A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

El Niño and Global Warming’s Shared Impact on Chile and California (New York Times)

Devastating wildfires have killed over 120 people in Chile, where a decade-long drought has created extreme fire weather conditions. While the country has experienced wildfires for years, a recent study found that unusually warm ocean temperatures created by El Niño have combined with climate-fueled droughts and heat waves to contribute to the wildfires now raging.

We live in a world marred by healthcare disparities. Pregnancy-related deaths and disabilities remain unacceptably high. Nearly 800 women die each day due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and scores more suffer from lasting disabilities. Shockingly, 90% of these preventable deaths occur in low-resource settings.

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

Climate Change Worsens Human Trafficking of Impoverished Sierra Leoneans (Al Jazeera)

Poverty leaves many vulnerable to human trafficking in Sierra Leone. Youth unemployment is almost 60% there, and most of the population lives on less than $3 per day. Victims are offered employment, largely in the service industry. Yet when they arrive in their country of employment, their passports may be seized and they are forced into unpaid labor, often coupled with sexual abuse especially for young women.

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

World Groundwater Levels Face Accelerated Decline

Courtesy of Reuters, Reported by David Stanway and Edited by Tomasz Janowsk

Nature recently released a report revealing that global groundwater levels have undergone a widespread and accelerated decline over the past 40 years. Researchers concluded that this has likely occurred as a result of the impact of two factors: unsustainable irrigation practices in dry climates and drought driven by climate change.

From Afghanistan, Nepal, and Libya to the Arctic, the new issue of Environment and Security takes a fresh look at emerging issues at the intersection of environment and security. Ashok Swain, Editor in Chief of Environment and Security, spotlights some of the new research and insights in this Q&A with ECSP staff.

Q:  The new issue of Environment and Security features an article on Arctic governance, including a close examination of the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code). How do the authors assess this regulatory instrument as it enters its 10th year since adoption?

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

The Worsening Environmental Impact of the War in Gaza

The Gaza Strip has long been uniquely vulnerable to the climate crisis, with rapid temperature increase and decreasing rainfall plaguing this whole region. Even prior to the current conflict, NGOs in the region and the UN have warned that climate change would be devastating, particularly for food and water security in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

Loopholes in the UN Climate Plan?

Climate negotiators’ pledges to address climate change at the U.N. conference in Dubai by committing to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 may be less solid than they appear. Scientists argue that these promises lack clear definitions and are filled with loopholes.

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

Severe Water Crisis in Gaza

As intensive coverage of the war in Gaza has waned, the severe water crisis there has only worsened. Constant bombardment is impacting water production and distribution networks, forcing children and families are using water from unsafe sources.