Zimbabwe declares state of emergency as cholera outbreak worsens
In response to a rapidly escalating cholera outbreak, the government of Zimbabwe has declared a state of emergency, acknowledging the severity of the crisis that has claimed lives and left thousands grappling with the debilitating effects of the waterborne disease. Cholera, a highly contagious bacterial infection spread through contaminated...
Current in Planet
78% of carbon capture projects linked to oil and gas production
The vast majority of carbon capture projects that currently turn a profit are reportedly contributing directly to the production of oil. Sigh.
The phrase ‘one step forward, two steps back’ feels particularly apt when delving into the inner workings of carbon capture – in its current form, anyway.
Despite a
Ferocious floods wreak havoc across East Africa
East Africa has been grappling with a crisis of monumental proportions - devastating floods that have wreaked havoc across the region. From Kenya to Somalia, Tanzania to Ethiopia, the torrents of rain have displaced communities, destroyed agricultural farmlands, and left a trail of human suffering in their wake. East...
EU agrees landmark ban of plastic waste exports to poorer nations
The EU will ‘finally assume responsibility’ for the horrendous volume of plastic waste it exports to poorer nations, reads a statement attached to a landmark ban slated to be in effect by 2026. The ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach hasn’t proven too effective for the EU and its...
Richest 1% emit as much pollution as two-thirds of humanity
According to a recent report on climate inequality conducted by Oxfam, the planet-heating carbon emissions generated by the world’s wealthiest surged to 5.9 billion tonnes in 2019 – enough to cause 1.3 million excess deaths due to extreme heat. The richest 1% of humanity are responsible for around the...
2023 is officially the hottest year in the last 250,000 years
Two new reports confirm 2023 to be the hottest year in modern history. We are living through global warming in real time. This week, it was confirmed that 2023 is the hottest year in the past 125,000 years – meaning we’ve already lived through the warmest 12 months in human history...
UN report labels future fossil fuel ventures ‘insanity’ projects
The world’s biggest petrostates, including Saudia Arabia, the US, and the UAE are planning major expansions to fossil fuel projects. The UN has called these agendas a move of ‘insanity’ that would ‘throw humanity’s future into question.’ You know what else this world needs? A lot more carbon emissions. Well, not exactly. Not at all, actually. And yet, that seems to be the continued thought process inside the brains of leaders...
Earth’s salt cycle is fast becoming a serious problem
Humanity’s excessive salt production is reportedly throwing Earth’s natural balance off-kilter. Is this yet another ‘existential threat’ caused by modern consumerism? If something is ‘salt of the Earth’ it is good and honest – ironically the opposite of humanity when talking our ecological impact on the planet. Anthropogenic climate change is undoubtedly our magnum opus, but there’s a rarely discussed issue which is rapidly growing into yet another existential threat, according...
How polar bears became a controversial symbol of the climate crisis
Though the idea of polar bears ceasing to exist might motivate people to care about climate change, how accurate is this imagery in conveying a message about a global issue that affects us all? It’s International Polar Bear Week, which aims to bring awareness to a species that many of us will only ever encounter inside zoos, when watching nature documentaries, or while reading articles about climate change. Many nature publications,...
How forest protection is integral to tackling climate change
According to a new Nature study, protecting forests globally could potentially capture an additional 226 gigatons of planet-warming carbon, equivalent to about a third of the amount that humans have released since the beginning of the Industrial Era. If you weren’t already aware, forests play a critical role in the survival of humanity, acting as natural shields that safeguard us from our own inherently destructive impact on the environment. Hugely effective...
