New York becomes latest city to be slowly sinking
Apparently, New York City is slowly sinking under its own weight. But given that the climate crisis is causing sea levels to rise and coastal erosion to worsen all while urban development increases, should we be surprised? Over the weekend, news broke that New York City is sinking under the...
Current in Change
The UN releases new roadmap to halting plastic pollution
The United Nations has published a new report which states that ending plastic production could save the planet £3.6 trillion in under two decades. Its four-point approach aims to reduce the health and environmental problems stemming from plastic use. Though plastic is a cheap and versatile material, its widespread use...
‘Oceans’ reveals worst polluted beaches in the UK
UK beaches are riddled with plastic pollution. Toilet paper company Oceans has discovered the top worst affected beaches and are campaigning to spread awareness. There are 5000 pieces of plastic & 150 plastic bottles for each mile on UK beaches, while 88% of the sea's surface is polluted by...
Greenpeace criminalised and forced to disband within Russia
Greenpeace has been forcibly liquidated within Russia, meaning the continuation of its activities would be illegal and put staff at risk of prosecution. The term ‘foreign agent’, once synonymous with the Soviet era, is returning with worrying regularity within Russia, leaving many to believe civil freedoms are being systematically bulldozed. The...
Greenpeace ranks European countries’ private jet activity
We’re well-accustomed to hearing about American billionaire celebrities and their carbon-spewing private jets lately, but which European countries are facilitating the most private jet departures? Greenpeace investigates. You might think that because the general public now knows how emission-heavy private jets are, those privileged enough to charter them would be...
Ad agencies and regulators claim era of greenwashing is over
Several major cities face stricter regulatory restrictions on annoying greenwashing tactics. Advertising agencies are being told to reconsider relationships with major polluters, and false claims of being ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘nature positive’ will be thwarted by marketing authorities. Everyone blags their way through professional life to some extent, right? When...
WHO declares Benin and Mali trachoma-free
Trachoma has plagued poor communities across the globe for centuries. This week, the World Health Organization declared both Benin and Mali to have eradicated the disease, joining four other African nations in eliminating the problem fully. The profound consequences of trachoma on communities have been extensively documented. Recently, a collaborative endeavor involving governments, non-governmental organizations, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has been initiated to eradicate the disease entirely. The West...
BP’s oil spill highlights the human impact of environmental crises
Thirteen years after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, those who helped clean it up are suffering from mental and physical illness. The disruption of their daily lives should disrupt ours, too. In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill unleashed an environmental catastrophe, causing irreparable damage to ecosystems and communities. A recent Guardian investigation has explored the long-term impacts of the disaster, highlighting the human devastation that still ripples thirteen years...
This year’s G7 summit explained
G7 countries are economic, political heavyweights with the power to tackle urgent global issues. If you look back at past G7 Summit agendas, you’ll see many of the same themes: reducing inequality, promoting women’s equality, and advancing global security among them. This year, the to-do list for the leaders of seven of the world’s economic and political heavyweights is long — from taking meaningful action on climate change, to tackling the...
Limits on blood donations from gay and bisexual men eased by FDA
The Food and Drug Administration has announced it will not lift its total ban on gay and bisexual men from giving blood donations in the US. The policy, which has been in place for more than 30 years, has been altered after being deemed discriminatory. Each year, around 110 million blood donations are collected across the world. Despite this seemingly large number, hospitals almost always have a shortage of stock. This is...
