Climate change driving world hunger, new UN report says
After steadily declining for over a decade, world hunger is again on the rise. 815 million people were affected in 2016, or 11 per cent of the world’s population, finds a new UN report....
Category: Sustainability
Urbanization is robbing the planet of sand
Sand is the most important material for the construction industry. Supplies are massive, but finite. Already today many coastlines and waterways are suffering from overexploitation at the hands of sand miners. But for now...
Consumption is killing our planet
One-third of the planet’s land is now severely degraded due to a doubling in the consumption of natural resources over the past 30 years, warns a new UN report. Some 15 billion trees and...
Local conservation approaches show best results
Conservation initiatives led by local and indigenous groups to protecting the Amazon rainforest can be more effective than government schemes, according to new research. The ‘Keep it local’ approach to protecting the Amazon rainforest...
‘Broken’ supply chain has to be fixed to tackle climate change, says Mars CEO
The CEO of candy maker Mars is calling on business to lead the ‘transformational’ change needed to tackle the urgent challenges of climate change and social threats. Speaking ahead of this month’s UN General...
Kenya bans plastic bags, offenders face up to 4 years prison
Kenya has introduced the world’s toughest ban on plastic bags as it steps up the fight against pollution. Offenders could face fines of up to $38,000 or four years in jail. It’s being touted...
Turning carbon dioxide into concrete
An Australian firm has developed a new technology that can harness carbon dioxide emissions and transform them into eco-friendly building products. It has been operating a pilot plant since the beginning of 2016. Mineral...
Accident renews debate over salmon farming
Hundreds of thousands of salmon escaped into the Pacific Ocean after an accident at a salmon farm off the coast of Washington State. Local fishermen are worried that the farmed fish might prey on...
Sustainable cotton achieves record revenues
Some 30 per cent of cotton produced in sub-Saharan Africa in 2016 was certified with the sustainability label Cotton made in Africa (CmiA). The demand for CmiA cotton increased by nearly 50 per cent...
Policy plays key role in preventing food waste
Food-waste recycling programmes are most successfully when there is solid government policy to back them up, such as “pay as you throw”, finds new research from MIT. “The food system is notoriously wasteful at...
Plastic pollution is devastating our environment
More than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been created by humans since large-scale production began in the early 1950s. Much of it now resides in the natural environment or landfills, according to a...
Primark sustainable cotton products hit store shelves
Clothing giant Primark has launched its first sustainable cotton products using cotton purchased directly from female farmers in India. So far, more than 6,000 farmers have received training through the company’s sustainable cotton programme....
IKEA launches solar battery packs
IKEA is helping homeowners make huge savings on their electricity bills with its new solar battery storage solution. IKEA has teamed up with solar firm Solarcentury to launch a new solar battery storage solution...
Governments agree on conservation plan for Eastern Pacific tuna
The 21 governments responsible for collectively managing tuna fishing in the Eastern Pacific have agreed on a multi-year conservation measure to protect the fish populations. The intention is to bring catches in line with...
Conservation helps rescue Eastern Pacific tuna
Long-term conservation and management measures could be key to ensuring the survival of multiple Eastern Pacific tuna populations, which are currently threatened by unsustainable fishing rates and practices. Recent evidence suggests that the Eastern...
World moves to mobilise green capital
Countries worldwide have made significant progress towards mobilising the trillions of dollars required to make sustainable development a reality, new UN green finance research has revealed. In 2015, the investment required to bring sustainable...
China breaks ground on world’s first forest city
China has broken ground on the world’s first ‘forest city’, which will feature 40,000 trees and 1 million plants. Solar panels and geothermal energy will provide inhabitants in the city of Liuzhou with electricity....
Renowned Japanese architect to design shelters for refugee camp
Renowned architect Shigeru Ban is partnering with UN-Habitat to design shelter for residents of a refugee camp in northern Kenya. Ban has pioneered the use of recycled cardboard tubes to quickly and efficiently house...
France to go climate neutral by 2050
The French government has announced that its country will be climate neutral by 2050. Measures include a previously announced ban on all new oil and gas exploration as well as a new ban on...
Rising temperatures are curbing ocean’s capacity to store carbon
A new study by MIT climate scientists finds large amounts of carbon dioxide, equivalent to yearly U.K. emissions, remain in surface waters. The ocean’s export efficiency, or the fraction of total plankton growth that...
