Is it surprising that Gen Z is giving up on higher education?
Surveys conducted last year reveal that only half of Gen Z say they are interested in pursuing a four-year degree after finishing high school. Looking at the big picture, is this truly surprising? Imagine you’ve just graduated from university, one of the biggest accomplishments of your life so far. Now drowning...
Current in Change
The first-hand reality of trying to get justice for rape
One of the primary purposes of the English legal system is to ensure justice is served to those who break the law, including cases involving rape and sexual assault. But for many, the justice system is failing. After five years of trying to bury what happened to her, Ciara...
Antarctica’s pollution crisis demands global attention
As the world grapples with the ever-pressing issue of environmental degradation, an unexpected frontier comes into focus – Antarctica, where the alarming presence of contaminants challenges its ecology. At the northern tip of Antarctica lies the Casey research station, one of the three biggest stations overseen by the Australian Antarctic...
Bill Gates backs plant-based meat companies as ‘the future’
The billionaire has invested in multiple plant-based meat companies, including Impossible, Beyond Meat, and Upside Foods. Despite this, he acknowledges that getting most people to adopt veganism is unrealistic. Over the years, Bill Gates has become known for his philanthropy, climate advocacy, and financial generosity for projects working to...
Almost one in three female surgeons have been sexually assaulted
Representing a ‘#MeToo moment’ for the NHS, a recent survey has uncovered a pattern of female trainees being abused by senior male surgeons during the past five years in operating theatres across the UK. Almost a third of female surgeons in the UK have been sexually assaulted by a colleague...
Unpacking the controversy around celebrity charity organisations
Committing to donating a sum of money isn’t the same as donating it directly. Acknowledging this difference can tell us a lot about how celebrities and multinational companies ‘give back’. ‘We’ve committed to donating X amount to X cause,’ is a phrase often used when celebrities and multi-national companies announce...
A new policy could end low-cost flights in the EU
France's Transport Minister has said ‘€10 flights aren’t possible anymore,’ because they do not properly reflect plane travel’s impact on the environment. He plans to propose a new minimum flight price policy to the EU. Europeans may soon be waving goodbye to cheap city breaks if a new proposal aimed at ending low-cost flights within the EU is accepted. Putting forward the idea is Clément Beaune, France’s Transport Minister. His aim...
UN judge urges UK to address slavery reparations
Patrick Robinson has said payment to countries impacted by transatlantic slavery is ‘required by law’. A UN judge sparked national outrage on Tuesday after statements made about UK slavery reparations. Patrick Robinson, a judge at the international court of justice, said the UK can no longer ignore growing calls for reparative payments over the long-standing cultural, social, and economic impacts of transatlantic slavery. ‘They cannot continue to ignore the greatest atrocity,...
UN warns that ‘climate breakdown has begun’
According to the World Meteorological Organisation, Earth just had its hottest summer on record, prompting calls for global leaders to ‘turn up the heat now’ on solutions. The summer of 2023, which saw heatwaves, fires, and floods destroy livelihoods across the globe, from North and South America, to Europe, India, Japan, and China, has officially been confirmed by the United Nations as the ‘hottest on record.’ According to...
New research finds air pollution is more deadly than smoking
Life expectancy in at least six countries has fallen drastically due to poor air quality, which now poses more of a risk to citizens than smoking. As the climate crisis rages on, air pollution around the world is worsening. Along with it, so is public health. An updated report conducted at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) has seen researchers declare that ‘particulate air pollution is...
