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When water submerged their village, Mandoko recounts, "We had no choice but to flee. We took refuge in a church on the hill, but we lost all our food stock. Fortunately, we received help from our relatives and community members." Four months later, when the water receded, Mandoko and her family returned home. But what they saw was heartbreaking: mud-covered wooden debris was all that remained of their home. "We’ve lost everything," she lamented. "Now that the floodwaters have receded, we have gradually resumed our agricultural activities to survive.”

Africa’s second-longest river, the Congo River, is a major threat for people in Tshopo Province, which is situated in the heart of the Congo Basin forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). For the past 10 years, the river’s recurrent flooding has destroyed people’s lives and livelihoods. Mandoko Atanga, 39, is just one of those people. Recurring floods have displaced more than 108,000 people in Tshopo and destroyed more than 5,000 hectares of farmland and their harvests, disrupting agricultures and putting people at risk of acute food insecurity. Their story represents how cyclic flooding has affected thousands of households in the region.

Tshopo Province is grappling with multiple crises. Recurrent flooding is destroying crops, making food scarce; land disputes are fuelling intercommunal violence, dividing society. Despite these challenges, local communities are in a constantly changing environment.

“I don't think you can underestimate the capacity of human ingenuity to come up with solutions at a blistering pace.”

Acclaimed actor, filmmaker and three-time Academy Award nominee Edward Norton has long been raising his voice on behalf of the planet and its most vulnerable communities. As a UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity, he is championing the protection of biodiversity for the well-being of all.

“It’s quite heartbreaking. I started diving, when I was 14, in the Caribbean. The change to the reef environments in the Caribbean in my adult lifetime is staggering and really upsetting [...] It looks like a burnt forest or something. It’s just not, it’s not as alive.”

Working closely with communities in East Africa and around the world, Edward is pushing for conservation that also tackles poverty by providing sustainable sources of income for local communities. In this special episode, the Hollywood star reflects on his activist upbringing, his hopes for his children, and on balancing a successful acting career with a rich, varied and meaningful life.

Photo: ©UN Photo/S. Cardi

On the cold, wet and foggy slopes of the Andes mountains in South America, a unique but fragile ecosystem illustrates the interconnection between the three most urgent global environmental crises we face today: biodiversity loss, climate change and land degradation. Known as ��á�������Dz�&�Բ�����;(alpine tundras), these high mountain ecosystems are found at altitudes higher than 3,000 metres. Considered sacred by Indigenous Peoples, the ��á�������Dz� of the Andes have been inhabited by humans for the past 15,000 years. However, with over 76,000 families living in the Colombian ��á�������Dz�&�Բ�����;today, unsustainable development has been pressuring this invaluable and delicate ecosystem. That is why the (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP), implemented by the (UNDP), launched the Guardians of the ��á�������Dz� alliance, in partnership with SWISSAID and World Women’s Corporation Colombia. Over the project’s three years of implementation, a total of 2,328 people participated, most of them rural women.

In Yemen’s West Coast, families like Ali and Ibrahim’s face ongoing threats from conflict and flooding, relying on International Organization for Migration’s support for immediate relief and long-term resilience.

How can social protection help those most vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change? 

In this of 's , Kumi Naidoo, a longtime human rights and climate justice activist, and Shahra Razavi, Director of the ILO’s Universal Social Protection department, discuss the issue.

A recent reveals that 2023 marked the driest year for global rivers in over three decades, impacting water availability significantly

Climate change affects people differently, with the poorest and most vulnerable bearing the brunt. Developing countries suffered economic loss and damage of US$425 billion in 2020 due to climate change.  One of the best ways to address loss and damage linked to climate change is to make funding available directly to local communities, Indigenous peoples, and civil society organizations so that they can design, implement, and deliver their innovative solutions that are culturally appropriate and context-specific. The Global Environment Facility implemented by the 51�Թ� Development Programme (), provides support to local organizations to tackle environmental issues like climate change.

World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. The 51�Թ� General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week would be held each year from October 4-10. For the year 2024, the chosen theme is “Space and Climate Change.” This theme emphasizes the critical role of space exploration and technology in understanding and addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

Two months after Hurricane Beryl, one of the most destructive storms in recent memory, residents of the Caribbean’s once-idyllic Grenadines Islands are still battling to rebuild their lives and livelihood. With winds up to 240 km/h, Beryl devastated essential infrastructure and dwellings in many of these little island towns, displacing thousands. Amid the aftermath, stories of strength and resilience emerge from the rubble. As families continue to pick up the pieces, the International Organization for Migration () is working with the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as national and international partners to provide emergency relief.

There is a global call for more climate finance to support Low and Middle-Income Countries and fund adaptation. However, roughly $4.8 trillion has been channeled into climate action, with .

Sea-level rise is one of the most significant impacts of climate change, with rates doubling over the past 30 years and expected to rise 15-30 cm by 2050. Extreme sea-level events, once rare, could happen annually by the end of the century. This problem will affect a billion people in low-lying coastal zones. The High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise (25 September), the first of the General Assembly on this issue, will focus on building understanding, political leadership, and international cooperation to promote solutions for vulnerable states and communities. !

Iceland has created the world's first Glacier Graveyard on the Seltjarnarnes Peninsula, symbolizing the loss of glaciers due to climate change. It features memorial tombstones for glaciers that have melted, such as the Okjökull Glacier. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the rapid disappearance of glaciers worldwide.

The report on the shows how weather-related disasters are undermining socio-economic development, as well as threatening health, food and water security in the region. The report was launched yesterday and provides a snapshot of climate indicators like temperatures, sea level rise, ocean heat and acidification and extreme weather, alongside risks and impacts. 

Renewable energy solutions are providing a more reliable source of electricity for millions of people in Yemen – and improving their access to essential services.

The Rings of Fire 2024 report offers vital recommendations for sporting authorities to prevent disruption and minimize heat risks.