Ukraine’s valuable seed bank is at risk of being lost to war
Global food supplies have already been tightened due to the ongoing war, but the future of agriculture could also be at risk if Ukraine’s largest seed bank is destroyed by Russian attacks. Farmlands in Ukraine are some of the most fertile on Earth. The nation’s nutrient rich soil stores moisture for...
Current in Change
US Senate passes the nation’s first ever climate legislation
Getting the Inflation Reduction Act passed is one of Joe Biden’s most impactful moves as President yet. It will seek to avert global climate catastrophe by drastically reducing US greenhouse emissions, but also lower prescription drug costs for citizens, and increase taxes paid by large corporations. Environmentalists, climate activists, and...
Earth nearing multiple ‘irreversible’ climate tipping points
A major scientific reassessment has uncovered that five critical planetary systems are at risk of breaking beyond repair – even if nations restrain warming to 1.5°C, the lower threshold stipulated by the Paris Agreement. This time last year, a devastating report from the IPCC warned us that the world was...
Pope Francis apologises for Indigenous residential school system
This week, Pope Francis wore a traditional Indigenous headdress presented to him by Canadian residential school survivors. The statement marked an official apology by the Catholic Church for its involvement in the widespread abuse of Indigenous children. When Chief Wilton Littlechild handed Pope Francis a traditional Indigenous headdress on Monday,...
Haarlem has banned meat adverts from public spaces
In an effort to reduce consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, Haarlem in the Netherlands has made the bold decision to outlaw ads for intensively farmed meat on buses, shelters, and screens. Acknowledging the link between animal exploitation and the worsening climate crisis, a Dutch city will become the first...
Are ‘best before’ dates on fresh produce necessary?
Every year, 88 million tons of food goes to waste in the EU. To tackle the problem, supermarkets are removing best before dates on fresh produce and encouraging customers to use their senses while shopping - literally. ‘Do you think this milk is still ok?’ my colleagues ask one another...
Explaining the UK’s ‘Don’t Pay’ movement
Record energy bill price hikes are pushing more members of the public to refuse paying their bills. What does the UK’s ‘Don’t Pay’ energy movement do and how does it work? This winter, millions of British citizens won’t be able to afford food or bills. Households have been losing income whilst prices have been rising, partly as a result of the Ukraine crisis and economic uncertainty as a result of...
Young volunteers are rebuilding Ukrainian towns with clean-up raves
The small Ukrainian town of Yahidne is being cleared of remnants of Russian invasion and rebuilt by young volunteers to the soundtrack of house and techno music. Since the last days of February, Eastern Ukraine has experienced unrelenting shelling and occupation by Russian soldiers. Even the country’s smallest and least populated towns have not been exempt from this reality. Located in the North East, Yahidne is home to just 300 people,...
Why the cost-of-living crisis is damaging for students
The cost-of-living crisis is sending food prices sky high, breaking down the UK’s national health system and forcing us to abandon our petrol-based transport. What does this mean for graduating students? ‘From September, some sacrifices will have to be made,’ says Sandali Jayasinghe, a 22-year-old Master’s student based in London. Currently finishing her dissertation in clinical drug development, Jayasinghe has already secured a full-time job in her sector due to start...
Berlin switches off monument lighting to preserve energy
The lights on Berlin’s famous monuments and historic buildings are being shut off in order to save energy amidst Russian energy cuts. Other cities like Hanover are cutting hot water in city-run buildings. If you’re planning to visit Berlin this summer, don’t expect to see its impressive monuments lit up during the evenings. In light of the energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine, the city is switching off the...
