Chamonix 1924: A legacy carved in snow

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 7

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 25

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 25

Environment

Can ‘degrowth’ solve our ecological, social & economic problems?

Two people biking in Amsterdam, a city well known for its cycling culture. Image by Sabina Fratila (@momhasapples) via Unsplash. By Mike DiGirolamo, Rachel Donald via Mongabay Research published in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications finds that just in the United States, trillions of dollars are wasted on things that do not improve the quality of life for Americans. Podcast guest Timothée Parrique, an economist and researcher at the Lund University School of […]

January 31, 2024 23

Environment

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

A lemon shark in the mangroves in the Bahamas. Image by Anita Kainrath / Ocean Image Bank. By Elizabeth Claire Alberts via Mongabay Human actions are rapidly changing the world’s oceans, whether through overfishing, pollution or coastal development. But among the most intense pressures placed on the seas right now is humanity’s ongoing burning of fossil fuels, pumping dangerous amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which in turn has pushed sea temperatures to record levels. […]

January 31, 2024 6

Africa

1 in every 3 dollars invested into startups in Africa in 2023 went into climate tech

By Seth Onyango, via bird story agency Climate tech startups bucked the trend in Africa's venture capital space, actively notching up an impressive $1 billion amidst a broader funding fall-off in 2023. Data tracker, Africa: The Big Deal notes that around 1 in 3 dollars invested into startups on the continent in the forecast period went to climate tech startups. The strength of the sector according to the Deal, illustrates […]

January 30, 2024 4