Devastating and ongoing flooding in southern Brazil is forcing some of the half million displaced residents to consider uprooting their lives from inundated towns to rebuild on higher ground.

Two weeks after the onset of torrential rains, the Guaiba River running by state capital Porto Alegre is rising again, having passed the all-time high. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the streets of dozens of towns have turned into slow-moving rivers.

With hundreds of thousands of families fleeing the floods, the disaster - which has killed at least 147 people, with 127 still missing - could touch off one of Brazil's biggest cases of climate migration in recent history.

More than a fifth of people worldwide between the ages of 15 and 24 years old – 21.7% – were considered NEETs in 2023, according to the International Labour Organization.

Finances are another common issue. The cost of education is prohibitive for some young people, and for others who do complete education or training, the high cost of living in the cities where job opportunities exist can keep them out of the labor market.

An analysis of hundreds of pre-modern states over 3,000 years (from 2000BC to AD1800) suggests that civilisations tend to have a 'shelf-life'

• A rising number of young Americans are disconnected from work, school, and a sense of purpose.
• Disconnection rates have been increasing since the 1990s, affecting young people's futures.
• Poor mental health and a lack of a financial safety net contribute to rising disconnection.