insert_link Business / Economics Global Risks 2024: Disinformation Tops Global Risks 2024 as Environmental Threats Intensify Drawing on nearly two decades of original risks perception data, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 warns of a global risks landscape in which progress in human development is being chipped away slowly, leaving states and individuals vulnerable to new and resurgent risks. Against a backdrop of systemic shifts in global power dynamics, climate, technology and demographics, global risks are stretching the world’s adaptative capacity to its limit. These are […] todayJanuary 11, 2024 19
insert_link Africa From nursing dreams to snail farmer: Ama Serwa Ennin cultivates success in Ghana’s booming snail ndustry By Sefakor Fekpe, via bird story agency Ama Serwaa Ennin squats in a greenhouse, proudly showing off her farming produce, her hands full. What she's holding is her source of pride and future income. But this is not grain or legumes or even beans of the sort usually proffered up in tales of African farming success. Instead, her hands are holding two snails - giant African snails, to be […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 48
insert_link Africa How will we know when local communities benefit from carbon offset schemes? (commentary) By Beth Allgood/John Waugh/Craig A. Talmage/Laura Musikanski/Dehara Weeraman on 5 January 2024 Carbon credit schemes face a crisis of legitimacy and often struggle to demonstrate the support of communities who must forgo land uses not compatible with the production and retention of carbon. At the very least, such projects should not negatively impact affected communities, but community support is also not a simple matter of just obtaining free prior and informed […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 9
insert_link Environment Why is the universe ripping itself apart? A new study of exploding stars shows dark energy may be more complicated than we thought The remains of a Type Ia supernova – a kind of exploding star used to measure distances in the universe. NASA / CXC / U.Texas, CC BY Brad E Tucker, Australian National University What is the universe made of? This question has driven astronomers for hundreds of years. For the past quarter of a century, scientists have believed “normal” stuff like atoms and molecules that make up you, me, Earth, […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 26
insert_link Environment Who protects nature better: The state or communities? It’s complicated By Shreya Dasgupta via Mongabay In a new study, more than 50 researchers conducted a review comparing the effectiveness of state-managed protected areas and areas managed by Indigenous peoples and local communities. The review found that comparing the two was very challenging for various reasons, including the difficulty in figuring out who was managing an area, as well as a lack of comparable data and different groups of researchers measuring […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 14
insert_link Environment Do carbon credits really help communities that keep forests standing? By John Cannon via Mongabay Communities play a critical role in REDD+, a forest conservation strategy that aims to reduce emissions that can be sold as credits to raise money for forest protection. REDD+ projects often include components for the benefit of the communities, such as a focus on alternative livelihoods and provision of health care and education. But reports that REDD+ communities have faced abuses and rights violations have emerged […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 13
insert_link Environment ‘No end in sight’ for potential of conservation tech: Q&A with Megan Owen By Abhishyant Kidangoor via MongaBay For the past seven years, the conservation technology lab at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been working to develop and deploy technology that can automate the collection and processing of wildlife data. Running a tech lab in a zoo has the benefit of providing scientists with a setting where they can use the wildlife in their care to validate the data and calibrate […] todayJanuary 9, 2024 10
insert_link Africa World’s tallest wood building signals growing investor confidence in sustainable construction practices By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency Wooden buildings like the engineered timber construction planned for the world's tallest wood building in Zanzibar may only be starting to appear in cities worldwide but that is not stopping investors from betting on wood becoming a key building block in African construction. "About 200 years ago, everyone was building with timber, then it shifted to cement, steel, and stones. Now people […] todayDecember 21, 2023 48
insert_link Environment Namibia records decrease in Rhino poaching Namibia has recorded a decrease in Rhino poaching however, the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, on Monday, in his end-of-year statement, said that poaching remains an issue, despite the recorded decrease over the year 2023. According to Shifeta, 48 rhinos were poached in 2023 compared to 92 in the previous year, while eight elephants were poached in 2023, compared to four in 2022. Meanwhile, the Namibia Press […] todayDecember 19, 2023 7
