Azerbaijan has presented its first national sustainability standard, currently under development, at the World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13). The Sustainable Practices Standard is being developed by the Baku-based environmental NGO, the Ecosphere Social-Ecology Centre.
For decades humanity has debated war crimes, genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Rightly so. Systematic destruction directed at human life has scarred not only nations, but the conscience of civilisation itself.
Central Asia is entering a period of acute water stress as glacier melt accelerates and ageing infrastructure wastes up to 40% of water supplies, fuelling concerns over food security and regional stability.
Central Asia is among the most climate-vulnerable regions globally, relying heavily on shrinking glaciers for water. Rising temperatures threaten future supplies, while droughts, heatwaves and land degradation increasingly affect agriculture and stability.
Residents of the village of Kurseb in western Georgia have been evacuated to safety after a landslide struck the area. Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene and authorities closed a key road as a precaution.
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state has risen to 46, authorities said, with 21 people still reported missing. The storms triggered landslides and widespread flooding, displacing thousands across Juiz de Fora and Uba.
Thousands of dead grebes have been found along Azerbaijan’s Caspian coastline, prompting authorities to expand inspections as early laboratory tests show no signs of infectious disease.
Against a backdrop of mounting environmental pressure across Central Asia, the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has announced that the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026 will take place from 22–24 April in Astana.
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