Global Issues News Headlines for “Water and Development”

Why it is Time to Rewrite Africa’s Malaria Story

2026-05-07T07:22:44-07:00

NEW YORK, May 7 (IPS) - If you woke up with severe fever, would you stay home from work? What if the choice meant losing a week’s wages, or deciding if you could afford the trip to a doctor at all?

Read the full story, “Why it is Time to Rewrite Africa’s Malaria Story”, on globalissues.org →

Breaking the Cycle Between Food Production and Environmental Decline

2026-05-06T17:58:36-07:00

URBANA, Illinois, US, May 6 (IPS) - A newly published review in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment has revealed disturbing statistics on the growing environmental threats posed by global food production. The global food system, designed to feed and nourish humanity, is now a major contributor to climate change via greenhouse gas emissions, and the largest driver of freshwater depletion, biodiversity loss, and nutrient pollution.

Read the full story, “Breaking the Cycle Between Food Production and Environmental Decline”, on globalissues.org →

From Resolution to Reality: Delivering Water and Sanitation for “The Africa We Want”

2026-04-22T14:49:13-07:00

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 22 (IPS) - When Africa’s Heads of State and Government gathered in Addis Ababa on 14 February 2026 for the African Union’s 39th Ordinary Session, they did more than adopt another resolution. They made a choice: to place at the centre of the agenda the most fundamental, life-sustaining and strategic resource our continent possesses: water.

Read the full story, “From Resolution to Reality: Delivering Water and Sanitation for “The Africa We Want””, on globalissues.org →

The Cape Water Performance-Based Bond: A New Alliance for Cape Town’s Water Future

2026-04-16T14:47:14-07:00

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 16 (IPS) - In 2018, Cape Town came perilously close to becoming the first major city in the world to run out of water. Known as “Day Zero”, it was more than just a crisis, it marked a pivotal moment. It made clear that water insecurity is not a distant threat, but an immediate reality.

Read the full story, “The Cape Water Performance-Based Bond: A New Alliance for Cape Town’s Water Future”, on globalissues.org →

Explainer: How the GEF Funds Global Environmental Action

2026-04-16T08:22:02-07:00

SRINAGAR, India, April 16 (IPS) - The Global Environment Facility, widely known as the GEF, plays a central role in financing environmental protection across the world. It supports developing countries in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, pollution, and threats to ecosystems.

Read the full story, “Explainer: How the GEF Funds Global Environmental Action”, on globalissues.org →

From Flooded to Future Ready: Why Asia Pacific Cities must Become ‘Sponges’

2026-04-13T08:00:49-07:00

BANGKOK, Thailand, April 13 (IPS) - As the Pacific recovers from a severe cyclone season and Asia braces for the monsoon, flood readiness has become a defining test of sustainable urban development.

Read the full story, “From Flooded to Future Ready: Why Asia Pacific Cities must Become ‘Sponges’”, on globalissues.org →

Artisanal Miners in Western Kenya Move Away From Mercury

2026-04-01T16:02:09-07:00

KAKAMEGA, Kenya, April 1 (IPS) - They call this land Bushiangala. Gold has been mined here for nearly a century. In 1931, colonial prospectors arrived after traces were found in the nearby Yala River, setting off a rush that changed this quiet corner of western Kenya.

Read the full story, “Artisanal Miners in Western Kenya Move Away From Mercury”, on globalissues.org →

EXCLUSIVE: Water Laureate Kaveh Madani on Arrest, Exile and Fight for Science

2026-03-25T06:44:44-07:00

UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (IPS) - Professor Kaveh Madani of Iran has been named the 2026 Stockholm Water Prize laureate. The award will be formally presented by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in August during World Water Week in Stockholm.

Read the full story, “EXCLUSIVE: Water Laureate Kaveh Madani on Arrest, Exile and Fight for Science”, on globalissues.org →

As East Africa’s Migratory Fish Vanish, a Food Security Crisis Surfaces

2026-03-24T12:10:10-07:00

RUFIJI, Tanzania, March 24 (IPS) - By the time the auction begins at Nangurukuru fish market in Tanzania’s southern Lindi region, the crisis is already visible. Wooden canoes that once returned from the Rufiji River with heavy catches now bring only a fraction of what they used to. Traders scan for the long-whiskered catfish that once defined the market but find none.

Read the full story, “As East Africa’s Migratory Fish Vanish, a Food Security Crisis Surfaces”, on globalissues.org →

Geospatial Innovations Addressing Critical Water Data Gaps in Asia

2026-03-20T06:29:54-07:00

BANGKOK, Thailand, March 20 (IPS) - Across Asia, new initiatives are showing how satellite Earth observation data and AI-powered technologies can turn fragmented water-related data into actionable insights for managers and policymakers in line ministries and local governments.

Read the full story, “Geospatial Innovations Addressing Critical Water Data Gaps in Asia”, on globalissues.org →