Vera De Cauwer, Namibia University of Science and Technology The Kaokoveld region, covering north-western Namibia and south-western Angola, is one of the remotest areas in southern Africa. Although it’s extremely dry, it is a centre of species endemism: many species occur only there and nowhere else on earth. New species continue to be
Lauren Johnston, South African Institute of International Affairs China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which now includes 44 African countries, got under way 10 years ago. President Xi Jinping launched it in 2013 with a first speech in Kazakhstan and a second one in Indonesia. The initiative is something of a trial-by-doing development policy
ph. Single-use plastics. Anton Petrus/Moment Katherine Harry, Colorado State University and Emma Rettner, Colorado State University Hundreds of millions of tons of single-use plastic ends up in landfills every year, and even the small percentage of plastic that gets recycled can’t last forever. But our group of materials scientists has developed a new
The Middle East, a cradle of venerable civilisations and diverse cultures, now contends with an unanticipated existential quandary: climate change. This relentless force disregards national boundaries, aggravating pre-existing societal, fiscal, and political rifts, frequently precipitating warfare. Comprehending the entanglement of conflict and climatic shifts in the Middle East necessitates an exhaustive analysis of
by Peter van Dijk, James K. Stewart. Originally published on Policy Options Unprecedented wildfires, floods and storms and the return of droughts in 2023 have made more effective climate change responses urgent while demonstrating the clear need for better measures aimed at protecting the environment. In Canada, natural assets such as forests, wetlands,
In 2014, the Indian government launched the latest in a long line of projects to clean the Ganga’s waters, but in the city of Varanasi it shows mixed results Janki Devi, a 26-year-old woman who survives on the daily wages earned by her husband, lives in a small house by the Assi River,
by Rachel Layne, The Journalist’s Resource If it feels like news coverage of the compounds colloquially named “forever chemicals” is everywhere, there’s a reason: The pace of research and likely government regulation for PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is accelerating. In March, the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed limits on
Preliminary Reflections Since time immemorial, humans have gazed upon the sky, the seas, and the vast landscapes that blanket our world. The Earth has been a nurturing mother, a giver of life, and a sanctuary of dreams. Yet, in recent epochs, our abode’s vitality has been questioned. Dare you to ponder the vitality
Australia has set a target to increase its clean energy generation by 2030, aiming for 82% of it to come from renewable sources, a significant rise from the current 27%. The International Energy Agency’s report indicates Australia is making progress in renewable energy, thanks to successful rooftop solar installations, ambitious goals, and increased
Contemporary life would hardly be possible without satellites. Much of what people do on Earth today relies heavily on what’s happening high above their heads – from monitoring wildfires, deforestation and sea-surface temperatures to enabling connections to new mobile technologies like 5G in hard-to-reach areas. A recent wave of cheaper, miniature satellites being