Issues & Trends

Mighty River Jordan matters more than any other river – for three religions, for the people living alongside it, for thousands of years of history and as both a joint resource and a dividing line for countries in today's rather difficult political environment. But the respect given to it does not reflect this importance.

Nearly 70 percent of the groundwater stored in parts of the United States' High Plains Aquifer — a vast underground reservoir that stretches through eight states, from South Dakota to Texas, and supplies 30 percent of the nation's irrigated groundwater — could be used up within 50 years, unless current water use is reduced, a new study finds.

How should the status and progress of a country or people be measured and judged?

WASHINGTON, DC:  The Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policyare pleased to announce that Manjula Dissanayake, Fellow, Ignite Good, has been recognized on the 2013 “99 Under 33,” an international list noting the most influential foreign policy leaders under the age of 33.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday warned that by 2030, half the people on Earth would be living under "water stress," a measure defined as less than 1,700 cubic meters of water available per person per year, unless action was taken.

Nearly 30 million people around the world are living as slaves, according to a new index ranking 162 countries.

The Global Slavery Index 2013 says India has the highest number of people living in conditions of slavery at 14 million.

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Work is to start on a new global standard for measuring food loss and waste, which experts hope will help reduce the significant amount of food that does not get eaten because it is spoiled or thrown away.

As the world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history, increasing from approximately 3.4 billion in 2009 to 6.4 billion in 2050, there is a growing movement to turn cities into