Cattle farmer fined $50 million for damaging Amazon rainforest
A Brazilian rancher has been ordered to pay a whopping $50 million fine after destroying a large swathe of the Amazon rainforest to make space for cattle farming. He’s also been ordered to restore the area, which will be no small feat. Last week, a Brazilian federal court froze the...
Current in Change
The Supreme Court blocks plans to reduce US air pollution
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ‘Good Neighbour’ plan has been scrapped, signalling a dire shift away from green initiatives in US politics. Just weeks after the US presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump omitted any mention of global warming – despite it being a significant concern amongst Americans...
The failings that caused the tragic school collapse in Nigeria
In a heart-wrenching tragedy, The Saint Academy in the Jos North district of Plateau State, Nigeria, collapsed last Friday leading to the death of 22 students and leaving hundreds more injured. The Saint Academy, in central Nigeria, had its two-storey building collapse when students were having their exams last Friday. Locals...
The global crisis of illegal turtle trade
Recent arrests in Malaysia have drawn attention to the illegal turtle trade – a thriving black market industry worth billions that’s decimating vulnerable turtle populations to meet demand. Earlier this month, Malaysian authorities apprehended six members of an international wildlife smuggling syndicate known as the ‘Ninja Turtle...
Waterstones controversy highlights the power of social media
The popular bookseller has been criticised for transphobic behaviour, after book-tok came out in support of a former employee. Waterstones has been a mainstay of the British highstreet for decades, but the beloved bookseller has sparked significant online backlash over its stance on LGBTQIA+ issues. Over the past few years, Waterstones...
Could Biden’s exit from the presidential race upend international politics?
Joe Biden has pulled out of running for presidential re-election, with Kamala Harris expected to take his place. How might his sudden exit impact global politics, including the US’ stance on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as its relationship with China? In a moment that it seemed...
Kenya’s coastal communities fight illegal logging with hidden beehives
Stretching along the coastline, the mangrove forests provide a bulwark against coastal erosion, nurture an array of marine life, and play an essential role in the global carbon cycle. Yet, the mangroves face a relentless threat from illegal logging, driven by demand for timber and charcoal. An innovative idea is turning the tide in favour of mangrove conservation. Thought out by locals, the hidden beehives ploy is now spearheaded by...
Deadly mudslides in Southern Ethiopia highlight need for climate adaptation
Southern Ethiopia has witnessed a devastating mudslide triggered by torrential rains, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives. The country’s calamity gives an alarm to the East Africa’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather events, a grim reality exacerbated by climate change. The recent mudslide in Southern Ethiopia's mountainous region has left behind a trail of destruction, claiming more than 200 lives and sweeping away homes, livestock, and infrastructure. Communities...
The Labour Party lifts longstanding ban on onshore wind projects
The UK’s Labour Party is wasting no time advancing its sustainable agenda, lifting a longstanding ban on onshore wind projects just days into its leadership. Ending our reliance on fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy resources has been touted as the number one way to mitigate climate change. In some good news, the UK’s new Labour government has lifted the longstanding de facto ban on onshore wind farms in England,...
What is ‘Project 2025’ and will it ever see daylight?
A think tank called the Heritage Foundation is urging Trump to make the US a Christian nationalist state, should he get a second term in charge. Liberals are laughing and the former president is emphatically distancing himself. Imagine a ‘Land of the Free’ where watching porn is enough to land citizens in jail. That is a future the Heritage Foundation, a major US think tank, is hoping to secure by as...
