Mary Hoff 15 emerging issues that anyone who cares about biodiversity ought to keep an eye on What should people who care about conservation be paying attention to? Each year since 2009 scientists and conservationists from around the world have come together under the direction of researchers from Cambridge University to answer that question. Their… Continue reading Top conservation issues to watch out for in 2023
Category: Sanitation
We must recognise cities as waterscapes
and Ajaya Dixit Recurring floods in major cities point to need for moving away from land-centric urbanism Chennai is flooded. The north-east monsoon that has been hovering ominously over Tamil Nadu has brought with it the highest volume of rainfall within 24 hours in the last five years. It has also revived memories of the… Continue reading We must recognise cities as waterscapes
Sex for water: Humanity’s new low in Libyan refugee centres
This July, as the world was preparing to celebrate eleven years of ‘Human Right to Water’- recognized by the UN – an investigation into detention camps in Libya made some shocking revelations that would shame the civilized world. Refugees and migrants are being forced to trade sex for water, the Amnesty International report found out!… Continue reading Sex for water: Humanity’s new low in Libyan refugee centres
Sanitation and Water shame: billions still left out in the 21st century
The numbers don’t change much year after year; billions of people are still left behind and the half-hearted efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 are bound to fail just like the failure of the Millennium Development Goals Billions of people around the world still lack access to a healthy life and basic… Continue reading Sanitation and Water shame: billions still left out in the 21st century
Amidst COVID, UK Government proposes 80 percent aid cut for water and sanitation sector
The reported cuts will end all future spending on water, sanitation and hygiene by the UK in countries including Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi, which is ranked as the sixth poorest nation on earth. Over 50 leading aid organisations and UK universities have condemned news of the UK’s planned 80% aid cuts to safe water, sanitation… Continue reading Amidst COVID, UK Government proposes 80 percent aid cut for water and sanitation sector
Why South Africa needs a new water agency
Mike Muller Water infrastructure takes many years to plan and build and needs to be structured as a multi-year operation. But the planning and expenditure of government departments, like the Department of Water and Sanitation, is still controlled through annual budgets. These do not support a multi-year planning or allow loans to be raised to… Continue reading Why South Africa needs a new water agency
We found a way to turn urine into solid fertiliser–it could make farming more sustainable
Prithvi Simha, Björn Vinnerås, and Jenna Senecal The idea behind it is rather simple. Fresh urine is collected from urinals or specially designed toilets and channelled into a dryer, where an alkalising agent, such as calcium or magnesium hydroxide, raises its pH. Any water in the now alkaline urine is evaporated and only the nutrients… Continue reading We found a way to turn urine into solid fertiliser–it could make farming more sustainable
Will climate change increase the presence of pathogens in drinking water?
Kari Lydersen As storms grow more severe and temperatures climb, contamination of groundwater by animal and human waste could be on the rise as well. Many people assume that the water that flows from our taps is free of harmful microorganisms. But each year thousands of Americans in rural areas, small towns and even some… Continue reading Will climate change increase the presence of pathogens in drinking water?
UN agencies warn of acute food insecurity surging in the Central Sahel
Three UN agencies are calling for greater stabilization efforts and assistance to the most vulnerable in Burkina Faso, Mali and the Niger by bridging the gap between humanitarian and development interventions, appealing to an International Humanitarian Ministerial Roundtable in Copenhagen on the Central Sahel . An estimated 7.4 million people in the three countries of… Continue reading UN agencies warn of acute food insecurity surging in the Central Sahel
$ 200 Millions WB Loan for Bangladesh to help Water and Sanitation Access
The credit is from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), which provides concessional financing, has a 30-year term, including a five-year grace period. Bangladesh currently has the largest ongoing IDA program totaling over $13.5 billion. The World Bank approved $200 million to help Bangladesh improve access to safe water and sanitation services in rural areas.… Continue reading $ 200 Millions WB Loan for Bangladesh to help Water and Sanitation Access