Can COP26 reduce the threat of climate change in Africa?
Despite Africa contributing the least to greenhouse gas emissions of all continents, it remains the most threatened when it comes to climate change. Africa remains the most endangered continent from climate change according to reports by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The report mainly highlights climate change risks to human...
Current in Planet
World leaders commit to halting deforestation by 2030
The first major deal of COP26 has been made, with over one hundred world leaders pledging to halt and reverse deforestation within the next decade. It’s all about the green - and no, I’m not talking money. We know trees - rainforests in particular - are important to keep our planet’s...
Which nations are leading by example at COP26?
The UK might be hosting this year’s climate summit, but there are several other nations leading the pack in the fight against climate change. It’s time for a little who’s who. If you’ve been poring over our articles on Thred lately, you’ll already know that COP26 presents a key moment...
Nurdles are causing as much natural damage as oil spills
Nurdles are probably the worst form of toxic waste you’ve never heard of. Floating in the oceans, billions of these tiny plastic pellets are causing as much damage as oil spills today. We’re at the stage where it feels like humanity is deliberately sabotaging its own planet. Case in point...
How Iceland became a global leader in green energy
In only a few decades, one island transformed itself from being completely reliant on imported fossil fuels to becoming a leader in green technology. Today, it is powered by 99.9 percent renewable energy. Regarded as the ‘land of fire and ice’, Iceland has a natural landscape that experiences both extreme...
Map outlines Earth’s most important natural carbon banks
‘Irrevocable’ carbon banks – we’re talking tropical forests, mangroves, peatlands, and other natural areas – store massive amounts of greenhouse gases. Which areas are currently most vulnerable to spilling over? The term ‘irrevocable’ is often used to describe natural carbon banks. This is because they sequester so much carbon that if...
The key takeaways from Glasgow’s COP26 climate deal
Billed as vital crunch talks to prevent climate disasters before the end of the century, delegates from around the world convened in Glasgow for COP26. Running over the summit’s original deadline, how has the final deal shaped up? If you’ve been with us over the last two weeks, you’ll now be accustomed to the topsy turvy nature of climate reform. One minute, you’re celebrating an important announcement from a coalition...
London’s river Thames is no longer ‘biologically dead’
The city’s famous waterway has been revived and is now home to hundreds of wildlife species including seals, seahorses, and sharks. With COP26 drawing to a close, leaving activists exhausted, frustrated, and sceptical of the pledges made by world leaders, I’d say it’s due time we turned our attention to some positive news (unless you’re galeophobic, of course, in which case you may disagree). As of this week, the river Thames...
Olive waste is helping to heat homes in Syria
Locals in Syria’s Idlib province have discovered an eco-friendly way of generating fuel and heating their homes using olive waste. As COP26 highlighted, the burden of innovating clean power by no means falls on developing nations. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t got sustainable and affordable ideas of their own. In Syria’s north-western Idlib province, locals have found an ingenious alternative to diesel – which is typically used to heat homes...
How science labs are building the future of food
Climate change is holding a sharp knife to the agricultural industry. From espresso and pasta to sushi and fish fingers, your daily bread could disappear from local menus, if not for a huge effort from scientists around the world. The agriculture industry – which has contributed massively to climate change – is getting a serious helping of karma these days. Unfortunately, this has resulted in global food prices skyrocketing to...
