U.S. Air Force and Space Force officials released a climate action plan Wednesday that includes a goal of operating bases at net-zero emissions by 2046, an ambitious effort to rein in the sizable carbon footprint of the U.S. military’s air wing.

The South Caucasus, Azerbaijan in particular, is facing water shortages as precipitation levels are decreasing and the levels of the region’s rivers are dropping. Water tensions are also linked to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Ukraine war has added to the pressure to address the links between the environment, natural resource management and conflict.

2022 has brought environmental disaster to Pakistan as the country experienced a record-breaking heatwave in May, contributing to the collapse of many agricultural sectors.

Iraq finds itself amid a water crisis that far exceeds previous experiences with water scarcity and acute shortages.

I recently spoke with Dr.