Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesThe true compensation cost of excessive emissions revealed for historic responsibilityJune 8, 2023Wealthier countries, including the United States and those in Europe, could find themselves facing an astronomical price tag of $170 trillion as reparations for their disproportionate carbon emissions, according to a groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Leeds.The research sheds light on the glaring …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesThe remarkable Montreal Protocol may just have delayed an ice-free arcticMay 24, 2023When scientists made the groundbreaking discovery of the ozone hole over Antarctica in 1985, it prompted a global response in the form of the Montreal Protocol.The United Nations treaty aimed at safeguarding the Earth and its inhabitants from dangerous ultraviolet radiation. Unbeknownst at the time, …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesEcuador’s historic debt conversion paves the way for a paradigm shift in conservation financingMay 17, 2023In an unprecedented move, Ecuador has converted $1.6 billion of debt into a loan, unlocking millions of dollars for conservation efforts in this ecological haven.Ecuador’s pioneering ‘debt for nature’ swap has taken a momentous step to safeguard the unparalleled biodiversity of the …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesA tale of deception: The emperor’s wearing the same clothesMay 15, 2023As a child, I remember being enthralled by the tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”For those not au fait with the story, the fable tells of an emperor, swindled by clever tailors into believing he wore the finest of garments, paraded naked before his subjects, too …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesThe oil company that predicted climate changeMay 11, 2023An enlightening example of when corporate self-interest trumps global interest.In the late 1970s, scientists and government agencies were beginning to study climate change more seriously. ExxonMobil, a major fossil fuel company, saw the potential disaster this could play for their oil and gas business, and subsequently formed a skilled …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesHow the humble banana is helping us re-think our diets and our planetApril 18, 2023I’ve been vegan(ish) for a few years now. I have to add the “ish” on as I’ve struggled with years-long addiction to cheese that I just can’t seem to shake.Other than my dairy kryptonite however, I’ve since had to be “that guy” at …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesCurrent biodiversity loss could lead to total ecosystem collapse, warns studyMarch 10, 2023According to recent research on the greatest mass extinction in Earth’s history, the gradual degradation of wildlife and biodiversity could quickly escalate into a catastrophic collapse of entire ecosystems.The “Great Dying,” a cataclysmic event that unfolded 252 million years ago during the Permian-Triassic extinction period, …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesBig money, limited action: Why $6 Billion alone won’t be enough to save our seasMarch 8, 2023The West is shifting. It’s been slow and arduous (and often, highly frustrating), but inch by inch, we’re beginning to promises, pledges, and policies take shape to tackle issues surrounding climate change.It’s a broad topic we’ve written about extensively — from …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesIt’s up to us: Why limiting warming to 1.5 degrees is a self-fulfilling prophecyMarch 6, 2023A new report published on Wednesday by the University of Hamburg suggests that significant social change is required to halt catastrophic climate change, and that society is not changing fast enough to achieve the goals set in the Paris Agreement.The publication, known …
Opinion// Hidden Stories SeriesWhen good becomes bad: The real cost of social activismFebruary 23, 2023You will no doubt have seen a number of environmental and activist groups grab the headlines over the past few years, often relating to campaigners finding new and innovative ways to bring attention to various causes — from halting motorway traffic by climbing up motorway gantries, …