Global Issues
News headlines for “Consumption and Consumerism”
Ahead of Brutal Winter Season, Intensified Attacks Cripple Basic Services Across Ukraine
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, December 18 (IPS) - In recent weeks, the Russo-Ukrainian War has taken a considerable turn for the worse, with armed hostilities escalating in both frequency and intensity, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and a significant loss of life across Ukraine. Attacks on energy infrastructures and the resulting power outages are forcing the most vulnerable civilians to deal with a “cold, frightening ordeal” in the winter season, warned the United Nations (UN) human rights chief.
Kenyan Court Restores Seed Freedom: Landmark Ruling Boost for Food Security and Sovereignty
- Inter Press Service
NAIROBI, December 18 (IPS) - For years, smallholder farmers across Kenya have been engaged in a legal battle with the government over a law that criminalizes the practice of saving, sharing and exchanging indigenous seeds.
When Frontline Communities Lead: Lessons From Five Years of Just Climate Action
- Inter Press Service
Efforts to combat climate change too often sideline the very communities hit hardest by the crisis and who have contributed the least to it. This injustice was the core idea of the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) program. Now that VCA has concluded after five years, Job Muriithi and Winny Nyanwira from Hivos reflect on its achievements and share recommendations for governments and donors to ensure fair and equitable climate action.
How Pacific Wisdom Is Shaping Global Climate Action
- Inter Press Service
BELÉM, Brazil, December 17 (IPS) - On the Pacific Islands, where the ocean horizon is both a lifeline and a warning, communities have long interpreted environmental change through traditional knowledge, lived experiences, stories, and practice. Their observations echo those across the Pacific region, where traditional knowledge remains central to understanding shifting environments and responsible stewardship.
Asia and the Pacific Preparing for a New Era of Disaster Risks
- Inter Press Service
BANGKOK, Thailand, December 17 (IPS) - Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar are indications of a shifting disaster riskscape, not anomalies. Both storms broke historical patterns: Ditwah tracked unusually south along Sri Lanka’s coast before looping into the Bay of Bengal, dumping over 375 mm of rain in 24 hours and triggering landslides.
At UN, nations pledge people-first digital future, tighter AI safeguards
- UN News
UN Member States on Wednesday pledged to narrow widening digital divides and put stronger safeguards around artificial intelligence (AI), as the General Assembly concluded a major review of how the world manages the Internet and fast-evolving digital technologies.
Refugees Forced to Fill Gaps as Funding, Power and Legal Recognition Move Out of Reach
- Inter Press Service
SRINAGAR, India, December 16 (IPS) - The global refugee system is entering a period of deep strain. The delivery of protection and assistance is undergoing a transformation due to funding cuts, institutional reforms, and shifting donor priorities. Against this backdrop, a new Global Synthesis Report titled From the Ground Up highlights the many issues faced by refugees in the Middle East and Africa.
Millions at Risk in 2026 as Aid Budgets Hit Historic Lows
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, December 16 (IPS) - 2025 has been an especially turbulent year for humanitarian aid operations as global aid budgets have experienced record declines in funding. As conflicts, environmental disasters, and economic crises intensify and disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable communities, the resources available in global emergency funds are falling far short of rapidly growing needs.
Trump Reboots US National Security Strategy, Foreign Policy
- Inter Press Service
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, December 16 (IPS) - The new US National Security Strategy (NSS) repositions the superpower’s role in the world. Hence, foreign policy will be mainly driven by considerations of ‘making America great again’ (MAGA).
UN deal delivers a smoother ride for global trade
- UN News
Moving goods around the world could soon become cheaper, faster and far more flexible, following the adoption of a new United Nations-backed agreement that modernises the paperwork behind global shipping.
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