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Showing 9 of 2022 news items

Ocean & BiodiversityApril 15, 2026

Seychelles bets on sexual reproduction of corals to create resilient reefs against climate change

Excerpt from noticiasambientales.com The coral reefs in the Seychelles are facing increasing pressure from global warming, pollution, and ocean acidification. After decades of degradation and mass bleaching events, scientists and conservationists have launched a pioneering project aimed at restoring these ecosystems through sexual reproduction of corals, instead of traditional cloning. Coral reefs: rainforests of the sea They host around 25% of marine biodiversity, despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor. They are essential for the feeding, reproduction, and shelter of thousands of species. More than half of the world’s coral populations have already disappeared, becoming one of the most threatened habitats on the planet.

Culture & CommunityApril 15, 2026

Art and a children’s book for coastal adaptation and resilience in Grenada

Excerpt from climatecentre.org The Grenada Red Cross is creatively supporting two local communities, Woburn and Telescope, in strengthening resilience through ecosystem-based adaptation and environmental education. A children’s book, Mangrove Heroes: Saving Our Shores!, has been rolled out at the communities’ respective primary schools, introducing young readers to the critical role or mangroves in coastal protection, biodiversity and climate resilience. It was developed by the IFRC in consultation with the Grenada Red Cross Society and the Jamaica Red Cross. Mangrove Heroes is part of a broader resilience-building framework under the Ecological Connectivity and Community Resilience project, funded by the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund and is being implemented in Grenada and Jamaica. ECCR achievements to date include an enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (eVCA) last April, a brief on community advocacy and policy, and a broader framework to guide ecosystem-based, community-led resilience.

Climate ActionApril 15, 2026

Climate activist seeks funding for 12,000km walk from Malta to India

Excerpt from maltatoday.com.mt Jaydip Lakhankiya was studying hotel management when a discussion on sustainable tourism intrigued him and led him down a rabbit hole of research on climate change. His thirst for knowledge quickly turned into a yearning for activism and sowed the seed of an idea to become the first person to walk from Malta to India. I meet Jaydip in a quiet coffee shop where he sets out to explain the “mad idea” of travelling 12,000km to the other side of the world on foot to raise awareness on climate change.

Connectivity & DigitizationApril 15, 2026

Okinawa salt manufacturer shifts production method in decarbonization drive

Excerpt from japantimes.co.jp Surrounded by sea, Okinawa Prefecture has long treasured salt, which is indispensable to people’s daily lives. But the salt industry is facing a major challenge — to change how it produces salt and delivers it to end users, a process that emits a massive amount of carbon dioxide. The production of salt — called maasu in the Okinawan dialect — involves generating high-temperature, high-pressure steam and boiling seawater or concentrated brine in a flat pan until crystals form. In Japan, coal-fired boilers are commonly used in this process. “People even say salt equals coal — it uses an enormous amount of fossil fuel,” says Genei Matayoshi, CEO of Aoiumi, the operator of salt manufacturer Shima-maasu Honpo in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture. The salt industry’s total CO2 emissions in Japan in fiscal 2024, which ended in March 2025, are estimated at about 631,000 tons. While this represents a reduction of nearly 138,000 tons from the base year of fiscal 2013, achieving the government’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 remains distant.

Culture & CommunityApril 15, 2026

Islandness: The Case for a Place-Based Approach to Conservation

Excerpt and Photo Credit from earth.org Islands are more than just ecological laboratories; they are socio-cultural hubs that host over a quarter of the world’s human languages. To be effective, conservation must shift toward a “place-based” approach that respects the unique, inseparable bond between insular communities and the environments they steward. In ecology, islands have long been considered as perfect natural laboratories due to their distinctive features. Among them: their geographical isolation, their replicability, and, most interestingly, their disproportionate level of biodiversity. Indeed, whilst representing only 5.3% of Earth’s land area, islands host around 20% of its terrestrial species. But beyond their ecological features, islands are also socio-cultural laboratories, hosting 27% of human languages and a huge diversity of culture and practices.

Energy & TransportApril 8, 2026

CalMac ferries could have lower capacity with rise of EVs

Excerpt from heraldscotland.com The rise of electric vehicles could result in Scotland's ferries having a lower vehicle capacity, CalMac has warned. Due to the presence of large battery packs, modern electric cars are on average 200-400kg heavier than a petrol equivalent. At a meeting in the Western Isles, the ferry operator was asked whether this would mean that vehicle capacity could be reduced on sailings as more EVs enter the market. In comments reported by The Scotsman, Outer Hebrides area manager David Hamill said: "Yes, I think it’s fair to say potentially it could.

Ocean & BiodiversityApril 8, 2026

In Svalbard, where sea ice is vanishing faster than anywhere else, polar bears remain healthy

Excerpt from lemonde.fr Footage shot in the Arctic by scientists shows a polar bear feasting on a seal atop a drifting slab of sea ice. In another video, a female bear crosses a vast, frozen expanse, trailed by her two cubs. Elsewhere, a male bear roams through the snow. These mammals appear healthy – far from the images of emaciated bears that have sparked concern in recent years. In the far north, Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago, is a paradox. Climate change has warmed the region faster than anywhere else on Earth, and its sea ice is shrinking more rapidly than in any other ice-bound area. Yet, the physical condition of adult polar bears has not worsened over the past 25 years. In fact, it improved after 2000, according to a study published on Thursday, January 29, in Scientific Reports, based on long-term monitoring in the Barents Sea. This may be only a respite before an expected decline.

Energy & TransportApril 8, 2026

Keeping the Lights On: How Cuba Is Fighting an Energy Crisis Under Tightened Sanctions

Excerpt from powermag.com The current state of the national power grid in Cuba is a response to an exceptionally complex scenario, marked by the intensification of the U.S. embargo and its direct impact on fuel supplies. This was the message delivered by First Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines, Argelio Jesús Abad Vigoa, during his appearance on the Cuban TV program “Mesa Redonda.” The official distinguished two clearly defined phases. Until the end of last year, although the embargo remained rigorous and had imposed severe restrictions for more than six decades—including the persecution of suppliers, sanctions on shipping companies, and financial obstacles—Cuba managed to acquire fuel on the international market.

Connectivity & DigitizationApril 8, 2026

Beneath Indonesia’s big EV dreams loom local costs

Excerpt and Photo Credit from eco-business.com In July 2024, then president Joko Widodo said Indonesia must “become a global player in the EV supply chain”. He was speaking at the inauguration of a Hyundai EV and battery factory in Karawang, West Java, where government officials declared the country’s commitment to strengthening its EV production “ecosystem”. Indonesia, with its large supplies of several metals used in EVs – such as nickel, copper and bauxite – has taken several steps towards doing so. But in the background of these ambitions lie concerns about the nickel industry’s impacts on local communities. Experts say that without major changes to the law, local people will continue to suffer from impacts already documented in existing projects.