Call for Political Belt-tightening to Prevent Drought Becoming the Next Pandemic

BHUBANESWAR, India, Jun 17 (IPS) - June 17 is World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. A new report shows that climate change, overuse and conversion for agriculture, cities and infrastructure, which also drive drought and desertification, have already degraded one fifth of the planet’s land area.

“Drought is on the verge of becoming the next pandemic and there is no vaccine to cure it.”

Read the full story, “Call for Political Belt-tightening to Prevent Drought Becoming the Next Pandemic”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/17/28099

The Caribbean Looks to Research for Answers to COVID-19, NCDs and Climate Change Challenges

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 17 (IPS) - The Caribbean Public Health Agency is banking on high-quality research to inform policy, programming and clinical practice, amid ‘unceasing’ public health challenges. In 1956, the Caribbean held its first major scientific meeting, organised by the Standing Advisory Committee for Medical Research in the British Caribbean. At the time, the Mayaro Virus, a dengue-like viral disease often called ‘jungle flu’ had just been identified as a new human disease agent by W.G Downs and G.H Wattley in Trinidad.

Read the full story, “The Caribbean Looks to Research for Answers to COVID-19, NCDs and Climate Change Challenges”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/17/28098

Apocalypse Now? Christian Fundamentalists and COVID-19

STOCKHOLM / ROME, Jun 17 (IPS) - Like most male Swedes of my age I had to enter obligatory military service for almost a year. In my barrack was a “born-again-Christian” who when he became angry shouted “Now you mock me, but when the Last Judgement has come I will sit in heaven and smile down at you while you burn in Hell!” Since then I have wondered about the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation. It was written by a frustrated Christian man who by the end of 100 CE by Roman authorities had been deported to an isolated island where he wrote a long letter to Christian congregations in Asia Minor.

Getting hard to breathe
hard to believe in anything
at all, but fear.
Peter Gabriel, Mother of Violence

Read the full story, “Apocalypse Now? Christian Fundamentalists and COVID-19”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/17/28097

To Reverse Food Insecurity Build a Climate Resilient Agricultural Sector

URBANA, Illinois, Jun 16 (IPS) - The number of people facing acute food insecurity has hit a five-year high, according to a recently released annual report by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) - an international alliance of the United Nations, the European Union, governmental and non-governmental agencies working to tackle food crises. In addition, the report noted that 28 million people were one step away from starvation. This was attributed to conflict, economic shocks due to COVID-19 and climate change associated weather events.

Read the full story, “To Reverse Food Insecurity Build a Climate Resilient Agricultural Sector”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/16/28089

Milestone moment for UN principles on business and human rights, but abuses persist

Although more companies are committing to respect human rights, gaps and challenges remain, UN experts said on Wednesday in assessing a decade of standards for business that take the wellbeing of people and the planet into consideration. 

Read the full story, “Milestone moment for UN principles on business and human rights, but abuses persist”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/16/28092

UN chief: Desertification and drought destabilizing well-being of 3.2 billion people

Land degradation from climate change and the expansion of agriculture, cities and infrastructure “undermines the well-being of 3.2 billion people”, the UN chief said on Wednesday in his message for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. 

Read the full story, “UN chief: Desertification and drought destabilizing well-being of 3.2 billion people”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/16/28091

Betting on Green Hydrogen in Chile, a Road Fraught with Obstacles

SANTIAGO, Jun 15 (IPS) - Chile is in a privileged position in the world to produce green hydrogen and boost the development of the new fuel thanks to the country’s optimal conditions for generating solar and wind energy, but the large investment required and the scarcity of water are two of the biggest obstacles to overcome.

Read the full story, “Betting on Green Hydrogen in Chile, a Road Fraught with Obstacles”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/15/28081

Yemen ‘a tale of missed and then lost opportunities’, outgoing envoy tells Security Council

Yemen’s warring sides have been unable to overcome their differences, dashing hopes for peace, the UN Special Envoy for the country said on Tuesday in his final briefing to the Security Council in the role. 

Read the full story, “Yemen ‘a tale of missed and then lost opportunities’, outgoing envoy tells Security Council”, on globalissues.org →

https://www.globalissues.org/news/2021/06/15/28086