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 […]
Tomorrow’s Mobility Solutions Are Here
On the eve of the climate summit in Paris, mobility worries decision-makers because – contrary to other sectors – pollution emanating from modes of transport continues to climb around the world, representing today more than a quarter of total emissions. Automobile congestion and noxious pollutants are pervasive. And yet, solutions are now coming to market […]
We Need to Invest in Nature
Biodiversity is the planet’s life support system and key to addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges such as climate change, sustainable development and food security, and conserving biodiversity has been central to the mission of IUCN since its creation in 1948. For more than 50 years, IUCN has compiled the world’s most comprehensive information […]
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 […]
Why city-dwellers should care about forests
Trees shade city streets and parks raise property values. Trees provide cooling shade and help moderate run-off after storms. They’re good for the mind and body. Urban forests help cleanse the air of pollutants, reducing the incidence of respiratory disease. And their presence makes you feel better: a study in Toronto found that having an […]
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 […]
Let nature do the job
The role of ecosystems and the concept and application of nature-based solutions (NBS) for sustainable water management is not new. Indeed, the use of natural processes to manage water spans millennia, but “nature-based solutions” terminology emerged only recently. NBS are increasingly recognized as important to address complex challenges in water management – water scarcity, quality […]
Forests in Cities
The trend to integrate trees in the urban fabric of cities and wood in architectural structures is growing rapidly. This photo essay highlights some of the latest buildings being built with timber and the tallest examples of design plans to reach above 300 meters in different cities around the world. From London to Toronto to […]