With 2024 a massive year for elections globally, concern is rising again regarding how autocratic governments and social media giants are actively undermining democracy worldwide.

I can't help but marvel at the profound impact of nature-based solutions in this fight. The preservation and restoration of ecosystems, from lush forests to vital wetlands, not only serve as natural carbon sinks but also breathe life into biodiversity. It's a holistic approach that resonates deeply with our interconnected existence, presenting a roadmap for sustainable development that transcends traditional boundaries.

Canada is facing swelling calls for action from advocates and activists, concerned that the horrific strategies of forced cultural assimilation and genocide unearthed in Xinjiang are now taking place in Tibet.

Five years after the commitment to SDGs, the question of financing remains, and so do its challenges.

Even with the varied efforts made by scholars and international organizations to define and create a policy framework on the matter of environmental migrants, there is still no legal definition. This has created a lack of understanding of the problem and a lack of international regulation, leaving environmental migrants in legal limbo with no real help or protection creating a problem of statelessness.

With the world’s population significantly more vulnerable to situations of modern slavery in 2020 due to COVID-19, the measurement of such a phenomenon becomes crucial in better determining where modern slavery may be occurring completely out of sight, within “blind spots.”

The spread of Incel ideology is being bolstered by the rise of right-wing extremism around the world. The threat of further mass attacks by Incels remains high. Their worldview is skewed around hegemonic and toxic masculinity, and the ideology is propagated through online communities with tens of thousands of daily users. To combat the ideology, policy makers must explore opportunities to increase education in critical thought, create community initiatives that centre on combating extremist ideologies, increase mental health resources for young men, and work with private technology companies to manage and monitor the online forums where Incels collaborate and connect.

In the midst of a pandemic during the age of information, governments have the responsibility of conducting further public engagement to make policy decisions. In the case of Vancouver, the Municipal Government has done the bare minimum of informing the public, but still needs to involve and collaborate with its constituents.