Russia passes law banning ‘LGBT propaganda’ among adults
The controversial bill outlaws any promotion of ‘non-traditional sexual relations,’ representing a toughening of an existing 2013 legislation which makes providing information about homosexuality to children a criminal offence. On Thursday, Russia’s parliament approved by 397 votes to none a bill that makes any expression of an LGBTQ+ lifestyle almost...
Current in People
Transforming cities into sponges could save us from floods
Urban planning and landscape architect Professor Kongjian Yu has put forward an innovative and eco-friendly option for flood mitigation. It involves transforming our cities into ‘sponges’ to absorb overflowing waterways and prevent threats presented by extreme flooding. Are you ready kids? I can’t hear you… nah I’m just joking. It’s...
Understanding Africa’s Gen Z mental health problem
Gen Z are the most likely group to be affected by mental health problems in Africa. Africa’s failure to adequately respond to the surging mental health crisis is affecting more than 60% of the population. It is saddening that poor mental health is not considered a crisis in Africa, despite many...
Opinion – Elnaz Rekabi deserves her status as Iranian hero
Despite claims that her missing hijab was an accident, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi has been greeted by fervent crowds after competing in an international tournament. After she competed at an international climbing tournament without her hijab, concerns were mounting for missing climber Elnaz Rekabi. Those close to Rekabi said they had...
COP27 will give children and youth a platform for the first time
At this year’s COP event in Egypt, young people will finally be given their own platform. The Children and Youth Pavilion will allow young activists to voice their climate concerns and hopefully impact negotiations for the very first time. It’s no secret that some of the most passionate climate activists...
Researchers say global oceans need legal protective rights
Following a recent campaign to give rivers, lakes, and forests legal rights, experts now say global oceans must also be afforded legally enforced protection. They argue this is the only way to positively transform our relationship with oceans and prevent total ecosystem collapse. In a new article published in PLOS...
Jeff Bezos vows to donate ‘most of his fortune’ to fight climate change
The Amazon founder declared in a recent interview with CNN that he plans to donate most of his wealth to ecological causes. Surely the richest 1% of the population should be mandated to show at COP conferences, no? Maybe that’s just my preference. Jeff Bezos, currently the fourth richest person on the planet - with an estimated net worth of $124bn - plans to become the biggest philanthropist the world...
Iranian leaders have vowed tougher action against ‘rioters’
Following a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations that began after a young woman died in police custody, there are rumours that over 15,000 people now face execution for protesting. For two months, mass protests have swept Iran, defying a deadly crackdown by security forces. Deemed the most serious challenge to the country’s authorities in decades, the anti-government demonstrations began in response to the death of Zhina ‘Mahsa’ Amini. On September 13th, the 22-year-old...
Exclusive – COP27’s Solutions Day with Fazeela Mubarak
What should be our main takeaways from the last fortnight, has this been as successful a summit as was necessary, and can we be optimistic about the future? We spoke with activist and co-founder of Wild Heart Kenya, Fazeela Mubarak, to find out. Ending on a hopeful note, Solutions Day was all about examining the possible solutions for the broad array of climate change challenges we face – particularly...
Legal rights must be afforded to the natural world says experts
Leading environmentalists say better protections must be placed on the natural environment in order to prevent the continuation of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. Ongoing advancements in biotechnology only stand to bolster their argument. It’s about high time we stopped thinking of the human race as a dominating force over the natural world, and instead embrace the fact that we are completely one with it. For too long, the former ideology...
