Global Us: What connects us all

Vienna is creating a sustainable district for 30,000 people. Seestadt Aspern is a laboratory for energy-saving housing and urban mobility. Short distances, few cars, and adapting to climate change are key elements of the lakeside district.

Argentina has developed drought-resistant genetically-modified wheat. GM wheat products are on sale with no special labelling. Producers and large-scale farmers praise the new wheat but many others worry about the effect on their health.

The Apinajé people boast the Amazon's first volunteer fire brigade made up exclusively of women. With the support of the Brazilian environmental authorities, they're fighting to save the rainforest.

Millions of Venezuelans have left their homeland in recent years, mostly due to economic hardship. But conditions in Venezuela have improved slightly, and some are now returning.

Adam and Sefedine are friends from Sudan. They wanted to flee to Europe, but after a long odyssey, they opted to stay in Niger. There they have started a successful taxi business and settled into their new home.

Trans people in Pakistan often face rejection from their families and extreme poverty. Some of them resort to begging to survive and rely on trans protection centers for refuge and community.

Women across Africa still have few opportunities for advancement – especially in technical occupations. Naadiya Moosajee wants to change that. For many years her organization has been helping young women to prepare for a new career.

An exodus of young people is leaving villages in Spain with an aging population. At the same time, a growing number of refugees are arriving in the country – and are being assigned to rural communities as part of a government scheme.

India has over 100 million people aged 60+ – and the disappearance of traditional family structures is increasing demand for retirement homes. The majority of the elderly, however, cannot afford the costs involved.

Why is the global population continually rising, while the birth rate is dropping in some regions? While industrialized nations have an aging population, Africa is a continent of the young. What does all of this mean for our future?