Climate Change

At the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, leaders from the US and EU have backed a phasedown of fossil fuels, with some qualifications.  But many African countries say they deserve to exploit their natural resources and develop just like richer countries. 

El Hierro, a tiny island in the Canaries, is halfway to the UN goal of ditching fossil fuels. But finding just the right renewable energy mix is proving tough.

Optimism soared after the Paris Agreement was established in 2015. But progress at UN climate talks since then has been incremental at best.

Severe water shortages in Iraq are affecting the cultivation of the country’s signature anbar rice. The lack of water is being caused by a combination of climate change and geopolitics. The World’s Sara Hassan speaks with a farmer who can no longer grow the crop in southern Najaf province.

The government approved a new contract with the mine late last week. Since then, protests have rippled across Panama, and people are afraid they could bring the country to a standstill.