While the rest of the world is mainly concerned about the energy disruptions caused by the Iran war, the Gulf countries are more anxious about the Islamic Republic’s threats to their desalination facilities. If the US attempts to seize Kharg Island, it could spell disaster for the region's "saltwater kingdoms."
From the Ifugao highlands to Morocco’s Anti-Atlas Mountains, Indigenous terrace farming illustrates how long-standing, locally adapted practices capture water, conserve soil and diversify crops to withstand intensifying climate extremes.
In 2004, Aceh was hardest hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami. In 2025, Indonesia’s most disaster-aware province was among the worst hit by floods. The failure was not forecasting, but what happened – or didn’t – after the alarms were raised.
As climate change and great-power rivalry intensify, oceans are emerging as a geopolitical frontier – testing whether diplomacy can manage rising tensions over shipping routes, seabed minerals and fishing grounds.