OWSA Contributor

As Kinnaur’s Deodhars stand sentinel, their rings urge action. Reforestation with drought-resilient natives, slope-stabilizing terracing, and AI-driven monitoring could blunt the edge. Community-led early warnings, drawing on local lore, might save lives where tech lags.

Nearly 20 per cent of the country’s land area was inundated during Cyclone Ditwah, causing widespread devastation across all provinces.

as climate change advances, the arid and semi-arid zones of Afghanistan are seeing rangeland collapse, livestock losses, and weakened rural economies.

The report makes clear that safeguarding journalists is not simply a media-industry concern; it is a democratic imperative. Free, independent political coverage is essential for voters to make informed decisions, and safety is the minimum guarantee required to enable that.

Experts point out that recovery fund and planned reconstruction must also prioritise restoring agricultural capacity, irrigation and roads – because Sri Lanka’s food security and export-based economy depend critically on them.

Many experts emphasise the need for conditional cash transfer programmes, improved rural schooling, transportation support for students, and vocational training initiatives to ensure that families are not forced to choose between survival and education.

Sri Lanka faces a challenging road ahead: rebuilding damaged infrastructure, restoring health services, and ensuring clean water access are urgent priorities.

Microplastic sampling yielded sobering insights, with concentrations averaging 1.2 particles per cubic meter in surface waters – double the 2020 baseline.