environmental resilience Archives

Dec162024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tepary Beans Offer Hope for Climate Resilient Crops

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations

As climate change intensifies heat and drought conditions worldwide, the cultivation of common beans a staple food for millions is becoming increasingly challenging. Scientists are turning to the tepary bean, a desert-native legume, to develop more resilient bean varieties that can thrive under extreme conditions. The tepary bean, native to the Sonoran Desert, is uniquely adapted to hot and dry environments. “They are able to grow under drought and high heat conditions,” says Carlos Urrea, a dry edible bean breeding specialist at the University of Nebraska. Urrea and his team are working to harness the drought and heat tolerance of tepary beans by identifying and transferring their resilient genes into common beans. They’re also integrating disease resistance traits, creating hybrid ...

Nov232024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Study Finds Global Cities Falling Short on Tree Canopy Cover for Urban Health

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

New research analyzing access to urban greenery across eight major global cities, including Melbourne and Sydney, reveals alarming gaps in tree canopy cover, despite the presence of visible trees. The study, published in Nature Communications, applies the ‘3-30-300’ rule, a sustainable cities benchmark, to evaluate urban nature access and its benefits. The '3-30-300' Rule Explained The rule, developed by Dutch urban forestry expert Professor Cecil Konijnendijk, suggests every home, school, and workplace should: Have a view of at least three trees. Be in a neighborhood with 30% tree canopy cover. Be within 300 meters of a park. While most buildings in the study met the "three trees" requirement, almost all cities fell short of the 30% canopy cover benchmark. Key Findi...

Nov152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Strengthening Social Protection: An Urgent Economic and Climate Necessity

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments

As climate change intensifies and economic uncertainties mount, robust social protection systems have become essential for resilience and inclusive development. A new report by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) underscores the critical need to address financing gaps to strengthen these systems and safeguard vulnerable populations. Far from being a mere expense, social protection is an investment in people that yields significant socioeconomic returns. Research highlights its role as an economic stabilizer, particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when cash assistance programs and unemployment benefits supported incomes and stabilized aggregate demand. Such measures demonstrate how social protection systems enhance resilience and foster social c...

Nov122024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Kenyan Lesser Mealworm Larvae Show Promise in Plastic Degradation, Offering New Hope for Pollution Control

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

In an innovative approach to tackling plastic pollution, a team of scientists from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology has discovered that Kenyan lesser mealworm larvae can consume polystyrene a common yet hard-to-recycle plastic. This is the first time an insect species native to Africa has been found to break down polystyrene, adding it to a small but promising group of plastic-degrading insects. How Do They Do It? Polystyrene, often known as Styrofoam, is widely used in packaging and is notoriously difficult to recycle due to its durable nature. While traditional recycling methods are costly and polluting, the Kenyan lesser mealworm has a unique ability to chew through polystyrene with the help of gut bacteria that aid in breaking down the plastic. These larv...

Nov112024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

USC Unveils Breakthrough Low-Cost Wildfire Detection System Using Mobile Phones to Alert Within Seconds

Breaking News, Environment, Idea & Innovations, Tech

In a significant advancement for wildfire detection, researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have developed an innovative system named FireLoc that leverages everyday mobile phones to detect wildfires within seconds of ignition. This new approach aims to provide critical early alerts, reducing the time needed to identify and respond to fires and potentially saving lives and properties in high-risk wildfire areas. How FireLoc Works: A Low-Cost, Community-Centric Solution FireLoc, presented at the ACM SenSys conference on November 5, employs a network of strategically placed, affordable mobile phones equipped with basic cameras and sensors, all mounted on properties in fire-prone regions. These devices act as early-warning sensors, scanning their surroundings for tel...

Sep242024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Cities on the Frontlines: Global Push for Resilient and Net-Zero Urban Development

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

As cities around the world face mounting challenges like extreme weather, housing crises, and climate change, urban resilience has become a central focus for ensuring long-term viability and quality of life. With 70% of global CO2 emissions stemming from urban areas, cities are now at the forefront of climate action. The urgency is only set to grow, as nearly 70% of the world’s population is projected to live in cities by 2050, putting further stress on infrastructure, housing, water, and energy systems. At the World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Meetings (SDIM), experts discussed the need for bolder, integrated strategies that prioritize a net-zero, nature-positive transition. The Urban Blueprint Session explored new business models and joint approaches to tackle both...

Aug232024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Groundbreaking Air Quality Stripes Unveil Global Pollution Inequality and Offer Hopeful Solutions

Breaking News, Environment

A pioneering team of scientists has developed a new method to visually track and compare air pollution levels worldwide, revealing striking inequalities and offering a beacon of hope for improvement. Their innovative approach, dubbed "air quality stripes," charts pollution data from 1850 to the present day, making the invisible issue of air pollution both visible and understandable. Inspired by Ed Hawkins' climate stripes, these air quality stripes use a color-coded system to represent yearly pollution levels. Each year is displayed as a vertical bar, with colors ranging from sky blue indicating air that meets World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to darker shades of yellow, brown, and black for increasingly polluted air. The color scheme reflects over 200 images of smog from aroun...

Jan32024 by Editor Desk1 Comment

Solutions for Sustainable Menstrual Hygiene: A strategic blueprint for environmental resilience and empowerment

Breaking News, Environment, Thoughts & Talks

Circular economy is an economic model designed to minimize waste and make the most of resources by promoting sustainability and longevity in product life cycles. In a traditional linear economy, goods are produced, used, and then discarded as waste. In contrast, a circular economy aims to close the loop, emphasizing the continual use, refurbishment, and recycling of products to extend their lifespan and reduce environmental impact. This approach encourages the design of products with recyclability in mind, efficient waste management, and the development of sustainable business practices. By shifting from the linear "take, make, dispose" model to a circular one, the goal is to create a more resilient and regenerative system that fosters environmental stewardship and economic prosperity. ...