Global Issues News Headlines for “Natural Disasters”

Drought Cripples Dairy Farmers in Maharashtra in ‘Off the Charts’ Weather Year

2026-11-09T07:34:51-08:00

PUNE, India & ANTALYA, Türkiye, November 9 (IPS) - Dairy farmer Sagar Pawar has to buy water and fodder at inflated rates to feed his brood of two buffaloes, three Guernsey cows and a calf. He lives in the Solapur district, which is already drought-prone, but now has to deal with the impacts of a strong El Niño as well.

Read the full story, “Drought Cripples Dairy Farmers in Maharashtra in ‘Off the Charts’ Weather Year”, on globalissues.org →

COP31 Litmus Test for International Cooperation

2026-11-08T13:59:49-08:00

ANTALYA, Türkiye, November 8 (IPS) - As the world heads toward COP31 Türkiye starting this week, I’ve been reflecting on how I think COP31 could prove to be a more revealing “Transition COP”. Let us remember that the Paris Agreement came from a series of “institutional heartbeat” COPs – NOT from annual blockbuster headlines.

Read the full story, “COP31 Litmus Test for International Cooperation”, on globalissues.org →

Why Geohazards Must Be Part of the Pacific’s Resilience Agenda

2026-11-06T10:26:40-08:00

BANGKOK, Thailand, November 6 (IPS) - For years, global discussions of disaster risk in the Pacific have been dominated by climate change. Rising seas, intensifying cyclones and coastal erosion have rightly captured international attention. This focus, while warranted, should be complemented by greater recognition of geohazards, which are just as consequential and in many cases, more immediately devastating. Addressing this gap requires a more coordinated approach, supported by sustained investment and stronger partnerships, to foster cooperation and strengthen resilience across the Pacific.

Read the full story, “Why Geohazards Must Be Part of the Pacific’s Resilience Agenda”, on globalissues.org →

Wealth Buys Protection in Climate Crisis – Oxfam

2026-11-05T09:13:30-08:00

NAIROBI & SRINAGAR, India, November 5 (IPS) - The world’s wealthiest people are driving a disproportionate share of climate pollution while poorer communities bear the heaviest costs of floods, heatwaves, food insecurity and other climate disasters, according to a new report by Oxfam International.

Read the full story, “Wealth Buys Protection in Climate Crisis – Oxfam”, on globalissues.org →

Turning Nuclear Memory Into Joint Action: Kazakhstan and Soka Gakkai Expand Their Cooperation

2026-11-05T07:48:58-08:00

ASTANA / TOKYO, November 5 (IPS) - The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and decades of nuclear testing at Semipalatinsk left Japan and Kazakhstan with different histories of nuclear suffering. Those experiences have helped sustain a partnership that is now finding new avenues through interfaith dialogue.

Read the full story, “Turning Nuclear Memory Into Joint Action: Kazakhstan and Soka Gakkai Expand Their Cooperation”, on globalissues.org →

New Biodiversity Funding Brings Hope for Armenia’s Lake Sevan

2026-11-02T09:25:54-08:00

YEREVAN & GEGHARKUNIK PROVINCE, Armenia, November 2 (IPS) - The midday sun shines brightly over Lake Sevan. In the still waters, a flock of cormorants drifts silently, their black feathers glistening in the autumn light.

Read the full story, “New Biodiversity Funding Brings Hope for Armenia’s Lake Sevan”, on globalissues.org →

WFP Warnings Become a Reality as Food Insecurity in Haiti on Track to Reach Record Highs

2026-11-02T05:37:39-08:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, November 2 (IPS) - Warnings by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) that Haiti’s fragile food security gains could quickly unravel are becoming a reality. New analysis indicates acute hunger in the country is continuing its upward trajectory and is set to reach record levels. Violence, economic instability, poor agricultural performance and displacement, along with the growing impact of El Niño, are driving this bleak outlook.

Read the full story, “WFP Warnings Become a Reality as Food Insecurity in Haiti on Track to Reach Record Highs”, on globalissues.org →

New Biodiversity Pledges Emerge at COP17, But Funding Gap Persists

2026-10-30T13:08:00-07:00

YEREVAN, Armenia, October 30 (IPS) - The second week of COP17 was dominated by discussions on biodiversity finance, with new pledges announced and donor outreach intensifying. Yet as the summit approached its close, the financing gap for implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) remains largely unchanged.

Read the full story, “New Biodiversity Pledges Emerge at COP17, But Funding Gap Persists”, on globalissues.org →

UAE’s UN Chief Candidate Faces Mounting Opposition Over Country’s Role in Sudan War

2026-10-30T08:59:03-07:00

UNITED NATIONS, October 30 (IPS) - As the race for the next UN Secretary-General moves forward, the campaign of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, Lana Nusseibeh, has faced significant pushback over the country’s involvement in the ongoing Sudanese Civil War.

Read the full story, “UAE’s UN Chief Candidate Faces Mounting Opposition Over Country’s Role in Sudan War”, on globalissues.org →

Women and Girls’ Death Toll in Armed Conflict Doubles since 2021

2026-10-30T05:55:41-07:00

NEW YORK, October 30 (IPS) - More than 37,000 civilians were killed in conflict last year. Women and girls accounted for one in four of these deaths – double their proportion in 2021 – according to the 2026 UN Secretary-General’s report on Women, Peace, and Security, released today.

Read the full story, “Women and Girls’ Death Toll in Armed Conflict Doubles since 2021”, on globalissues.org →