Has the 30^th edition of the UN-sponsored climate summit, COP30, been delivered as initially expected? Indeed, trust in the Paris Agreement has been maintained and partly fulfilled. Confidence in multilateralism remains strong despite the absence of the second-largest emitter of Greenhouse Gases (GHG), the US. However, the divisions among coalition member groups within COP remain as sharp as they have been in 30 years of climate negotiations.

Against the backdrop of ineffectiveness of the UN in diffusing West Asia and Eurasia conflicts, failure to adopt a global pact on plastic pollution, and over and above all, the rise of unilateral trade protectionism, the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has concluded its two-day (August 31 - September 1) high-profile 25^th Summit in Tianjin, China.

In 2022, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres launched the ‘Early Warning for All’ (EW4ALL) initiative, aiming to provide universal protection against hydro-meteorological, climatological, and related environmental hazards by 2027 (WMO, 2022). This initiative has advanced the global agenda on anticipatory action by emphasizing the need for user-centric early warning systems, thereby enhancing human security.

India's foray into Antarctic geopolitics began in 1955–56 with “The Antarctic Question,” marking the country's official intervention under then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. As historian Sarvepalli Gopal observed, Nehru’s geopolitical vision was rooted in advocating world peace and fostering solidarity among post-colonial nations, positioning India as a diplomatic force on global platforms traditionally dominated by Western powers.

Every summer, news of people dying due to the scorching rays of the unforgiving sun circulates in popular media. Though the size of the published articles keeps decreasing in width and breadth as the season goes by, do not mistake its miniature manifestations as a sign of reduced importance. Instead, it is a sign of India's growing complacency with the extreme climatic conditions, also more fondly known as 'Summer.'

Do we have the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment? One of the most obvious questions, even the cycle of heat waves engulfing India this summer, has been missing during the largest democratic practices as 834 million Indians are voting in the 2024 General Elections. Ironically, the election manifestos of both national and regional political parties have failed to commit to ensuring the right to a healthy environment for all Indians if they are elected to power on June 4, 2024. At best, environmental well-being is a non-issue in this General Election.

The transboundary water dispute between Iran and Afghanistan is historical. Both neighbouring countries have been dealing with the water-sharing dispute somewhat without progressing towards a permanent solution. The problem is centred around the Helmand River, which starts from the Hindu Kush Mountains near Kabul and streams into Iran's Hamoon wetlands in Sistan and Balochistan province (southeast of Iran). This river was defined as the territory of Iran. Until 1857, Herat was part of Iran, and only after Iran and Britain signed the Paris Treaty of 1857 did Iran abandon its claim.

After hosting a successful G20 Summit, India is more than willing to host a climate summit meeting in 2028. On the second day (December 1) of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP 28) meeting to the UN Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Prime Minister Modi, during his speech in the high-level segment, offered to host COP 33 in India. What has prompted the PM to offer to host such a significant environmental summit in 2028?