The world is entering a new phase of climate change defined by “failure to mitigate sufficiently and failure to adapt sufficiently,” said Saleemul Huq, director of the Bangladesh-based International Center for Climate Change and Development, at the Wilson Center on March 16. [Video Below]

Some, especially in the scientific community, get frustrated at the seeming lack of scientific literacy among the general public and policymakers. This is a two-part problem, however. The general public must understand the implications of science and data, yes, but it is also important for the scientific community to effectively convey their work and educate the next generation.

Massive droughts and water demands from a world population projected to grow to 9 billion by 2050, translate to food insecurity and lack of water for agriculture. Securing Water for Food sources and invests in a portfolio of innovative solutions that help farmers use water more efficiently and effectively; improve water storage for lean times; and remove salt from water to make more food.

On February 1, the World Health Organization declared the spread of the Zika virus a public health emergency. The declaration was the WHO’s highest level of warning – so dire, in fact, that it has only been declared three times in the organization’s history. We believe that, as with Ebola, the lesson we learn must be the importance of robust universal primary health care services.

Since its adoption after COP-21 in December 2015, the Paris Agreement has received mixed reviews. Some stakeholders, mostly industrialized countries, see the climate deal as a success. Developing countries have generally been more cautiously optimistic, welcoming the agreement as the best option under the circumstances.

If you Google “arcane bureaucratic tool” the Department of Defense Directive (DODD) should be high on the results list. That said, these little-known directives can be very influential in how the Pentagon conducts its day-to-day business. Late last week, Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work signed out a DODD that may just be the most meaningful climate-related document the Department of Defense has released.

Canada is well known as a world leader in measures of human wellbeing. Since the launch of the UN Human Development Index in 1990, Canada has ranked among the top 10 countries every single year except one. But though Canadians can take a just pride in their country’s achievement on the global stage, it nevertheless masks grave concerns at home.