in global economic gains by 2075. Despite this, access remains highly unequal, with less than 3% coverage in many low- and middle-income countries. Barriers include limited awareness, stigma, fragmented financing, insufficient policy prioritization, and low private sector investment. Improving access requires raising awareness, integrating assistive technology into health financing, and fostering user-centered product development.
Africa, ASEAN | Health, ICT, Education
Development Asia: Expanding Access to Assistive Technology for Noncommunicable Disease Care
Killing wild animals that attack humans is sometimes necessary to protect human life and prevent further harm, including retaliatory killings of uninvolved wildlife. Fatal attacks by animals like alligators can lead to removing specific individuals if they pose ongoing threats, especially where people regularly interact with wildlife habitats. However, indiscriminate retaliation often devastates populations and conservation efforts. Effective conflict prevention—such as improving barriers and safe access to resources—and involving local communities in management decisions are crucial. Killing should never replace addressing underlying circumstances enabling attacks, and decisions must weigh safety alongside conservation impacts.
Is it wrong to kill wild animals that attack humans? Sometimes conservation demands it
Purchasing weapons tends to increase the risk of future wars and negatively impacts a country's stock market, with arms imports serving as a strong predictor of market declines. This effect is more pronounced in democratic countries with strong rule of law and less so in autocratic regimes or NATO members. Military build-ups exacerbate geopolitical tensions and impose economic costs beyond procurement expenses, affecting investors and pensioners alike. Armed conflicts disrupt trade, supply chains, and foreign investment, causing long-term GDP reductions. Wars like those in Ukraine and Iran further trigger global economic instability through rising energy prices and inflation.
Africa
How buying weapons can harm a country’s economy
Drought causes clay-rich soils to lose moisture and contract, leading to uneven ground shrinkage that can damage house foundations and cause cracks. When rain returns, soils may swell unevenly or collapse suddenly due to weakened soil structures and displaced particles, exacerbated by factors like leaking drains or soakaways. Soil behavior varies locally, influenced by foundation depth, vegetation, and drainage conditions. Soil degradation from drought also impacts erosion, microbial activity, and crop yields. Homeowners should monitor cracks and structural changes, ensuring proper drainage and consulting professionals if damage progresses.
Subsidence claims: after drought, ground can shrink, swell or even collapse when it rains – causing damage to homes
The EU and Canada have proposed a new strategic partnership, with the European Political Community (EPC) seen as a potential framework for enhancing transatlantic cooperation. Canada's pivot toward Europe reflects a strategic recalibration driven by geopolitical volatility and dependence risks on the US. The EPC offers a flexible platform for political coordination beyond EU membership, enabling collaboration on security, economic governance, and technological standards. However, challenges remain due to the EPC's informal structure, lack of concrete institutional mechanisms, and EU member states' political constraints, which may limit the partnership's operational effectiveness.
Africa
The European Political Community could be a platform for Canada-EU cooperation

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