insert_link Uncategorized Africa’s green energy potential lures crypto miners By Seth Onyango, bird story agency Nomadic crypto miners in search of affordable energy are eyeing Africa, with Ethiopia emerging as a prime location for blockchain mining. This pivot towards the continent is driven by its abundant renewable sources including solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. Ethiopia, with its colossal hydroelectric dam, has seen an increased inflow of bitcoin miners especially from China, who are dodging Beijing's tight […] today14 February, 2024
insert_link 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 […] today5 February, 2024
insert_link Africa ‘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 […] today31 January, 2024
insert_link 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 […] today22 January, 2024
insert_link 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. […] today17 January, 2024
insert_link 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 […] today15 January, 2024
insert_link 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 […] today11 January, 2024
insert_link 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. today10 January, 2024
insert_link 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 […] today9 January, 2024
