A researcher presents a hybrid map projection that combines equal-area representation at global scale with seamless transition to Mercator projection when zoomed, addressing limitations of both Equal Earth and Mercator projections for interactive computer use following a UN resolution.
A UN fact-finding mission found reasonable grounds to believe the US conducted military strikes on a school in Minab and a sports facility in Lamerd, Iran in February, killing over 150 people including around 120 schoolchildren, and concluded these attacks constituted war crimes. The mission also found Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their violent crackdown on anti-government protests that began in December.
A new map projection that maintains equal-area representation at global scale while seamlessly transitioning to the conformal Mercator projection upon zoom. The hybrid design uses a simple mathematical formula and offers improved appearance for most regions compared to Equal Earth, except Northern Europe, though it provides a compromise between accurate area representation and directional accuracy.
A UN report warns the world will overshoot the 1.5°C climate target by 2030. While tree planting is popular for climate action, planting trees in natural grasslands, savannas and drylands can damage ecosystems, reduce water availability and threaten livelihoods. Effective restoration requires planting trees only in appropriate ecosystems and using methods like farmer-managed natural regeneration.
The UN Secretary-General's report finds that AI capacity-building financing is fragmented and leaves significant geographical gaps, particularly affecting developing countries. The report recommends establishing a Global Fund for AI Capacity-Building with initial funding of $3 billion over two to four years, alongside regular reporting on AI capacity progress and expansion of UN-supported capacity-building networks.
A comparison tool displays the Mercator projection (1569) and the UN's adopted Equal Earth projection (2018) side by side to illustrate how different map projections distort country sizes. Mercator inflates polar regions like Canada, Russia, and Greenland while shrinking equatorial areas, whereas Equal Earth maintains accurate area representation while preserving a familiar oval appearance.
A global study projects individual glacier extinction timelines using three glacier models across multiple climate scenarios, defining extinction as glaciers shrinking below 0.01 km² area or retaining less than 1% of initial volume. Results are visualized interactively as part of the UN International Year of Glacier Preservation 2025, emphasizing glaciers' cultural and ecological significance beyond their contribution to sea-level rise.
A new study finds that climate feedback loops from thawing permafrost, wildfires, and warming wetlands could amplify global warming by 20-30% by century's end, adding 0.2-0.4°C beyond direct emissions. These natural sources of methane and carbon dioxide are largely missing from current climate models and projections, potentially underestimating future warming and overestimating safe emission budgets.
A new study finds that climate feedback loops from thawing permafrost, wildfires, and warming wetlands could amplify global warming by 20-30% by century's end, adding 0.2-0.4°C to global temperatures. These emissions from natural sources are largely missing from current climate models, meaning projections underestimate future warming and overestimate remaining carbon budgets.
Japan protested a newly adopted UN world map that depicts the disputed Kuril Islands in the same color as Russia, claiming it contradicts Japan's territorial claims. The protest follows Russian President Putin's recent visit to the islands, escalating tensions between the two nations over territory seized by the Soviet Union in 1945.