Context Newsroom

Due to unprecedented shifts in the international development sector, we've made the difficult decision to close our news brand, Context. A full statement with further information, including our enhanced offering for the communities we serve, can be found on the Thomson Reuters Foundation website: https://lnkd.in/eAfVYRAE

Mexico's expanding data centre industry is driving significant demand for energy, as global tech leaders invest in large-scale facilities. While government and industry initiatives are focused on scaling up renewable energy infrastructure, current capacity is not keeping pace with growth. As a result, many data centres rely on fossil fuels to meet immediate needs. With ambitious plans to increase clean energy generation by 2030, the sector continues to balance business goals with evolving energy solutions. ✍️ Diana Baptista and Fintan McDonnell report 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eHrdgN-a

In Brazil's agricultural heartland, the Xingu Seeds Network, comprised of over 700 gatherers, plays a key role in forest and savannah restoration. The network's "muvuca" approach, sowing diverse native seeds, has proven more cost-effective than traditional seedling planting and does not require irrigation. Since 2021, Brazil has seen a 160% increase in restored ecosystems, with initiatives like these contributing to both environmental recovery and new income opportunities for local communities. ✍️ Andre Cabette Fabio reports 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ekVHzGZj

Europe's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has come into force as of January 2026, representing a significant shift in how the European Union connects climate policy with global trade. CBAM places a carbon tax on imports of high-emission goods such as steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, and electricity. The mechanism is designed to address emissions and prevent production from moving to countries with less stringent climate regulations. According to UNCTAD, CBAM could reduce EU emissions by 13.8% by 2030, though global reductions are expected to be more limited. Developing countries have expressed concerns about the financial impact, trade fairness, and access to clean technology. Discussions at international forums, including the WTO and COP30, reflect ongoing debates about the policy's implications for global trade and climate goals. ✍️ Bhasker Tripathi reports 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eP_avKZv

As President Trump enters the second year of his second term, U.S. climate policy is experiencing significant transformation. The administration is prioritizing deregulation and fossil fuels, with coal plants remaining operational and new energy demands from data centers influencing decisions. Renewable energy development faces increased scrutiny, including a pause on large-scale offshore wind projects and the rollback of incentives for solar and wind. Changes in climate science communication and data availability are also underway, with experts noting the impact on research and public understanding. Looking ahead, legal challenges are expected as courts review new greenhouse gas regulations and other policy shifts. The evolving landscape will shape energy prices, industry trends, and scientific research in the coming years. ✍️ David Sherfinski reports 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eGh4PV4c

One year into President Trump's second term, the landscape of abortion policy in the United States is marked by significant changes. Federal actions have included restricting Medicaid funds for nonprofit abortion providers, revising veterans' healthcare coverage, and approving new generic abortion medication. At the state level, laws range from near-total bans to constitutional protections. These developments highlight the evolving nature of reproductive health policy across the country. ✍️ David Sherfinski reports 🔗 https://lnkd.in/etsx8V5v

The humanitarian catastrophe engulfing Sudan, unleashing horrific violence on children and uprooting nearly a quarter of the population, is the world's most neglected crisis of 2025, according to a poll of aid agencies. Some 30 million Sudanese people – roughly equivalent to Australia's population - need assistance, but experts warn that warehouses are nearly empty, aid operations face collapse and two cities have tipped into famine. "The Sudan crisis should be front page news every single day," said Save the Children humanitarian director Abdurahman Sharif. "Children are living a nightmare in plain sight, yet the world continues to shamefully look away." Sudan was named by a third of respondents in a Context crisis poll of 22 leading aid organisations. ✍️ Emma Batha reports 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ef5UHiaG

India's pharmaceutical industry supplies a fifth of the world's generic drugs, but maintaining quality standards is challenging. In Maharashtra, a contaminated steroid batch reached over 100 patients before being flagged by regulators, illustrating the risks involved when resources and oversight are limited.  With over 10,000 manufacturing facilities and hundreds of thousands of pharmacies, inspectors struggle to keep up with their workloads. ✍️ Priyanka Pulla and Paul Eccles report 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ep6-szJn

From adding finance to making sure loss and damage funds reach vulnerable populations, climate adaptation is an increasingly crucial topic as extreme weather events disrupt daily life. Around the world, local adaptation models are redesigning how communities respond to a harsher climate, such as coastal cities turning to mangrove restoration and resilient agriculture. From the Philippines to Ethiopia, here are some examples of local strategies helping frontline communities adapt to climate change ⬇️ ✍️ Mariejo Ramos reports 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e-cgYG_b

A major industry spill that spewed toxic waste into a protected strait off the Philippines has raised concerns about governance of the nation's rich waterways and what can be done to safeguard dwindling biodiversity. Conservationists said October's spill at a private ethanol distillery in Negros Island - an area prized for its abundant coral - resulted in 255,000 cubic metres of industrial waste polluting the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape. Environmentalists say industry has no place in such delicate seascapes and needs better oversight if it is to operate. "Allowing these industries to be constructed in a supposedly ecologically sensitive area, the Tañon Strait, is wrong," lawyer Liza Osorio of Oceana Philippines, a conservation group, told Context. ✍️ Mariejo Ramos reports 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eRjs7WMB