Is the Veganuary pledge all it promises to be?
This January, nearly a decade after the annual pledge began, one person every 2.4 seconds signed up for Veganuary. But how effective is it? And is it catching on beyond the UK? People take on Veganuary for a number of reasons – from wanting to be more climate-conscious to eating...
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Egyptian Gen Zers are fighting against plastic pollution
Egypt is facing a significant plastic pollution problem. However, a new generation is taking action. Gen Z are becoming increasingly vocal and active in their efforts to combat plastic pollution. In recent years, plastic pollution has become a growing concern in Egypt. The country is one of the largest producers of...
Why ‘debt-for-nature’ swaps are the future of climate finance
Many developing countries are deep in financial debt. More often than not, however, they are rich in biodiversity. An increasingly popular climate agreement could enable them to minimise the debt they owe to wealthy nations – as long as the money saved is placed into environmental protection and adaptation...
Why should you be concerned about animal mills?
New legislation in New York has finally clamped down on the selling of domestic pets such as dogs and cats. It’s hoped that this well help eradicate animal mills, where pets are bred with little regard for their wellbeing. Last December, the state of New York passed a law...
Could Colombia be the first oil-rich country to ditch fossil fuels?
The South American nation’s left-wing government has announced it will not approve any new oil and gas exploration projects as it seeks to shift towards a more sustainable economy. In June last year, ex-rebel Gustavo Petro won Colombia’s presidential election after one of the most contested campaigns in the...
‘Holy grail’ wheat gene could make heat resistant crops
How humanity is to continue growing wheat in centuries to come has long been agriculture’s million-dollar question, but UK scientists have finally developed a crop gene reportedly resistant to a warming world. Remember Interstellar, where a global wheat blight forced Mathew McConachie to scour neighbouring galaxies in search of habitable...
Is ‘weather whiplash’ yet another symptom of climate change?
Once a colloquial phrase used to describe surprising, rapid shifts in weather conditions, ‘weather whiplash’ is being continuously validated by climate change studies and is reportedly getting worse. We all misjudge the weather from time to time, but what we’re talking about here is far more dramatic than mistakenly opting to leave an umbrella at home. Prior to New Year’s Eve in California, the state had endured a prolonged and severe drought...
Is animal agriculture on the verge of change?
Recent calls for more awareness about the cruelty behind livestock exportation in addition to a proposed law obliging farmers to address the environmental impact of meat and dairy production indicates a shift may finally be afoot. Last year, it was revealed that the agriculture industry is responsible for about a quarter of our total greenhouse gas emissions, the main contributor being livestock and fisheries. Yet although the...
England set to ban some single-use plastics
In a long-awaited step towards reducing pollution, the British government is poised to phase out certain products and replace them with biodegradable alternatives. Two years ago, the extent of Britain’s plastic waste problem came to light. Though the nation claims to be a world leader in tackling this kind of pollution, it was revealed by Greenpeace that despite our best efforts to protect the environment, more than half of what...
Global pollinator losses linked to excess fatalities
According to a new study, insect declines are resulting in reduced yields of healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, and nuts which is causing an estimated 500,000 early deaths a year. In 2019, the first Global Scientific Review of insect populations was released. It disclosed, to the dismay of the entomological community, that the world’s insects were hurtling towards extinction and warned that without immediate action, we would find ourselves amid a...