People live longer in countries that became democracies from 1970 to 2015 finds this new global study published in the journal Lancet. It states that democracy reduced chances of dying from — heart diseases, cirrhosis, stroke and road accidents. Free and fair elections appear important for improving adult health… most likely by increasing government accountability and responsiveness says the study.

Climate change impacts are most severe in developing countries with limited adaptive capacity. Accordingly, in Africa, climate change adaptation has become an issue of international funding and practice. As suggested in the Introduction to this special issue, administrative traditions could play a role in how adaptation plays out. This, however, raises questions about how foreign funding regimes coincide with recipients' administrative traditions, especially on the African continent where administrative traditions are often meagerly established.