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Beekeeping relieves land degradation in Kyrgyzstan
Biodiversity
Seeing the people for the trees
Over 1.3 billion forest peoples’ rights are in need of stronger national and international protection.
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Oil
Policy-makers slow to take peak oil action
The peaking of oil production has gone from a fringe theory to an accepted fact. Yet policy inaction remains the rule.
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Biodiversity
Ramsar Convention at 41: New dimensions
Over the years, the Ramsar Convention on wetlands has evolved and the scope of its activities has broadened.
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Biodiversity
Debate 2.0: Will Rio+20 add up to anything?
The upcoming summit on sustainable development is one of the most important in the UN's history says Ban Ki-Moon.
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Biodiversity
Reversing desertification with livestock
A compelling Q&A with the originator of a holistic approach to restoring grasslands by using livestock to mimic nature's herbivore herds.
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Climate
Kenya: first African nation to set up climate authority
A member of Kenya's parliament drafts a bill to set up Africa's first climate change authority
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Oil
How rural America got fracked
In a new environmental nightmare you knew nothing about, ancient sandstone hills are being razed for a type of silica used by the natural gas industry.
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Climate
Universities co-creating urban sustainability
Universities have begun collaborating with diverse social actors to drive the sustainable transformation of regions, cities, communities.
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Making K* work for your research findings
The UNU-INWEH K* conference looked at ideas for research communication, including science push; knowledge translation, brokering and mobilization; and policy pull.
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Biodiversity
Wetland diplomacy: Transboundary conservation and Ramsar
With the vital role of wetlands in global water security, the Ramsar Convention can be critical.
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Climate
Recycling on the US–Mexico border
Trade in second-hand products between affluent countries and neighbouring developing nations can be mutually beneficial.
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Food
Mighty agro-lobby threatens reforestation of Amazon
While deforestation has slowed, restoring Brazil's rainforest is still meeting powerful opposition.
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Climate
Whatever happened to carbon capture?
CCS has been hobbled by the economic crisis and Europe is far behind the US, but a new Norwegian plant provides hope.
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Climate
The convenience city ultimatum
In their exploration of creating a sustainable Vancouver by 2050, a University of British Columbia team presents its final "big ideas".
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Nature as an ally: An interview with Wendell Berry
An interview about agriculture, ecology and ideals with poet, essayist, farmer, and novelist Wendell Berry.
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Oil
End of business as we know it
Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, we have gone from success to success. But is "business as usual" still an option?
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Food
Too many still struggling to meet food and nutrition goals
High food prices could prevent millions of people, particularly children, from escaping poverty and hunger.
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A shift towards inclusive wealth indicators
At the Planet under Pressure conference, progress included a preview of a new tool to evaluate not just overall wealth, but also sustainability of growth patterns.
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Does economic growth make us happy?
The first World Happiness Report shows us that, although economic growth can’t make us happy on its own, it does help a bit.
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Climate
Climate change is a human rights issue
Human rights bodies could help spur collective action to overcome the obstacles to progress on global warming, argues the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
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Climate
Climate pollution killing oysters
New evidence shows that ocean acidification is harming commercially valuable species in the northwestern Pacific region of North America.
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Biodiversity
Return to rural communities: Resilience over efficiency
The trickles of people leaving cities for rural areas might reflect a universal consciousness about what may be best for long term survival.
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Oil
Are oil subsidies worth the price?
Countries from Indonesia to Nigeria to the United States subsidize oil prices, but how long can such policies last?
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Oil
Green economy or clean energy with equity for Latin America
Latin America and the Caribbean have the potential to uncouple regional economic growth from fossil fuel consumption.
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Biodiversity
Indian tribe’s Avatar-like battle against mining firm
The Dongria Kondh people plan to carry on fight to stop Vedanta Resources from mining bauxite in Niyamgiri hills.
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Cassandra science at Planet under Pressure
In Greek mythology, Cassandra was given the gift of prophecy, but she was cursed so that no one would believe her.
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Oil
Discovering the wonders of the coconut
With an array of uses from energy and construction to medicine, this versatile palm has been sustaining communities for thousands of years.
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To finance change, finance has to change
An international alliance of community-focused banks is hoping to spur transition to a sustainable economic picture.
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Climate
Enhancing indigenous knowledge in rice terraces
Melding science and local wisdom can support farming practices threatened by climate change.
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Climate
The simpler way to a greener future
Trying out small changes will make your life better and at the same time greener.
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Expanding our moral universe
For humanity to continue to flourish, our moral decision-making must encompass a larger part of our natural and social environments.
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Climate
A city that runs on itself
Cut greenhouse gas emissions dramatically? A team of students envisions building this into Vancouver's future.
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Climate
Do you believe in climate change?
That's not a question you should be asking — it's a matter of empirical evidence, not belief.
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Biodiversity
Revealing the world’s hottest biodiversity hotspot
Entomologist Dmitry Telnov hopes to shed light on one of the world's last unexplored biogeographical regions: Wallacea and New Guinea.
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Putting water back in public hands
Despite the promising perspectives of remunicipalisation of water services, the commercialisation of water continues.
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Biodiversity
Biodiversity in Kanazawa: Spring’s lesson
The delicate colours of nature in spring have been a major source of inspiration for Kanazawa's local silk-dyeing artists.
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Biodiversity
Governance of marine areas beyond national jurisdictions
Improved governance of oceans beyond national jurisdictions will benefit biodiversity and help build more sustainable, equitable economies.
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Food
Stemming rural depopulation in Ethiopia
Swiss architects aim to stem rural depopulation and increase prosperity with semi-urban village centres.
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Standing strong: Anniversary of the Tohoku Disaster
The coastal communities in the Tohoku-Kanto region have pulled together in their rebuilding efforts.
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Biodiversity
Bali Declaration calls for palm oil justice
Careless development of palm plantations is exacerbating ecological problems and climate change, as well as dispossessing indigenous peoples.
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