UN - Climate changes

1. Asia: Lives upended by cyclones, ‘extreme’ rainfall on the rise, warn UN agencies

   Across southeast Asia, record-breaking rains and flooding caused by back-to-back tropical storms have claimed hundreds of lives and brought devastation and displacement upon entire communities, UN agencies said on Tuesday. 

2. Cyclone Ditwah brings worst flooding in decades to Sri Lanka, killing hundreds

   Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst flood disasters in two decades, with nearly one million people affected and more than 400 reported dead or missing after Cyclone Ditwah unleashed catastrophic flooding and landslides across the island.

3. Somalia declares drought emergency as millions face hunger after failed rains

   Somalia is facing a rapidly worsening drought emergency, with vast swaths of the country now parched after four failed rainy seasons, leaving millions at risk of hunger and displacement, UN humanitarians warned on Wednesday.

4. Belém COP30 delivers climate finance boost and a pledge to plan fossil fuel transition

   In a pivotal outcome at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, countries agreed on a sweeping package to scale up climate finance and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement – but without a clear commitment to move away from fossil fuels.

5. From waste pickers to courtrooms: Women demand a gender focus at COP30

   On the scheduled final day of COP30 in Belém, tense negotiations are stretching into Friday afternoon as divisions persist. Amid the ongoing talks, one message is cutting through the noise: there is no climate justice without gender equality.