Kobaena is where the Bajau, Moronene, Wuna-Wolio, Tolaki, and Bugis-Makassar peoples paddled and sailed their kole-kole, jarangka, sope, and phinisi to find the meaning of life in harmony with nature and their environment. Today’s Kabaena is far different from the old portrait and the old song of the island.
New figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development show that climate finance provided and mobilised by developed countries rose to USD 132.8 billion in 2023 and USD 136.7 billion in 2024. While the figures suggest an upward trend, campaigners warn that the headline increase mask deeper concerns about adequacy and overall reduced aid.
While fossil fuel companies raked in billions in profits in the first quarter of 2026 amid the South-West Asia conflict, campaigners at 350.org condemn the French G7 presidency’s glaring inaction on windfall and excess profits taxes targeting the oil and gas industry.
Too often, discussions on tourism infrastructure and urban planning remain trapped within narrow sectoral thinking. Accessibility is treated as a specialized issue for persons with disabilities, climate is discussed separately as an environmental issue, while governance, economic inequality, ageing populations, and technological transformation are addressed through different institutional silos. Yet in reality, these crises and transitions are deeply interconnected.
While millions across the US and globally face energy insecurity and rising costs of living, major oil and gas corporations continue to post unprecedented earnings driven by the war in the Middle East and an energy system rigged in their favor.
New research by 350.org shows that on top of soaring energy bills, fossil fuels cost households an additional $12 trillion a year in taxpayer handouts, health impacts and extreme weather damage – equivalent to a $23 million a minute “gift to Big Oil” that costs each person on Earth $1,400 per year.
