In 2019, the 74th United Nations General Assembly designated Sept. 29 as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste in order to promote “global efforts towards resolving it.” I came to know this because I looked it up, my curiosity having been piqued by certain groups that are pooling their efforts in...
Tag: environment
Post
Drought now ‘an emergency situation,’ peasant group leader says
To survive the monthslong dry spell, indigenous peoples in Barangay Pilar, South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur, have resorted to eating wild yam. As a result, 15 families were poisoned. In the forests of Barangay Nalkan, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, water sources are drying up, forcing children to trek hilly, landslide-prone areas to...
Post
My island of Marinduque is a bleeding heart
I grew up on an island whose tale begins with love and ends with death. Scientists would scoff and tell a completely different story. How could they believe an island would rise above the tides as a memorial to the forbidden love of a princess and a commoner, who sailed together across unforgiving seas and...
Post
2023 confirmed as hottest year; warning up on worsening climate crisis
The global temperature in 2023 hit 1.45 ± 0.12 °C—the hottest year on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in its Jan. 12 news release. The years 2016 (which had a strong El Niño) and 2020 were previously classed as the warmest on record at 1.29 ±0.12°C and 1.27 ±0.12°C, respectively, above the...
Post
Hot new year!
While the traditional greeting is “Happy New Year,” this time it may need a significant addition in view of recent historic climate records. The greeting may well be: “Happy New Year, despite a hot or even hotter 2024.” June 2023 was the hottest June on record globally. July was also the hottest month. The following...
Post
Unmasking ‘phantom’ carbon credits in Thailand: A genuine answer to climate change or chimera?
Carbon credits have become a prominent approach in combating climate change in Thailand, providing an opportunity for both the private and public sectors to participate and benefit. But will it all add up? As the world intensifies its efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, Thailand is at the forefront, promoting the rise of the voluntary...
Post
A thorny dilemma: Acacia plantations in Vietnam may not be all that green
The country’s embrace of acacia plantations has lifted some smallholder households out of poverty. But it comes at a cost to the environment and even lives. This is part two of a two-part series on the wood pellet industry in Vietnam. For part one, click here. The fast-growing and economical acacia has spread in Central Vietnam...
Post
Green scandal: How Indonesia’s pulp industry misleads the world’s fashion brands
In the era of environmental awareness, the phenomenon of greenwashing is increasingly common, where companies claim to be environmentally friendly while their actions speak otherwise. Indonesia is home to some prime examples. To watch the investigation “Skandal Hijau,” please click on the embedded video below. A description of the story follows. In the era of...
Post
Smoke, mirrors, wood pellets: Vietnam clears native forest to supply ‘clean’ energy to Asia
Expansive deforestation in Central Vietnam is being driven by the global demand for wood pellets—a supposedly green alternative to fossil fuels. This is part one of a two-part series on the wood pellet industry in Vietnam. For part two, please click here. Vietnam has supplied wood pellets to Japan and South Korea in their quest to...
Post
Chopping down trees in India, then compensating for them—but at whose cost?
India’s Jharkhand state led the country in reversing deforestation from 2022 to 2023, but cases from two districts show that these supposedly sustainable tree plantations come at a cost to forest rights. Here’s an FAQ to help you follow along with this story—especially helpful for readers who may not be as familiar with India. Walking in the...