At least 87 elephants have been killed for their ivory in Botswana in recent months, according to the conservation nonprofit Elephants Without Borders, which discovered the carcasses. It’s a sharp and disturbing increase in poaching for a country that has been considered elephants’ last stronghold in Africa, says Mike Chase, the organization’s director. “It came as a … [Read more...]
Wildlife photographer Beverly Joubert is determined to save big cats
Beverly Joubert’s ceaseless passion and talent have made her a heroine in the field of wildlife photography. She is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, filmmaker, photographer, and cofounder of National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. Together with her husband, Dereck, she has devoted more than 30 years to photographing and documenting the plight of African … [Read more...]
All-women expedition across Southern Africa tackles poaching head on
Final touches are being made to an all-women 50-day conservation adventure from South Africa into Southern Africa. The Journeys with Purpose: Rise of the Matriarch expedition brings together 12 women from around the world who will travel 9 000km across four countries to raise awareness about the contentious human-wildlife conflict. Headed by Carla Geyser, a … [Read more...]
Carbon emissions to lower food crop quality by 2050
A new study highlights a lesser-known but serious consequence of the climate crisis for hundreds of millions of people around the world—major nutritional deficiencies that are likely to hit impoverished populations the hardest, as carbon dioxide emissions seriously affect the quality of food crops. The study, completed by scientists at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public … [Read more...]
Local rockers pledge to keep our carnivores Wild ‘n Free
In the build up to World Lion Day on 10 August, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), a champion of conservation in Africa, has launched an exciting new project, entitled Wild ‘n Free. Through this initiative, the EWT is calling on all South Africans to be the voice for the voiceless and join the fight against keeping carnivores in captivity for petting, walking-with, … [Read more...]
Africa’s efforts towards eradicating plastics
The ongoing global movement for eliminating plastics is gaining momentum in Africa. Several countries are now taking steps to eliminate the production and distribution of single-use plastics, some adopting a total ban on the production and use of plastic bags. Cameroon, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania have taken the … [Read more...]
Africa’s pollution killing thousands of infants, study says
Modest reductions in air pollution can prevent the deaths of tens of thousands of infants in sub-Saharan Africa each year, according to a new scientific study that investigated the link between breathable air pollutants and premature deaths in 30 countries across the continent. Although few pollution monitoring systems exist in Africa, the researchers combined … [Read more...]
China is about to get its first vertical forest
They could be the breath of fresh air that pollution-choked cities desperately need. Vertical forests – high-rise buildings covered with trees and plants – absorb carbon dioxide, filter dust from pollution and produce oxygen. They’re also an ingenious way of planting more trees and creating habitats for wildlife in cities that are squeezed for space. China, a nation … [Read more...]
Africa’s silent giraffe extinction: the long and short of it
It’s hard to comprehend that giraffe numbers have plummeted by almost 40% in just three decades. This rapid slide now places them amongst the most threatened species on the planet, with only approximately 98,445 individuals remaining across this massive African continent! A population collapse of this nature could conceivably be driven by that evil Far East cabal of wildlife … [Read more...]
SA desert runner to tackle Australia’s Big Red Run to raise water awareness
A marathon a day through Australia’s Simpson Desert. This 6-day desert race will be David’s ninth, and the sixth leg of his quest to complete one on all seven continents. For this project, Barnard aims to raise funds for the Hippo Roller, promote its work, and contribute to increased public understanding of water-related issues around the world. David Barnard has been … [Read more...]
The rise of battery storage and its implications for the renewables sector
The upward trend of renewables has grabbed headlines over the last few years, particularly due to the falling costs of solar photovoltaic (PV) power and countries increasing their renewable commitments in the wake of the Paris Agreement reached at COP21. The Middle East, in particular, is undergoing a significant transformative period, as it moves to diversify away from its … [Read more...]
Cities for our Future regional shortlists announced
A community-funded affordable housing scheme for Cape Town has been named on a shortlist of five entries for Africa in a global competition run by RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) to find solutions to problems facing the world’s cities. (Delft)LINK, entered by Jonathan Wilson and Anees Arnold, students from South Africa who are currently studying in the … [Read more...]
This African city is turning a mountain of trash into energy
Africa is the world’s fastest-urbanizing continent. But while city life has helped lift millions out of poverty, the rapid transformation has created a new problem: mountains of urban waste. Now an Ethiopian entrepreneur is tackling the crisis with Africa’s first waste-to-energy plant, which reduces noxious and dangerous landfill while powering urban homes. Samuel Alemayehu, … [Read more...]
