From exporting coral to restoring reefs, a Madagascar startup rethinks business

From exporting coral to restoring reefs, a Madagascar startup rethinks business

Koraï divers prepare to install a frame housing young hard corals in the protected waters of Antsoha Island, off northwestern Madagascar. Image courtesy of Koraï. By Valisoa Rasolofomboahangy via Mongabay With coral cover declining in Madagascar, Koraï, a Franco-Malagasy startup, has shifted its focus to coral reef restoration from its predecessor’s specialization in coral export. Jeimila Donty, its founder and CEO, is part of a young “pro-climate” generation keen to […]

February 7, 2024 16

Environment

‘A deeply troubling discovery’: Earth may have already passed the crucial 1.5°C warming limit

By Malcolm McCulloch, The University of Western Australia Global temperatures have already exceeded 1.5°C warming and may pass 2°C later this decade, according to a world-first study I led. The worrying findings, based on temperature records contained in sea sponge skeletons, suggest global climate change has progressed much further than previously thought. Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions drive global warming. Obtaining accurate information about the extent of the warming […]

February 6, 2024 22

Africa

Madagascar: giant tortoises have returned 600 years after they were wiped out

By Grant Joseph, University of Cape Town A six-year-old project to return giant tortoises to the wild in Madagascar could result in thousands of the 350kg megaherbivores re-populating the island for the first time in 600 years. The first group of Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) were brought in from the Seychelles in 2018, and have been reproducing on their own since. Ecologist Grant Joseph explains how reintroducing […]

February 5, 2024 17

Sport

Chamonix 1924: A legacy carved in snow

Next week marks the 100th anniversary of the Closing Ceremony of the first Olympic Winter Games Chamonix 1924. We celebrate the occasion by looking at the impact the event had on its host city and region. Until 1924, Chamonix, a picturesque town in the heart of the French Alps, was primarily known to climbers and mountaineers attempting the ascent of Mont Blanc and exploring the surrounding mountains during the summer. The […]

February 5, 2024 8

Business / Economics

Innovating for Impact: driving positive change through financial solutions

By Mignon du Preez, Group Marketing, Public Affairs and Sustainability Executive, Old Mutual Namibia In Namibia, making a real impact with financial solutions is a shared endeavour that requires collective action, innovative thinking, and a deep understanding of our people's needs. As a united force within the financial services industry, we bear a collective responsibility to lead the way toward a better future for everyone. At the forefront […]

February 1, 2024 2

Environment

Building a resilient farming business

By Hanks Saisai, Technical Advisor: Crops & Poultry Farmers in Namibia face numerous challenges including climate change. This is evident in the form of erratic rainfall, recurring droughts, crop, and livestock losses, which have continuously led to financial losses for farmers across the country. As we navigate through the early days of 2024, farmers are encouraged to create resolutions that can transform their farming businesses into resilient enterprises. […]

February 1, 2024 23

Entertainment

Wetlands are superheroes: expert sets out how they protect people and places

By Jacqueline L Raw, Nelson Mandela University In the past, wetlands were often seen as undesirable landscapes – waterlogged areas that were difficult to navigate, impossible to build on or farm, and a source of pests such as mosquitoes. But the view on wetlands has shifted as we have learnt how important these ecosystems are for essential “services”. They purify water and provide habitats for plants and animals. […]

February 1, 2024 26

Environment

Ocean heating breaks record, again, with disastrous outcomes for the planet

By Elizabeth Claire Alberts via Mongabay New research shows that ocean temperatures are hotter than ever in the modern era due to human-driven global warming. High ocean temperatures are placing a strain on marine life and biological processes while also increasing extreme weather events on land. The world is also seeing an escalation in the frequency and intensity of marine heat waves, events in which sea temperatures exceed a certain […]

January 31, 2024 13

Environment

Farmers need to gain access to agricultural information

By Erastus Ngaruka, Technical Advisor: Livestock & Rangeland Management Agriculture is by far an economic pillar in Namibia as it directly or indirectly supports all livelihoods in the form of food, employment, and income. Besides that, agricultural production faces many challenges that are associated with climatic conditions, technology, markets, and knowledge or skills amongst others. For example, potential agricultural production in Namibia is vulnerable to climate change […]

January 31, 2024 26