The Water–Employment–Migration Nexus
Water, employment and migration crises are posing rising risks globally. In parts of the Mediterranean, the situation on all three crises is alarming. Their link may not be obvious at a first glance, but it is becoming increasingly evident based on the hard evidence of realities on the ground. Exploring their causal relationships will provide […]
The POWERSTEP Solution
Nearly 1% of the EU‘s electricity demand is consumed by wastewater treatment plants. POWERSTEP achieved an energy-neutral or even energy-positive wastewater treatment plant based on a combination of new concepts and optimized integration of available technologies, such as sewage sludge digestion and biogas valorization, at its six large-scale demonstration sites in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Austria […]
Doñana: A Story of Destruction and Hope
Flamingos soaring over shimmering water. The hum of crickets in the scorching heat of an Andalusian summer. An Iberian Lynx nursing its cub in a merciful patch of shade. For anyone who has visited or read of Spain’s iconic Doñana National Park, these are the images that come to mind. But the underlying reality is […]
Back to the future
In the 1950s and 1960s, urban planners designed cities around cars. Brussels is a sad example of this: a beautiful city, torn by motorways cutting through neighborhoods. Belgium’s taxation policy over the last couple of decades has made the situation a whole lot worse. It is now more beneficial to live outside a city where […]
Bad Plastics, Good Plastics
The fact is that plastics are a miracle material and could even be the very thing that saves humanity from catastrophic climate change. The problem in our oceans isn’t plastics, it’s what we do with them. Over the years, we got lazy – creating an infinite number of singleuse, throwaway items like bags, drinking straws […]
Unlocking Capital for Energy Access
SunFunder is a specialist finance company that has unlocked $62 million for solar enterprises from 2012-17. In doing so, it has experimented with a range of structures to increase investment – and discovered ways to help the sector scale-up to a long-term sustainable future, sourcing larger amounts of capital from commercial investors. The Energy Access […]
Small Island Developing States
SIDS are on the frontlines of climate change. Despite having done little to cause it, the effects of a warming planet are already beginning to adversely affect livelihoods and security for millions who call islands around the world home. Yet islands are nothing if not resilient, and their collective commitments to renewable energy are proof […]
Water Loss Management in Muscat
Water resources in Oman are exposed to manmade and natural threats such as tropical cyclones which are common in Oman, and water losses or Non-Revenue Water (NRW) through pipes leaks and other reasons. The water supply system in Oman is run by a government Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW). The high values of […]