Around 95% of Europe experienced above-average temperatures in 2025, with record heatwaves from the Mediterranean to the Arctic region. This caused rapid loss of glacier mass and snow cover, according to the latest State of the European Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released on Thursday. All of Europe’s glaciers saw a net […] Continue reading ->
Extreme heat threatens livelihoods, health and labour productivity for over a billion people around the world, warns the latest report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Agricultural workers and the food production systems that they manage are on the frontlines. The increased intensity and duration of climate change-related heat waves, driven largely by the indiscriminate […] Continue reading ->
Air pollution increases the risk of diabetes, particularly when exposure is long-term, according to emerging evidence. A 2025 study from China involving 18,606 middle-aged and elderly adults found that long-term exposure to air pollution – both indoor and outdoor – significantly increased their risk of metabolic disorders like diabetes. “This national cohort study shows that […] Continue reading ->
MUMBAI, India – Air pollution and heat are much worse together for human health than each of them alone, said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist at the World Health Organization, speaking at this week’s Mumbai Climate Week (MCW). Heat and air pollution were among the key regional priorities during the three-day event that brought […] Continue reading ->
Breathing in air with high levels of pollution worsens a range of serious mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders, according to emerging research. A 2026 study, published in the journal Environmental Research, reviewed 25 existing studies on air pollution’s impact on anxiety disorders and found that while long-term exposure is the […] Continue reading ->
Ongoing conflicts and vaccine hesitancy are undermining efforts to immunize all children, according to a report tabled at the World Health Organization’s Executive Board meeting. Over 120 million people were displaced by conflicts in 2024 alone, according to the WHO. Countries will have to put in significant efforts to achieve the 2030 target of averting […] Continue reading ->
Countries are significantly off track in meeting global targets set to transform mental health systems, according to the latest Director-General report tabled at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Executive Board meeting. Around 1.1 billion people were estimated to be living with a mental health disorder, according to the latest WHO data available for 2021. Financial […] Continue reading ->
The year 2025 was among the top three warmest years on record, according to the latest update from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Depending on the data set being used, the year was either the second or third warmest year on record. The UN agency for monitoring the atmosphere also confirmed that the past 11 […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) summit on traditional medicine (TM), which starts in India’s New Delhi on Wednesday (17 December), will push for more funding for research on traditional medicine. WHO wants to create a stronger evidence base for TM that will help to integrate it with health systems. Around 40% of today’s pharmaceutical products are […] Continue reading ->
“Why is it always those who have light skin that win,” asks a young Senegalese man tasked with handing out flyers for a local beauty pageant. The setting is Dakar, where the newly-released film Timpi Tampa tells the story of a young man, Khalilou, whose mother is diagnosed with cancer, potentially from using skin-lightening products […] Continue reading ->