Guanacaste is Costa Rica's driest province and attracts tourists and foreign buyers. Rapid coastal development has increased water shortages, pollution and local protests, while officials and studies warn aquifers and ageing water systems are under pressure.
Photo by Erick Morales Oyola, Unsplash
Nepal's constitution guarantees social protection, but about 20.1 million people remain without coverage. The government gives allowances and supports ten endangered Indigenous communities, with mixed effects and calls for broader long-term measures.
States of emergency in parts of the Caribbean expand search powers and allow detention without charge. Young men in vulnerable communities are often most affected, and experts say social and economic policies must accompany security measures.
Climate change is making rainfall less reliable, so expanding irrigation is essential. Small-scale and solar-powered systems can help millions of smallholder farmers grow crops year‑round, but wider expansion needs large investment and better management.
A University of Michigan study published in PNAS finds that programs matching local values help women in rural Niger more than Western-style interventions. The research says social and psychological factors affect people’s ability to improve their lives.
