In 2007, a teenaged Australian became the first documented case of “climate delusion” when he was hospitalized for dehydration after refusing to drink out of fear of contributing to the nation’s drought. Carley Chavara’s story on “climate trauma” was the most-read last month after being linked to by NPR.

What is just was the subject of our top three most popular stories last month on New Security Beat. From climate policy to gender inequality, many governments and NGOs are grappling with how to address marginalization and other systemic problems through interventions that also address environment or health issues. As the Sustainable Development Goals encourage such integrated thinking – by rich and poor countries – these kinds of considerations are likely here to stay.

“There are no walls high enough to insulate any of us from the consequences of extreme climate change,” wrote Nick Mabey last month. The same could be said for the refugee and migration crisis facing many parts of the world today, including an exasperated Kenya, detailed in another of our most popular posts. These are problems that no one nation can solve.

Last year was the hottest on record and 2016 is shaping up to be even worse. Along with soaring temperatures though, climate change is most likely to affect you via water. A World Bank report released last month found that the difference between good and bad water management over the next four decades could swing GDP for some regions as much as 20 percent.

Everywhere you look these days, you find storytellers. I’ve found myself going to fewer concerts after work and more storytelling nights. Podcasts have sprung up dedicated to the craft of narrative. It’s a brand I hear friends use to define themselves: “I’m a storyteller.” If you’re under 30, it’s a natural and ubiquitous part of the milieu.

An alternative to rebuilding Iraq’s dangerously unstable Mosul Dam? Rapprochement between Turkey, Iraq, and the Kurds, writes Azzam Alwash for the Middle East Program in last month’s most-read story. Cooperation over water could be a mechanism for building stability and restoring vital natural resources.

Water, water, everywhere. Water stories accounted for half of the most read last month. New Wilson Center Fellow Sherri Goodman outlined three principles to creating a “water-ready” world. Heather Chen highlighted a four-part update by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation on Lake Turkana as the Gibe III Dam begins operation. Florian Krampe outlined results from a research project in rural Nepal on the effects of small hydro projects. And Alec Crawford and Angie Dazé explained lessons learned about incorporating migrant populations into conservation projects around Lake Albert.

The problem seems simple: More people living in dense, low-lying cities means more people are vulnerable to flooding, storm surge, and sea-level rise. But the solution is not, writes Linda Shi in last month’s most-read story. Efforts to build resilience to the effects of climate change too often exacerbate inequalities, leaving the poorest and most marginalized just as bad off, if not worse, as before.