World
How Cities Are Using Nature to Keep Heatwaves at Bay
The more the planet warms, the more cities are finding they need new ways to keep urban temperatures down and protect their residents. Heatwaves are already by far the deadliest weather-related disasters in Europe; 140,000 deaths associated with 83 heatwaves…
In Tanzania, Locals and Officials Band Together to Save Mangroves
For many of the 30,000 people who live in the remote Rufiji Delta of northern Tanzania, life revolves around one thing: mangroves. These trees and bushes, which thrive in the delta’s brackish water, are sources of building materials, firewood and…
10 Things You Should Know About Industrial Farming
There was a time when industrial agriculture seemed to be a panacea for a fast-growing world. Synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides and high-yield cereal hybrids promised to reduce hunger, accommodate growing populations and stimulate economic prosperity. Between 1960 and 2015, agricultural…
Climate-Friendly Cooling Could Cut Years of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Save US$ Trillions
Coordinated international action on energy-efficient, climate-friendly cooling could avoid as much as 460 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – roughly equal to eight years of global emissions at 2018 levels – over the next four decades, according to the…
The Next Wave – How to Beat Future Pandemics
Ebola, SARS, Zika, HIV/AIDS, West Nile fever and now COVID-19. These are some of the highest-profile diseases to emerge in the last several decades. And while they emerged in different parts of the world, they have one thing in common.…
30 Innovative Solutions Show Path to Renewable-Powered Future
Recently, IRENA has published the full series of 30 Innovation Briefs under its Innovation Landscape report. It is the most comprehensive analysis available on innovation priorities that policymakers must address to successfully decarbonise the electricity systems with renewables and push…
More Conservation Efforts Critical to Save the Vaquita – World’s Smallest Marine Mammal
While optimism can be in short supply when it comes to wildlife conservation, the spotting of three vaquita calves in October 2019 in the Upper Gulf of California in Mexico was a particularly exciting moment. A glimmer of hope in…