Archive for 2018
Tax havens linked to deforestation and illegal fishing
First there were the Panama Papers. Then came the Paradise Papers. Each leak of these documents shone a light on how companies and individuals avoid tax payments to governments, currently estimated at USD 2 billion annually. Now, these revelations have
In the treetops: Understanding the planet’s ‘rainbow water’
Scientists study blue water, the surface resources available to people from our lakes, rivers and aquifers. They study green water, which is held in our plants and soils. Now a team of researchers is calling attention to the importance of
Walking around Paris or Prague is like smoking cigarettes
When we think of excessive urban air pollution, we tend to think of cities in Asia. Mumbai. New Delhi. Beijing. Yet for many people living in Europe, unhealthy levels of air pollution are much closer to home than they may
Study: the planet’s forest cover hasn’t shrunk. It’s grown
When it comes to the state of forests on the planet, it may often seem like gloom and doom. Forest covers are being lost at alarming rates in many parts of the world from the island of Borneo in Southeast
Wild elephants are now being hunted for their skin too
Asian elephants have long been hunted for their tusks around Southeast Asia. Now in some areas of Myanmar (formerly Burma) they are also being hunted in record numbers for their skins. The reason: many people have come to believe that
Carbon Neutral by 2035: it may be possible for Helsinki
Carbon neutrality has been on the agenda of urban decision makers for more than a decade. Yet, only recently has it started to emerge as a realistic strategic goal for several towns and cities. Helsinki is one of those forerunners.