Prayer Guide
May the joy of the angels,
the eagerness of the shepherds,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ-child
be yours this Christmas;
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Wednesday 17th December
Nearly a month after Hurricane Melissa – one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded – swept across Jamaica, killing at least 45 people, injuring hundreds, and leaving a path of destruction, aid groups still face significant logistical challenges to reach those in need, while communities struggle to recover, writes Migue Roth. In mid-November, when The New Humanitarian visited some of the hardest-hit parishes, large parts of the southwest of the island remained in darkness and roads were still blocked. Communication was intermittent in at least 30 communities that were still only accessible by air or by sea; and hopes for a full return to normality were fading amid mud, debris, and growing despair… According to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Melissa left some 30,000 households displaced and affected 182 communities, even as the damage to critical infrastructure – including hospitals and health centres – has limited the ability to provide assistance and delayed the restoration of basic services.
Thursday 18th December
The absence of the US from talks in Belém sparked expectations that China would assume the mantle of leader. However, Chinese climate leaders consistently refuted these calls. Chinese climate envoy Liu Zhenmin said that the commentators were just “the west giving us a ‘tall hat’” – meaning trying to flatter China. Wang Yi, vice-chair of China’s expert panel on climate change, said in an interview with the Guardian that he did not think China “would like to play a leadership role”. At the China pavilion, the word “leadership” was rarely, if ever, uttered by the nations’ delegates. However, they still sought to position the country as a strong advocate for multilateral climate action and the global energy transition. Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) head Huang Runqiu said during the first session at the China pavilion, attended by Carbon Brief: “We have become a committed actor and active contributor to green and low-carbon development.”
https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop30-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-belem/
Friday 19th December
In a world of political uncertainty, democratic checks and balances matter, writes Ruth Chambers. As we approach the last four months of the sixth Senedd [in Wales] [t]he Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill is one of those pieces of legislation. It will plug much of the governance gap around environmental protection created by Brexit, setting up a new watchdog and building environmental principles into policy making. It will also set a new pathway to recover lost species and habitats, as Wales attempts to shed its sorry crown as one of the most nature depleted countries in the world…While the bill has been consistently welcomed across the political spectrum, it was disappointing to see Laura Anne Jones from Reform vote against it last week. She was the only MS to do so… The bill will lead to the creation of a new oversight body, the Office of Environmental Governance Wales (OEGW). Its role will be to hold Welsh Ministers and public authorities to account on their environmental obligations, regardless of which party controls them. At one end of the spectrum, it will be able to provide advice and publish reports on how well environmental laws are working. At the other, it will be able to enforce non-compliance of environmental laws, including in the High Court if needed, with contempt of court a hopeful deterrent to law breaking.
Saturday 20th December
California has become a wildlife trafficking hotspot in the U.S., with a notable spike in live animals smuggled across the southern border to be sold as pets, from monkeys and exotic birds to venomous snakes, writes Spoorthy Ramen. The state has three high-traffic border crossings with Mexico and millions of tons of cargo shipped through some of the nation’s busiest airports and seaports. With limited staff, resource-strapped agencies face serious challenges in policing the illegal import of protected plants and animals into California. Poachers also target California’s native plants and reptiles, threatening local species. Meanwhile, some imported animals get loose and become invasive species that destroy ecosystems or may carry diseases, creating public health risks. As traffickers exploit new technologies and follow market demand for different animals, enforcement officials struggle to control the influx of illegally traded species.
Sunday 21st December
Heavenly Father,
you call us to prepare for the coming of your Son:
forgive us our unreadiness to receive him.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
you were proclaimed by John the Baptist:
help us also to prepare your way.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit,
you speak through the prophets:
make us attentive to hear your word.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Monday 22nd December
The role of nature recovery in driving economic growth is to be set out under new corporate strategy from Natural England published [in November]. Healthy nature is the foundation of a strong and productive economy. This strategy, “Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security”, reflects Natural England’s ambition to build more diverse partnerships and enhance collaboration with different sectors to realise the opportunities that nature recovery holds for growth… This new strategy clears a pathway to making nature-based solutions an integral part of how we build and invest for the future. It sets out how Natural England will support business to deliver its ambitions while growing nature. A key part of the strategy is a shift away from site-by-site species-by-species interventions and towards achieving nature recovery at scale across whole landscapes and seascapes.
Tuesday 23rd December
A new study published [in November] in Science Advances reveals widespread non-compliance with international trade protections for endangered sharks, showing that global wildlife-trade rules are being routinely violated in one of the world’s largest and highest value marine markets. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a 184 nation treaty that regulates – or, for the most endangered species, bans – international trade in wildlife products. Species listed on Appendix II can be traded only if the trade is proven sustainable and legal; those on Appendix I cannot be traded commercially at all. DNA evidence from Hong Kong’s markets shows fins from CITES-listed species, including critically endangered oceanic whitetip and hammerhead sharks, still traded in massive numbers. Up to 95% of oceanic whitetip shark trade is illegal, despite global protections. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) says findings highlight the need for Appendix I uplisting and tougher enforcement of CITES and fisheries rules
https://saveourseas.com/new-study-reveals-persistent-illegal-trade-in-protected-sharks
Wednesday 24th December
Christmas Eve
Loving Father,
Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven,
for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
Attributed to Robert Louis Stevenson, https://hallow.com/blog/christmas-prayer-catholic-blessings/#st-andrews-novena
Thursday 25th December
Christmas Day
May the joy of the angels,
the eagerness of the shepherds,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ-child
be yours this Christmas;
Friday 26th December
There is a rising clamour for reform of the UN climate process. It was on the COP agenda for the first time in Belém, under the title, “arrangements for intergovernmental meetings” (AIM). Ideas on the table included capping the size of national delegations, as well as “sunsetting” agenda items and limiting the number of new issues that could be added. Ultimately, COP30 adopted very limited conclusions that simply “invited parties to pursue efficiency in the consideration of agenda items at sessions”. Talks will continue next year.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop30-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-belem/
Saturday 27th December
Each summer, in England, water quality is monitored at over 400 beaches, rivers and lakes which are popular for swimming. At the end of the bathing season, which officially runs from 15th May to 31st September, these bathing water sites are each given a rating based on health-related water quality standards; these range from the minimum ‘Sufficient’ standard to the top ‘Excellent’. Designed to protect public health, these ratings also affect local communities, businesses, tourism, opportunities for recreation and the public’s confidence in how well our water system is managed… this year’s results show that 417 (93%) bathing water sites in England met at least minimum bathing water standards, with 297 (66%) also meeting the highest ‘Excellent’ standard – a slight increase from 2024. 32 sites (7%) were rated as ‘Poor’ – five fewer than last year – meaning that they failed to meet the minimum legal standards for safe bacteria levels and water users are at greater risk of becoming ill from water pollution, including ear, nose, throat and stomach infections.
https://www.mcsuk.org/news/bathing-water-results-2025/
Sunday 28th December
Heavenly Father, you exalted the humble and meek: give us humble and contrite hearts.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you grew towards birth in the Virgin’s womb: be planted also in our hearts and lives.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, you overshadowed Mary, that she might become the God-bearer: fill us with your heavenly gifts.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Monday 29th December
For over 200 years, native oysters (Ostrea edulis) have been absent in Dublin Bay, writes Fiona Regan. Once abundant along the Irish coast, they thrived in the sheltered estuaries and tidal flats that shaped the city’s maritime life. Historical records from the 18th and early 19th centuries describe vast oyster beds stretching across the bay. They were a vital food source, a cornerstone of coastal trade and a symbol of Dublin’s connection to the sea. By the mid-1800s, however, the beds had collapsed. A combination of over fishing, industrial pollution, development, habitat destruction, and disease decimated the population. It left behind only fragments of shell in the sediment as traces of what had once been a thriving marine ecosystem…Now, through collaborative efforts led by the Green Ocean Foundation, a not-for-profit marine environmental organisation, as well as local volunteers and the Dublin City University Water Institute, the oyster is making a return. The reintroduction of oysters to Dublin Bay represents more than ecological restoration – it’s a revival of cultural heritage and collective memory.
Tuesday 30th December
After more than three years of dispute, it was agreed at COP30 that next year’s summit will take place in Antalya, Turkey, with rival bidder Australia acting as “president of negotiations”. It was also agreed that COP32 will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2027. This will be the first-ever COP hosted by one of the least-developed countries. Speaking to the press in Belém, Australian climate minister Chris Bowen explained that there would be a pre-COP meeting in the Pacific next year. Bowen added: “As COP president of negotiations, I would have all the powers of COP presidency to manage, to handle the negotiations, to appoint co-facilitators, to prepare draft text and to issue the cover decision.”
https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop30-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-belem/
Wednesday 31st December
Eternal Lord God,
we give you thanks for bringing us through the changes of time to the beginning of another year.
Forgive us the wrong we have done in the year that is past, and help us to spend the rest of our days
to your honour and glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Thursday 1st January
The Work of Christmas Begins
When the carols have been stilled,
When the star-topped tree is taken down,
When family and friends are gone home,
When we are back to our schedules
The work of Christmas begins:
To welcome the refugee,
To heal a broken planet,
To feed the hungry,
To build bridges of trust, not walls of fear,
To share our gifts,
To seek justice and peace for all people,
To bring Christ’s light to the world.
– by Michael Dougherty, a variation on Howard Thurman’s ‘When the Song of the Angels is Stilled’
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/new-years-prayers
Friday 2nd January
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 marked the tenth annual stocktaking of global progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the 2030 deadline only [four] years away, the report delivers a stark assessment: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)have improved millions of lives, but the current pace of change is insufficient to fully achieve all the Goals by 2030. The report reveals real and substantial development gains during the past decade. Since 2015, the world has made notable strides in expanding access to education, improving maternal and child health, and bridging the digital divide. Effective prevention efforts have significantly reduced the burdens of infectious diseases such as HIV and malaria. Access to electricity has continued to grow, and renewable energy is now the fastest-rising source of power worldwide. Yet progress has been fragile and unequal. Millions still face extreme poverty, hunger, inadequate housing, and a lack of basic services. Women, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities continue to face systemic disadvantages. Escalating conflicts, climate chaos, rising inequalities, and soaring debt servicing costs are holding back further advancements. Across the rest of January we will pray for each of the SDGs in turn.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/
Saturday 3rd January
Sustainable Development Goal 1 -End poverty in all its forms everywhere
- Extreme poverty persists, affecting one in ten people worldwide. Recent crises have stalled progress, with the burden falling heavily on sub-Saharan Africa and conflict-affected regions. Without a significant acceleration in efforts, 8.9 per cent of the global population will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030 under the revised international poverty line.
- For the first time on record, over half of the world’s population now receives at least one form of social protection benefit. Despite this milestone, 3.8 billion people remain uncovered.
- Governments are spending more on education, health and social protection, but emerging market and developing economies continue to lag behind advanced economies in allocating resources to these essential services.
- A world without poverty will require urgent actions to raise social protection coverage in developing nations, close spending gaps on essential services and target resources to the most vulnerable populations.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-01/
Sunday 4th January
May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding us from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening us to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making our path easy,
But by making us sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from us,
But by taking fear from our heart;
Not by granting us unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping our face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making our life always pleasant,
But by showing us when people and their causes need us most,
and by making us anxious to be there to help.
God’s love, peace, hope and joy to us for the year ahead.
– Author Unknown; Adapted by Debra Mooney
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/new-years-prayers
Monday 5th January
Sustainable Development Goal 2 Zero hunger
- Global hunger and food insecurity have declined in recent years but remain above pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, an estimated 8.2 per cent of the global population faced hunger and about 28 per cent – nearly 2.3 billion people – were moderately or severely food insecure
- Hundreds of millions of children and women are affected by malnutrition, and dietary diversity remains inadequate for both women and young children. While the share of countries with high food prices declined from 60 per cent in 2022 to 50 per cent in 2023, this is still more than three times pre-pandemic norms.
- Public agricultural investment is rising, reaching $701 billion in 2023, but the agriculture orientation index continues to fall, indicating a disconnect between investment and sector importance.
- Getting Goal 2 on track requires urgent action to strengthen food systems, support small-scale producers, improve services, ensure access to nutritious diets and address structural drivers of food price volatility – through coordinated financing and multisectoral strategies.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-02/
Tuesday 6th January
Sustainable Development Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- Global health progress is slowing after decades of gains. Between 2000 and 2019, maternal and child mortality declined significantly; the HIV incidence rate fell; and healthy life expectancy increased by over five years. However, COVID-19 reversed some of these gains, cutting life expectancy by 1.8 years and slowing progress towards nearly all health-related SDG targets.
- Infectious and non-communicable diseases remain major threats. AIDS-related deaths have halved since 2010, and 54 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease. Meanwhile, malaria cases are rising; tuberculosis returned to being probably the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent in 2023; and non-communicable diseases killed 18 million people under age 70 in 2021.
- Deep inequalities and underresourced systems persist. Despite a growing health workforce and expanded services, major inequalities persist. Low-income and fragile settings face the highest risks due to underfunded systems, service gaps and workforce shortages.
- Global health resilience requires bold investment and equity. To meet global health targets by 2030, a substantial intensification of efforts is needed to address deep-seated inequalities, strengthen primary care, build resilient and inclusive health systems and ensure universal access to quality care.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-03/
Wednesday 7th January
The first Green Christian workshop of the year is tonight, from 7pm. Why look for the Living among the Dead? – natural life in churchyards – connecting with the Biodiversity of church land with Revd Johannes Nobel. The Revd Johannes (Jan) Nobel is a parish priest in York, as well as the Green Ambassador for the Diocese of York. Jan believes that the climate crisis provides many opportunities for our mission and worship, and he particularly enjoys sharing new perspectives about wildlife in church yards, being passionate about initiatives such as Churches Count on Nature, and Love your Burial Ground Week. Free, but register for the zoom
https://greenchristian.org.uk/why-look-for-the-living-among-the-dead/
Thursday 8th January
Honeybee superfood breakthrough uses yeast to produce essential sterols that dying colonies need for survival when natural pollen becomes scarce due to climate change, writes Cyrene Oraya Reyes. Honeybee superfood technology offers hope for reversing global colony collapse by addressing a critical nutritional issue that has long troubled beekeepers. Scientists at Oxford University have engineered yeast to produce essential sterols that honeybees cannot make themselves but desperately need for healthy brood development.
https://happyeconews.com/scientists-make-honeybee-superfood/
Friday 9th January
Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality education
- Education is vital for sustainable development, yet progress remains off track. While enrolment and completion rates have improved since 2015, with girls outperforming boys in most regions, progress is slowing. Meanwhile, 272 million children and youth remained out of school in 2023.
- Learning outcomes are declining in many countries. Although literacy has improved modestly, hundreds of millions of people remain illiterate, with women disproportionately affected. Deep inequalities persist due to gender, wealth and geography.
- To accelerate Goal 4, countries must prioritize inclusive policies and financing that simultaneously address access, learning and equity.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-04/
Saturday 10th January
Sustainable Development Goal 5 -Gender equality
- Three decades after the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, gender equality remains elusive. Despite progress, discriminatory laws and gender-based norms continue to hinder gender equality. Women remain underrepresented in decision-making and leadership roles and often lack autonomy over sexual and reproductive health, land rights and technology access. Women’s disproportionate share of unpaid domestic and care work continues to limit their access to education, career opportunities, and political engagement, while harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation, persist globally.
- Well-designed public finance systems are essential for financing gender equality commitments. However, only 26 per cent of 121 countries and areas have comprehensive systems to track resource allocations for gender equality – unchanged since 2021 – highlighting persistent capacity gaps in accurately costing, allocating and spending resources to implement national gender equality laws and policies.
- Achieving gender equality requires integrated, comprehensive and gender- responsive policy packages that strengthen legal frameworks, reduce economic and structural barriers and scale up investment in gender equality at all levels.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-05/
Sunday 11th January
Lord, You make all things new
You bring hope alive in our hearts
And cause our Spirits to be born again
Thank you for this new year
For all the potential it holds.
Come and kindle in us
A mighty flame
So that in our time, many will see the wonders of God
And live forever to praise Your glorious name.
– Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/new-years-prayers
Monday 12th January
Sustainable Development Goal 6 -Clean water and sanitation
- While steady progress expanded access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services between 2015 and 2024, billions remain underserved. In 2024, 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water, 3.4 billion went without safely managed sanitation and 1.7 billion lacked basic hygiene services at home.
- Water systems are under strain from pollution, water stress and weak governance. Only 56 per cent of domestic wastewater is safely treated, water stress remains critical in several regions, freshwater ecosystems are declining and transboundary cooperation is limited. At the current rate, the world will not achieve sustainable water management until at least 2049.
- Achieving Goal 6 requires mobilizing comprehensive financing mechanisms, leveraging innovative technologies, strengthening institutional capacity, fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships and integrating water management across all sectors and governance levels.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-06/
Tuesday 13th January
Sustainable Development Goal 7 – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- The world has made considerable progress towards Goal 7. Global electricity access reached 92 per cent in 2023 ‒ up from 84 per cent in 2010. Meanwhile, access to clean cooking fuels and technologies rose from 64 to 74 per cent between 2015 and 2023. Renewable energy is the fastest-growing energy source today, and it is projected to surpass coal as the primary electricity source in 2025.
- However, achieving Goal 7 targets demands substantially increasing clean-energy investments, particularly in developing economies. Without accelerated investments and action, 645 million people will still lack electricity access, and 1.8 billion will lack access to clean cooking in 2030. Meeting global climate targets and net-zero emission warrants the rapid deployment of renewable energy across all sectors and more significant improvements in energy efficiency.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-07/
Wednesday 14th January
Climate Action Week Maldives 2026 is a premier global youth sustainability program taking place [this week], in the Maldives. The event will bring together young leaders, professionals, policymakers, activists, innovators, and changemakers from across the globe, aged 18 to 50, to collaborate on building sustainable solutions to climate challenges. This fully funded program is designed to empower youth voices in the global climate agenda, equip participants with the tools to drive change in their communities, and foster meaningful dialogue between decision-makers and the next generation of sustainability leaders.
https://iimps.org/climate-action-week/
Thursday 15th January
A global operation against the illegal trafficking of wild fauna and flora has led to the seizure of nearly 30,000 live animals and the identification of 1,100 suspects. From 15 September – 15 October, law enforcement agencies comprising police, customs, border security and forestry and wildlife authorities from 134 countries made a total of 4,640 seizures during Operation Thunder 2025. This record number of seizures included tens of thousands of protected animals and plants and tens of thousands of cubic metres of illegally logged timber, as well as more than 30 tonnes of species classified as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Friday 16th January
Sustainable Development Goal 8- Decent work and employment
- Global economic growth is falling short. GDP per capita growth is projected to slow to just 1.5 per cent in 2025 due to heightened trade tensions and policy uncertainty. Real GDP growth in LDCs remains well below the 7 per cent target.
- While the unemployment rate fell to a record low of 5.0 per cent in 2024, nearly 58 per cent of workers remained informally employed, with persistently high rates in LDCs and sub-Saharan Africa. Youth and women continued to face particularly elevated unemployment and NEET (not in education, employment, or training) rates.
- To achieve decent work for all, governments must accelerate comprehensive strategies including formalization pathways for informal workers, enhanced social protection systems, strengthened labour rights enforcement, and investments in green and digital economy initiatives, while ensuring equitable access to finance and economic opportunities, particularly as global economic uncertainties intensify.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-08/
Saturday 17th January
Sustainable Development Goal 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Since 2015, notable progress has been made in expanding infrastructure, fostering industrial growth, and boosting innovation. Global manufacturing value added (MVA) per capita grew 17.3 per cent from 2015 to 2024. Maritime freight reached 11.6 billion metric tons in 2023, driven by the growing participation of developing countries. Meanwhile, 5G mobile broadband now covers 51 per cent of the global population.
- Emissions hit a new high despite clean energy growth. CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion and industrial processes rose to a record 37.6 billion metric tons in 2024, up 8.3 per cent since 2015. Clean energy technologies helped curb further growth, but global emissions continue to rise amid increasing energy demand.
- To advance towards Goal 9, countries must boost investment in resilient infrastructure and research and development (R&D), expand access to financing for small manufacturers, and bridge the digital divide by prioritizing affordable broadband and innovation systems in the world’s most underserved regions.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-09/
Sunday 18th January
Be Our Light for the New Year
Come, Holy Spirit,
Spirit of the Risen Christ, be with us today and always.
Be our Light, our Guide, and our Comforter.
Be our Strength, our Courage, and our Sanctifier.
May this new year be a time of deep spiritual growth for us,
A time of welcoming your graces and gifts,
A time for forgiving freely and unconditionally,
A time for growing in virtue and goodness.
Come, Holy Spirit,
Be with us today and always.
– Author Unknown
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/new-years-prayers
Monday 19th January
Sustainable Development Goal 10 – Reduced inequalities
- Since 2015, most countries have seen income and consumption growth for the bottom 40 per cent of their population outpace the national average, though disparities persist among regions and countries at different income levels. The labour income share of GDP fails to show progress, contributing to rising inequality.
- Reports of discrimination are rising globally, with higher prevalence among urban residents, women, persons with disabilities, the poorest and those with lower education levels.
- The global refugee population has surged to 37.8 million – primarily from Afghanistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela – intensifying humanitarian pressures.
- Getting Goal 10 back on track will require providing extra support for vulnerable population groups, combating rising discrimination, protecting labour income and introducing structural reforms to boost growth in emerging and developing economies.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-10/
Tuesday 20th January
Do you need a safe space in which to share your complex responses to the climate and ecological crises? Deep Waters begins again today. In eight sessions, we will explore topics such as anxiety, grief, justice, lament, wisdom, love, and the meaning of hope. This successful programme has helped many people. People often have complex emotional responses to the climate crisis, including grief, anger, blame, and many others. Deep Waters aims to help people navigate these responses through a Christian lens of love, wisdom, and justice, and to lead people into a place of active hope. Pray for the group leaders and the participants, that all can feel more hope.
https://greenchristian.org.uk/deep-waters/
Wednesday 21st January
Sustainable Development Goal 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
- With rapid urbanization and now over half the world’s population living in cities, housing affordability has reached crisis levels. Up to 3 billion people worldwide struggle to afford a place to live, and 1.12 billion live in slums or informal settlements without basic services.
- Climate threats intensify urban vulnerabilities. Cities are central to climate change efforts as urban populations grow, with rising temperatures and flood risks threatening billions. Open green spaces are disappearing, undermining climate resilience.
- Only 19 per cent of cities across 50 countries demonstrate strong civil society participation in urban planning, threatening equity and effective service delivery, particularly for marginalized groups.
- Creating safe, resilient and sustainable cities requires coordinated investments in affordable housing, climate-resilient infrastructure and inclusive governance. Cities must strengthen land access, improve transportation and expand financing while prioritizing green-space restoration and climate-smart planning in underserved areas. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-11/
Thursday 22nd January
Greece announced two new Greek marine park areas in the Ionian and Southern Cyclades regions that will ban destructive trawling and protect vulnerable Mediterranean ecosystems, writes Elena Kryvoshei.Greece just took a major step toward protecting its ocean waters by creating two enormous new Greek marine parks that will ban destructive fishing practices and shelter threatened sea life across thousands of square kilometers of the Mediterranean Sea.
https://happyeconews.com/new-greek-marine-park-initiative/
Friday 23rd January
Sustainable Development Goal 12 – Responsible consumption and production
- Food waste, food loss and electronic waste are reaching unprecedented levels, while rising consumption continues to drive increases in domestic material consumption and material footprint. These trends are placing growing pressure on the environment, accelerating climate change and exacerbating global resource inequalities.
- However, momentum towards sustainable consumption and production is building at the institutional level. Governments are adopting supportive policies; companies are expanding sustainability reporting and participation in multilateral environmental agreements is increasing, reflecting strong institutional commitment.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-12/
Saturday 24th January
Sustainable Development Goal 13 – Climate action
- Climate change is accelerating, with 2024 marking the hottest year on record, at approximately 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels. Extreme weather is intensifying, driving the highest climate-related displacement in 16 years and worsening food insecurity, economic losses and instability. Although one year above 1.5°C does not mean the Paris Agreement has been breached, it serves as a clarion call for increasing ambition and accelerating action in this critical decade, as current global efforts fall far short of what is needed.
- The world cannot and must not let up on climate action. To keep the 1.5°C warming limit within reach, urgent investment in adaptation, resilience, and emission cuts must accelerate, especially in vulnerable regions. The cost of inaction far exceeds the cost of action – and the window to secure a liveable, sustainable future is rapidly closing.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-13/
Sunday 25th January
God of blessings,
the universe sings of your glory.
Deepen our gratitude for all you have made
and awaken in us a renewed commitment
to care for the earth and each other.
Inspire leaders with openness to listen to those most affected by climate change
and with courage to act urgently and wisely,
so that our common home may be healed and restored
and all people, and generations to come, may delight in it.
-Adapted from the COP27 Climate Summit prayer from the EcoJesuits
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/sustainability-prayers
Monday 26th January
Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Life below water
- Oceans and seas are vital to life on Earth, regulating climate, sustaining biodiversity, supporting livelihoods and food security, enabling global trade and providing countless ecosystem services. Yet they face mounting threats from overfishing, pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change.
- Despite growing conservation efforts, only 8.4 per cent of the ocean is classified as marine protected areas, far short of the target of 30 per cent by 2030, and just 46 per cent of marine key biodiversity areas are under protection. Ocean warming and acidification continue, overfishing and illegal practices persist and support for small-scale fisheries remains insufficient.
- Ocean recovery is possible through sustainable ocean stewardship that combines strong fisheries management, ecosystem-based approaches, “blue finance”, and ambitious, strategic conservation. But this requires scaled-up investment, global cooperation and innovative partnerships across all levels of society.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-14/
Tuesday 27th January
Sustainable Development Goal 15 – Life on land
- Persistent challenges continue to hinder progress in protecting life on land, managing natural resources sustainably and combatting the biodiversity crisis. Global forest cover is shrinking; protection of key biodiversity areas (KBAs) has stalled recently, and species extinction is accelerating.
- Yet, there are signs of progress: global forest loss is slowing and regional advances show promise. Voluntary land restoration commitments would cover two thirds of what is needed. Conservation of key biodiversity areas has steadily increased over two decades through successful global site-level efforts. Biodiversity-related official development finance has also shown a positive trend.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-15/
Wednesday 28th January
Sustainable Development Goal 16 – Peace, justice and strong institutions
- Violence and conflict continue to drive human suffering and displacement. In 2024, nearly 50,000 lives were lost to conflict – one every 12 minutes – disproportionately affecting women and children. By the end of 2024, 123.2 million people were forcibly displaced. While global homicide rates fell by 12 per cent between 2015 and 2023, progress remains far below the 50 per cent reduction target.
- Access to justice remains elusive: one in three prisoners worldwide are held without a proper sentence, and risks to human rights defenders and journalists persist. The number of journalist killings rose by 11 per cent in 2024, with conflict zones especially dangerous.
- Urgent action is needed to protect lives and restore trust through peacebuilding, justice reform and accountability. This requires strengthening institutions, promoting inclusive governance, protecting civic space and addressing root causes of conflict and injustice. Sustained political will and enhanced international cooperation are essential to drive lasting change.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-16/
Thursday 29th January
Tiger conservation in Thailand is a rare success story, bucking the trend of regional declines of the Indochinese subspecies across Southeast Asia, writes Gloria Dickie. Thailand’s Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM) is at the core of the country’s success, with its tiger population growing from about 40 in 2007 to more than 140 today. Conservation nonprofits are working to protect a network of corridors that will help usher younger tigers into the southern part of the complex, chiefly through the Si Sawat Corridor, a designated non-hunting area. Scientists have recently discovered tigers reproducing in the southern WEFCOM for the first time.
Friday 30th January
Sustainable Development Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
- Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) faced record-high $1.4 trillion debt-servicing costs in 2023, compounded by a $4 trillion annual investment gap that severely constrained SDG achievement. Despite increased financial flows from official and private sources, ODA declined by 7.1 per cent after five years of growth, with further cuts expected through 2025.
- The share of developing countries in global merchandise exports has remained stagnant since 2015, with LDCs accounting for just 1.1 per cent ‒ far below the SDG target to double their share by 2020.
- Access to information and communications technology continues to expand, but the digital divide remains wide, especially in lower-income regions.
- Accelerating progress requires renewed international cooperation to bridge the investment gap, innovative financing to reduce debt burdens, targeted digital infrastructure support and strengthened statistical capacity for better SDG tracking and implementation.
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/Goal-17/
Saturday 31st January
Greenland is closing in on three decades of continuous annual ice loss, with 1995-96 being the last year in which the giant ice sheet grew in size, write Dr Stendel and Prof Mottram. With another melt season over, Greenland lost 105bn tonnes of ice in 2024-25. The past year has seen some notable events, including ongoing ice melt into the month of September – well beyond the end of August when Greenland’s short summer typically draws to a close. In a hypothetical world not impacted by human-caused climate change, ice melt in Greenland would rarely occur in September – and, if it did, it would generally be confined to the south.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-the-greenland-ice-sheet-fared-in-2025/
Sources:
Text and links compiled by Emma King. Links accessed December 17th 2025.
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