EU Commission reintroduces wolf hunting following farmer pressure
A proposal to lower the conservation status of wolves in the EU has ignited questions on the equilibrium between environmental preservation and economic considerations. In mid-December, the European Union proposed to demote the wolf's status from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected’ under the Berne Convention. Many criticized this decision for its...
Current in Change
Camera manufacturer Canon donates equipment to coral reef lab
Leveraging the mission to save coral reef species, Canon has donated high-end image capturing equipment to London-based Coral Spawning Lab. Though virtually all life on Earth is under threat from climate change, the most fragile ecosystems by far are coral reefs. Hoping to ensure their future survival, laboratories around the world...
Scientists believe they have discovered the age ceiling for humans
Though human life expectancy has risen – and some people are attempting to ‘live forever’ – Dutch scientists believe they have figured out the ultimate ‘ceiling’ of the human lifespan. Radical improvements to medical care, nutrition, and overall living conditions have all contributed to lengthening the average human lifespan. During the...
African bishops stand against Pope Francis’ same-sex blessings
Last month, Pope Francis allowed priests to bless same-sex couples, signaling a move towards inclusivity within the Roman Catholic Church. However, African bishops' strong opposition highlights a clash between the Vatican's evolving stance and entrenched cultural norms on the continent. In December, Pope Francis made an announcement on the highly...
British Sign Language will now be taught as a GCSE subject
The introduction of BSL to the UK education system is a vital step towards a more inclusive society. After a 12-week consultation with the deaf and hearing communities, the Department of Education has announced that British Sign Language (BSL) will be introduced as a GCSE option from September 2025. The government’s...
Drug consumption rooms could save thousands of British lives
The world’s largest review of drug consumption rooms reveals that they are integral to harm-reduction and could slash the transmission of fatal diseases. In addition, they may help reduce pressure on ambulance callouts and the burden on UK hospitals. Data published by the Office for National Statistics shows that...
Climate change is impacting babies’ birth weight
According to a new study, exposure to cold or heat stress, particularly in the latter stages of pregnancy, leads to children being too large or too small for their gestational age. Last year was the hottest on record by an enormous margin, with the Earth 1.48°C warmer than pre-industrial levels and dangerously close to the 1.5°C limit set during the 2015 Paris Agreement. In 2023, the average...
Climate Defiance group pledge solely to fight ‘cowards’ of US politics
‘We do not do petitions. We do direct action,’ is the opening gambit of Climate Defiance’s website. The eco activist outfit’s MO is political disruption, and it has its eye on the 2024 US election. With the next US presidential election scheduled for November 2024, the nation’s eco-activists are upping the ante to ensure ecological reform is high on the agenda of candidates. One such group, which sprung to life in...
Is Coca-Cola finally about to realise its plastic reduction goals?
For the world’s largest plastic-producing company, a transition to using environmentally friendlier packaging materials is long overdue. Is Coca-Cola finally getting serious about its 2030 targets? In the global fight against plastic pollution, a problem which wreaks havoc on marine life and our planet's overall well-being, Coca-Cola stands as the biggest obstacle, according to a report by the Sierra Club. The company produces over 100 billion plastic bottles every...
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an ecological disaster
According to new research, the planet-warming emissions generated during the first two months of the war in Gaza were greater than the annual carbon footprint of more than 20 of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. It’s no secret that war is bad for the environment, with toxic chemicals left polluting soil and water for decades after the fighting has ceased. What’s often not considered, however, is the long-term...
