Developing world articles from across Nature Portfolio

This study finds that low- and middle-income countries hold over 20 times the renewable mitigation potential of high-income countries, but higher financing costs increase renewable electricity costs by about US$25/MWh on average, highlighting the importance of affordable capital for an equitable energy transition.

Dry forests, such as the Argentine Chaco, are protected by a mix of local and foreign policies. However, strategies to relax local forest zoning laws circumvent dry forest protection, increasing pressure on foreign policies to move towards zero gross deforestation.

Active deforestation frontiers remain widespread across Central America’s tropical moist forests, with frontier archetypes differing in remoteness, disturbance context, and protected-area association, based on 30-m forest-change data and a frontier-metrics framework from 1990 to 2023.

Global adoption of genetically engineered rice either benefits food production or maintains current production levels with a reduction in cultivated land and global fertilizer use, as revealed by a meta-analysis of 50-year genetic engineering research.

The first all-African space exploration mission, Africa2Moon, is to be launched to the lunar south pole with Chang’e-8, scheduled for 2029.

In assessing future climate change risks the IPCC makes use of 58 standardized geographical reference regions. Global human population numbers and water-related risks in terms of economic and non-economic loss and damage are unevenly distributed across these reference regions. Here we show how the global population exposed to water-related risks is disproportionately contained in two reference regions and reflect on the implications for future IPCC assessments.

Bioengineers can repurpose the underlying physical principles of classic toys to create highly effective, ultra-low-cost biomedical tools. Embracing this frugality can democratize cutting-edge science and increase the accessibility of healthcare in low-resource settings.

Astro-tourism programmes have emerged across the world as a form of scientific engagement. The Carnarvon Astro Guides initiative in the Karoo, South Africa, is one of them, aiming to connect the large-scale astronomical infrastructure (including the SKA) to local socio-economic development.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are already enhancing food security early warning systems by improving data collection, event monitoring and forecasting. However, to avoid costly errors, artificial intelligence and machine learning should be applied selectively alongside expert oversight, robust governance and transparent practices to maintain accountable and effective humanitarian decision-making.