‘We miners die a lot.’ Appalling conditions and poverty wages: the lives of cobalt miners in the DRC

‘We miners die a lot.’ Appalling conditions and poverty wages: the lives of cobalt miners in the DRC

Labourers load sacks of cobalt onto bicycles at Mutoshi mine in July 2021. Roy Maconachie Roy Maconachie, University of Bath It was a cool, dusty morning in July 2021, when I first visited the Kamilombe cobalt mine in Lualaba Province in south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Situated just outside Kapata on the south-west outskirts of Kolwezi, a mining town that has historically served as an important centre for copper and […]

January 31, 2024 9

Business / Economics

Why sustainability is important for business

By Mignon du Preez, Group Marketing, Public Affairs and Sustainability Executive, Old Mutual Namibia The concept of business sustainability is no longer merely fashionable in today's environment; rather, it represents a fundamental change in the way we think about and conduct business. Businesses now view success through a broader prism that goes beyond market supremacy and profit margins to include a profound duty - a commitment to the […]

January 22, 2024 9

Health / Medical

Dangerous chemicals found in recycled plastics, making them unsafe for use – experts explain the hazards

By Bethanie Carney Almroth, University of Gothenburg and Eric Carmona Martinez, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ Plastic pollution is a menace worldwide. Plastics are now found in every environment on the planet, from the deepest seas to the atmosphere and human bodies. Scientific evidence describing harm to the environment and humans is growing. Hence, the United Nations has resolved to negotiate a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. […]

January 17, 2024 13

Environment

Unmasking the environmental impact of tires

By bhishyant Kidangoor and Sandy Watt via MongaBay Ever since tires were invented, they have rolled into our lives and changed the way we live. From cushioning wheels, one of humanity’s greatest inventions, to moving us around safely, tires have essentially reshaped how we function. The tremendous applications, however, come at an expense. Right from when raw materials are sourced to produce tires up until the time they end up in […]

January 15, 2024 16

Environment

How 2023’s record heat worsened droughts, floods and bushfires around the world

By Albert Van Dijk, Australian National University 2023 was a year of record-breaking heat, devastating storms and floods, deepening droughts and raging wildfires. These events showed how climate change is affecting the global water cycle and our livelihoods. Our international team of researchers today released a report, the Global Water Monitor, documenting the impact of the record heat in 2023 on the water cycle. We used data from thousands […]

January 11, 2024 15

World

Global temperatures to reach 1.7°C increase by May

Global heating caused by the burning of fossil fuels, and the El Niño climatic event, will push global temperatures to about 1.7 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by May. According to the Guardian, the warning comes from former National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist James Hansen. Hansen says there needs to be purposeful actions to affect the planet’s energy balance.

January 10, 2024 22

World

Norway to approve controversial deep sea mining activity

Norway is expected to become the first country in the world to approve the controversial practice of deep-sea mining. Supporters say it's needed to find precious metals and minerals, but environmental scientists have warned it could be devastating for marine life. According to the BBC, Norway's proposal will open up 280,000 sq km of its national waters for companies to apply to mine these sources - an area bigger than […]

January 9, 2024 17

Africa

Senegal’s small scale gold miners still use poisonous mercury: how to reduce the harm

By Jacqueline Gerson, Michigan State University “Do not fish in these waters.” “Contains high levels of mercury.” These warnings are shown at thousands of lakes and rivers globally, as well as on numerous fish products. But eating mercury-laden fish is not the only source of mercury exposure. Even more dangerous is the inhalation of mercury vapours, which are released as mercury is used in the extraction of another trace […]

January 8, 2024 11

Environment

Get rid of leaf blowers: they pollute and their purpose is dubious

The most infuriating feature of my walk up to my office every morning is neither the distance nor the steep hill; it is the daily presence of a leaf blower. Never has a machine been so pointless, wasteful and widely disliked, and yet so widely used. There are many reasons to hate leaf blowers. They are loud and their sole purpose is to over-manicure nature. They disperse debris rather […]

December 14, 2023 5