Features

Poem by Margaret Atwood

Pilirani Semu-Banda meets a young woman from Malawi who thought her life had been ruined by giving birth – until she heard about a simple operation.

A visual memorial to the 61 mothers who die every hour, by artist Rowena Dugdale.

Afghanistan has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world. And behind every death there is a poignant story – told here by a sister, a husband and by photographer Jean Chung.

There is a bigger gulf in experience between the Global North and the Global South in maternal death rates than there is on any other human development measure. The average lifetime risk of maternal death in the rich world is 1 in 8,000, compared with 1 in 850 in developing countries and 1 in 450 in least developed countries.

Why are so many women still dying in childbirth? Chris Brazier explains how they could be saved.

Unless it is fair, we will never get a successful international climate agreement. Tom Athanasiou has rolled up his sleeves and produced a proposal for how it could be done.

David Ransom examines the impact so far on the Majority World.

How the financial, social and environmental crises collide – the opportunities and the dangers. Susan George and Walden Bello get the debate going.

You can play your part in the global movement for climate justice by getting involved in local and national campaigns wherever you are. Here are a few tips for taking effective climate action.

In Brazil, communities are forging their own solutions, reports Lucia Ortiz.

Danny Chivers surveys the options for the Copenhagen climate talks in 2009, and asks if they can deliver climate justice.

Apocalyptic comedy from cartoonist Stephanie McMillan.

Activists Nnimmo Bassey and Mel Evans report from the frontline.

Patrick Bond foresees a rocky future for carbon trading.

Climate change is causing human suffering all over the world and it's the poorest of the poor who are going to be worst hit.

Sunita Narain looks to the environmentalism of the poor for answers.

Yang Ailun and David Spratt on why politicians are failing.

Social movements around the world are calling for urgent and radical action, broadly based on four main principles.

Stopping climate change will involve reversing some fundamental injustices, argues Jess Worth.