insert_link 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 […] todayJanuary 31, 2024 23
insert_link 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. […] todayJanuary 31, 2024 7
insert_link 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 […] todayJanuary 30, 2024 5
insert_link Africa El Niño: Malawi’s harvest of maize – its staple food – may fall by 22.5% this year By Joachim De Weerdt, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; Channing Arndt, CGIAR System Organization; James Thurlow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; Jan Duchoslav, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; Joseph Glauber, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; Liangzhi You, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) , and Weston Anderson, University of Maryland Maize is the preferred staple of most of southern Africa. […] todayJanuary 30, 2024 43
insert_link Environment Climate change made 2023 Amazon drought 30 times more likely, scientists say The river that supplies water to the Kokama Indigenous People of the Porto Praia community was mostly dry in October of 2023. Image © Marizilda Cruppe / Greenpeace. By Carla Ruas via Mongabay Global warming was the main driver of the severe drought that parched the Amazon River Basin in 2023. That is the alarming conclusion of a new report from World Weather Attribution (WWA), a team of international climate scientists […] todayJanuary 29, 2024 14
insert_link Health / Medical World Malaria Report 2023: A call for concerted action to address growing threats By Dr. Martin Lukindu, Postdoctoral Researcher, Target Malaria, Uganda Virus Research Institute The World Health Organization's World Malaria Report 2023, released at the end of 2023, paints a concerning picture of the global state of malaria in 2022. Despite continued efforts, malaria remains a significant public health challenge, with both malaria incidence and mortality higher now than they were before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This scenario […] todayJanuary 25, 2024 20
insert_link South Africa South Africa bets big on natural gas as it begins a belated push to revamp its energy supplies and slash emissions, bolstered by EU endorsement of investments in gas. By Seth Onyango, bird story agency South Africa is emerging as an early beneficiary of the European Parliament’s vote last July to designate natural gas and nuclear projects as “green energy” investments. The vote was seen as an opportunity for natural gas-endowed states in Africa to continue ploughing billions from the sale of the commodity into their economies. The recent unveiling of a gas terminal project in South Africa led […] todayJanuary 25, 2024 5
insert_link Business / Economics King coal set to lose crown for electricity production: IEA Renewables are set to displace coal as the top source of energy for electricity production globally in 2025, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday. In its annual report on the electricity market, the IEA said that renewables -- in particular from solar panels -- should see their share of total electricity production surpass a third of the total, passing from 30 percent last year to 37 percent in 2026. If […] todayJanuary 24, 2024 15
insert_link Business / Economics Lessons from Finland’s attempt to transition to a circular economy Tracegrow, a Finnish company, uses recycled batteries and industrial waste to create agricultural fertilizers. A number of companies are innovating to increase circular solutions. At the national level, however, experts underline that great challenges remain to advance circularity. Image courtesy of Tracegrow. By Sean Mowbray via MongaBay In 2016, Finland became the first country in the world to adopt a national circular economy road map, with the ambition to become a […] todayJanuary 24, 2024 7