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The World at a Breaking Point: How Geopolitics, Climate Collapse and Food Insecurity Are Forging a Global Emergency
The World at a Breaking Point: How Geopolitics, Climate Collapse and Food Insecurity Are Forging a Global Emergency.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“Why the G20 can no longer tinker at the edges – it must act boldly and now.”
“GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS, GLOBAL WARMING, PANDEMICS, ENERGY and FOOD INSECURITY jeopardise our collective future.” Those were not idle words from President Cyril Ramaphosa at the opening of the G20 Leaders Summit in Johannesburg; they were an urgent alarm bell for a global order fraying at the seams. South Africa’s presidency put its finger on what every honest analyst, humanitarian and climate scientist already knows, multiple, interacting crises are converging to create a cascade of risk that threatens lives, economies and the political stability of entire regions.
This is not hyperbole. The world is seeing an uncomfortable and brutal arithmetic: geopolitical conflict and economic fragmentation reduce the flow of goods, cut investment and corrode cooperation; climate change undermines harvests, water supplies and coastal livelihoods; and food insecurity (driven by war, weather shocks and runaway inflation) is spiking in the places least able to cope. The UN-led State of Food Security and Nutrition report and contemporaneous UN analyses show that hundreds of millions remain undernourished and that while global hunger edged down overall, it rose sharply in much of Africa and western Asia. That divergence is lethal and politically combustible.
The mechanics of the crisis are simple and merciless. Geopolitical tensions (trade wars, sanctions, blockades and military conflict) rip apart integrated supply chains that keep food, fertiliser and energy moving. When ports close, fertiliser becomes scarce and grain prices spike. When currencies collapse under the weight of sanctions or poor macroeconomic policy, millions lose the purchasing power to buy calories. At the same time, climate extremes (drought, floods, heatwaves) are reducing yields and increasing volatility in staple food production, consuming resilience faster than it can be rebuilt. The latest scientific syntheses make plain that warming and its knock-on effects are not some distant threat but an immediate multiplier of instability.
Experts who study planetary risk are not whispering, they are shouting warnings. Professor Johan Rockström, a leading authority on planetary boundaries, has repeatedly warned that transgressing critical Earth system thresholds risks irreversible, accelerating changes; the very “TIPPING POINT’S” that would cascade into mass crop failures, ecosystem collapse and mass displacement. “The tipping element that worries me most is coral reef systems,” Rockström has said and that is not just an environmental lament; coral reefs underpin fisheries and coastal protection for hundreds of millions of people. When ecosystems fail, livelihoods vanish overnight.
Humanitarian leaders echo this urgency. At the launch of the 2024–25 global food report, WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain bluntly stated that “one thing is very clear, the world is badly OFF-TRACK in our efforts to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030.” That failure is not a statistic; it is a moral indictment of global choices: insufficient financing, a shortfall of multilateral cooperation, and a failure to insulate vulnerable countries from shocks. The Global Report on Food Crises and related UN assessments put numbers to the suffering: in 2024, crisis-level acute food insecurity affected tens of millions more people than the year before, with conflict and climate extremes the main drivers.
So what does this mean for governance at the G20 and for global leaders who can still shape outcomes? First, the era of incrementalism is over. Patchwork measures and symbolic statements will not stabilise food systems in the face of simultaneous geopolitical and climatic shocks. The G20 must mobilise large, guaranteed financing for adaptive agriculture, targeted social protection, emergency food reserves and rapid fertiliser distribution mechanisms that bypass geopolitical chokepoints. It must also create contingency credit lines and debt-service suspensions that prevent vulnerable states from choosing between feeding their people and paying creditors. The evidence is clear: well-targeted social protection and local agricultural investment are among the most cost-effective ways to reduce hunger and build resilience.
Second, climate action has to be reframed as a security imperative, not merely an emissions accounting exercise. The IPCC’s synthesis makes this plain: unmitigated warming amplifies risks across agriculture, water, health and migration; every fraction of a degree matters for harvest reliability. That is why developing countries must receive immediate and predictable finance for adaptation; not loan-based stopgaps, but grants and concessional financing for climate-smart irrigation, soil restoration, seed systems and disaster-proof storage and transport. Without it, the Global South will continue to pay the price for emissions it did little to cause.
Third, the G20 must reopen the playbook on cooperation. The fragmentation of global governance (boycotts, unilateral sanctions and self-interested blocs) reduces the capacity for joint action where it counts most: humanitarian corridors, collective purchasing of critical inputs, and deconflicted maritime and land corridors for trade. The Johannesburg summit’s adoption of a leaders’ declaration despite diplomatic friction is a positive sign, but words must translate into mechanisms: grain and fertiliser de-risking facilities, coordinated early warning systems, and a G20 compact to stabilise critical commodity markets during geopolitical shocks.
Finally, the moral argument must become operational policy. Development economists remind us that famines and mass hunger are often political choices enabled by governance failures. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has long argued that democracy, information transparency and entitlements prevent famines; in the present context, global institutions must protect those entitlements across borders by guaranteeing aid flows, supporting local markets and opposing weaponised scarcity. The time for blaming is over; the time for binding, enforceable compacts to protect food systems and essential supplies is now.
This is not a plea for naïve optimism, nor is it a call to surrender national interest. It is a demand for sober realism: the alternative to action is disorder. We are already seeing localized political instability linked directly to food and fuel spikes; we will see more unless the G20 and every major economy treat climate adaptation, food security and conflict de-escalation as a unified emergency program. If multilateral institutions are to retain legitimacy, they must be capable of delivering rapid, predictable assistance precisely when markets and geopolitics fail.
President Ramaphosa was correct to frame the summit around “PEOPLE, PLANET and PROSPERITY.” Though correct framing without decisive instruments is mere rhetoric. The Johannesburg G20 can be remembered either as the moment the world began to stitch back the frayed fabric of global cooperation, or as yet another summit where urgent warnings dissolved into bland communiqués. Policymakers, financiers and civil society now face a stark choice: treat these converging crises as separate policy silos, or confront them together as the systemic emergency they are. History will judge us by which path we choose.
If we have learned anything from the last decade, it is that crises compound. To avoid a future where food shortages, climate collapse and geopolitical fracture become permanent features of the international system, the G20 must act with the scale, speed and solidarity that this moment demands. Anything less is an act of negligence and the price will be paid in human lives and shattered nations.
George Omagbemi Sylvester is a contributing writer. This piece is published by saharaweeklyng.com.
Alpha Morgan Bank Economic Review Webinar (18th Edition) Holds in November
Alpha Morgan is set to host the 18th edition of its periodic Alpha Morgan Economic Review Webinar, scheduled for 26 November 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., live on Zoom.
This session marks the final webinar for the year and continues the tradition of providing clear, credible, and timely economic intelligence, including a thoughtful breakdown of the most recent Monetary Policy Committee meeting in November and its implications for the economy.
This edition features renowned economist Bismarck Rewane, whose depth of insight and practical analysis have consistently shaped conversations around Nigeria’s economic direction. His participation makes the webinar a valuable platform for business leaders, policymakers, investors, and professionals seeking a grounded understanding of the current economic climate.
Over time, the Alpha Morgan Economic Review Webinar series has become a respected space for informed discussions on economic trends and market shifts. Participants benefit from expert interpretations of key indicators and emerging developments that influence the financial environment.
Beyond analysis, attendees will gain a powerful year-end overview of the economy, insights into unfolding patterns, and a clearer picture of what 2026 may hold. The webinar remains one of the most reliable platforms for those seeking real understanding—not guesswork.
Attendees can expect an engaging and insightful session that reviews the economic year, highlights emerging trends, and offers guidance on what to anticipate in the months ahead.
The public is invited to be a part of the conversation.
Date: 26 November 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Location: Online via Zoom
Register here: https://bit.ly/JoinAMERSeries18
13-Year-Old Student, Ebunoluwa Seth, Wins 15th UBA Foundation Essay Competition.
History was made in Lagos on Tuesday, as 13-year-old Ebunoluwa Seth Oluwatimilehin, of Igando Community Senior High School, Igando, a suburb of Lagos, emerged as the overall winner of 15th UBA Foundation National Essay Competition (NEC), thus becoming the youngest winner in the fifteen years of the competition.
Master Ebunoluwa, a public school student of the school in SS2, also emerged the first male winner in over 8 years, as female winners have repeatedly dominated the competition. He clinched the grand prize of N10 million educational grant to be used for his future studies at any African higher institution of his choice.
An elated Ebunoluwa, expressed his joy, stating, “I am incredibly grateful and overwhelmed. This competition has shown me that passion and hard work truly pay off. It has been an amazing journey that has deepened my love for writing and expressing my ideas.”
The second-place winner, Njoku-Kelechi Emerald of Christian International High School, Owerri, received N7.5 million educational grant, while the third-place prize of N5 million educational grant was awarded to Bayero, Fatima Auwal of Cornerstone Montessori Schools, Gudu, Abuja.
In addition to the monetary grants for the top three winners, all 12 finalists were awarded brand-new laptops and other educational materials to support their academic pursuits.
The 2025 edition got several thousands of entries, with significant participation extending beyond major cities into rural communities across the country.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, who commended the Foundation’s 15-year commitment to the initiative, explained the competition’s strategic role in reviving a culture of reading and writing among youth.
Emphasising the bank’s broader mission and the significance of the essay topic, he stated, “UBA encourages diversity. Nobody in UBA will ever be judged based on ethnicity, religion, or culture. We see diversity as a strength. In fact, if you get diversity right in Africa, you have gotten the whole world right.”
Alawuba praised the finalists for exemplifying this principle in their essays and teaching valuable lessons in building a united capacity.
The Managing Director/CEO, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, who expressed profound gratitude to all stakeholders, reiterated the importance of education and how it is pivotal to the future of Africa
“For 15 years, this initiative has been a cornerstone of our commitment to giving back and empowering the youth. We are investing in the academic future of these brilliant minds and, by extension, in the future of our continent. Education remains the most powerful tool to lift our continent, and we are thrilled to see this programme snowballing across Africa,” she stated.
The foundation has a long-standing tradition of philanthropy, with numerous initiatives across Africa aimed at empowering the underprivileged, from educational scholarships and initiatives to healthcare interventions and poverty alleviation programmes.
UBA Foundation, the CSR arm of the UBA Group, is committed to the socio-economic betterment of the communities in which the bank operates, focusing on development in the areas of education, environment, economic empowerment and special projects.
Estate surveyors tasked on national security, economic stability
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), has urged estate surveyors and valuers to strengthen professional ethics, embrace technology responsibly, and uphold transparency as tools for advancing national security and economic stability.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Valuers Assembly in Lagos, themed “50 Years of Regulatory Excellence: Golden Legacies and Brighter Tomorrow,” and organised by the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON), Buratai described the real estate sector as a “strategic pillar” of economic growth and peace building.
He warned that the proliferation of quackery, inadequate data, and unchecked technological disruption were eroding public confidence in the profession.
“The profession faces an insurgency of quackery. Unqualified individuals continue to defraud the public, undermining credibility. While technology offers efficiency, it must not replace the professional judgment and ethical responsibility that define true valuation practice,” Buratai said.
Commending ESVARBON for five decades of regulatory excellence, he called for stronger collaboration between valuers and security agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and Ministry of Interior to curb money laundering, promote transparency in land transactions, and prevent conflicts arising from land disputes.
He also urged the establishment of a central, secure property transaction database, describing estate valuers as “custodians of national wealth and guardians of economic security. “You are not merely appraisers of buildings and land, your work safeguards national stability. Every ethical valuation strengthens the foundation of peace and prosperity,” he noted.
Acting Chairman of ESVARBON, Prof. Terzungwe Dugeri, said the assembly held special significance as it marked the board’s golden jubilee. He noted that from a modest beginning of just over 100 registered valuers in 1975, the board now has 7,534 members and continues to build capacity to sustain professional excellence.
Dugeri emphasised that ethics, sustainability, and governance (ESG) must take centre stage in valuation practice. “The issues of Environment, Sustainability and Governance must now define estate valuation. Valuers must align with other professionals to promote responsible land use and sustainable development,” he said.
He described the assembly as both a reunion and a forum for reflection, allowing members to review past milestones and strategise for the future.
Earlier, Chairman of the Professional Practice Committee (PPC), Dr Aminu Waziri, said the gathering was designed to promote knowledge sharing, professional growth, and ethical compliance. He added that discussions were focusing on the impact of technology, emerging valuation trends, and the integration of ESG principles.
Waziri disclosed that a Nigerian valuer recently developed a property estimation app that enables real-time valuation processes, a development he described as a ‘new dawn’ for the profession.
The Registrar, ESVARBON, Janet Shehu, said the yearly programme deliberates on matters such as ethics, standards, and other professional matters in the built industry. “The board expects the highest level of compliance with ethical standards in every aspect of the profession,” she added.
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