Global Posts
Forests Are the New Farms
What would we eat if we ran out of room for farmland? A new report released by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) at the United Nations Forum on Forests last week argues that forests and trees would provide plenty to snack on.
Red Tape Cripples Global Sustainable Forestry Model
Although the last 25 years have seen significant strides in the development of community forestry in Mexico, a new study by the Mexican Civil Council for Sustainable Forestry reveals that a web of burdensome rules and regulations are preventing these communities from legally and sustainably harvesting their forests.
Scientists Share Tyler Prize for Protecting Forests and Oceans
Jane Lubchenco and Madhav Gadgil, scientists working on land and in oceans, have spent their careers identifying solutions that protect our planet’s biodiversity and some of our most at-risk environments. They are this year's Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement laureates.
Honduran Indigenous Leader Wins Goldman Environmental Prize
Berta Cáceres is not like most people. Her close friends and colleagues carry around a eulogy for her, even though she is very much alive and just won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize.
Important Perspectives in Development
The 2015 Aspen New Voices Fellows are off to a great start getting their voices out there! The development experts from across Africa and Asia bring fresh perspective to the global development dialogue.
Writing for the Web in Ethiopia
Over the past two years, we have had the honor of working with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health’s Public Relations and Communication Directorate (PRCD). One project we worked on together, after redesigning their website—was a workshop on writing effectively for the web.
Africa’s First “Water Fund” Offers Hope for Nairobi Residents
The Tana River is critical to the Kenyan economy, serving 9.3 million people. It provides 95 percent of Nairobi’s water and half of Kenya’s hydropower-generated electricity. However, it is troubled by soil erosion and falling reserves, which translate into higher costs for utility companies and businesses at a time of rapidly rising water demand. Enter Africa's first-ever "Water Fund" led by The Nature Conservancy and the publication of the business case for the fund.
A Wake-Up Call to Invest in Global Health R&D
The sudden outbreak of Ebola in West Africa last summer was widely and rightly perceived as awakening the rest of the world to a reality many health experts have long understood: infectious diseases that prey disproportionately on the poor are not just a problem for low-income countries. They are a threat to us all. And the world needs to be much better prepared for future challenges, which could involve Ebola or any of a number of other diseases.
New Discovery Saves Seven-Layer Bean Dip from Extinction
The future was looking bleak for common beans, a nutrition-packed protein source that includes everything from navies to pink speckled kidneys. Climate models project that the heat-sensitive crop—enjoyed by billions, but depended on by 400 million in Latin America and Africa for their daily protein—will falter if global temperatures rise.
Developing New TB Drugs Shouldn’t Be a Moonshot
Tuberculosis kills 1.5 million people every year. It is such a lethal disease that it requires patients to take a combination of four strong antibiotics for six months—18 months or more if the infection comes from a drug-resistant strain. The drugs involved in TB treatment are old, developed when Kennedy was president of the U.S.
