On the Ground
Press Review
Development press review
Opinion
Ecological polytransition: the example of China
Investigation into the dynamics at work in sustainable development in China –and their ambiguities– shows that a country’s ecological transition is not always as linear and progressive a phenomenon as is commonly believed.
Other news
Development news
Environment and tourism: it’s about the journey
With World Environment Day last Saturday and the progressive lifting of travel restrictions due to Covid-19, the question of tourism’s impact on the environment is once again an issue. Perhaps even more so than before. Can we satisfy our desire to get away from it all with a clean conscience for...
Analysis
Importation and deforestation: a scourge from the North
How can we put an end to “imported deforestation”? In this third episode in our “Forests in Danger” series, we examine destructive interactions between consumption, importation and deforestation, along with some proposals for combatting them.
Press Review
The Plastic Empire Strikes Back
This month’s press review highlights striking news from the beginning of May 2021.
Opinion
Proliferation of roads in forests causes irreversible damages on biodiversity
In this second episode of our series “Forests in danger”, Pierre Ibisch, professor for Nature conservation, Eberswalde University (North of Berlin), and co-founder of the Center for Econics and Ecosystem Management, analyzes the impact of road construction on deforestation. He pleads for more...
Interview
Francis Hallé: “Forests are a common good to be protected”
Francis Hallé, a tree and tropical rainforest expert, has designed a canopy raft to better study the canopies of tropical forests. In 2019, he began a project to restore a primary forest in Europe. In this first episode in our “Forests in Danger” series, he revisits their definition and natural...
Interview
Pollution in space: high-risk debris
For Nicolas Bobrinsky, Head of Department at the European Space Agency and specialist in space safety, space is the new frontier for sustainable development. Flying debris, collisions, treatment of space debris… These are all issues that need to be addressed to manage our orbit, which is a common...
Interview
Jason Hickel (part II): “Going out of the crisis, we can have a recovery without growth.”
Dr. Jason Hickel, economist and specialist on inequalities, published in 2020 Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World. He examines propositions for a post-capitalist economy in the context of an exit from the Covid-19 crisis, which includes decolonizing nature and recovering the commons....
Opinion
How are developing countries tackling the issue of overfishing?
The Global South is rich in marine life and pivotal to the future of our ocean. Still, this marine life is under threat because of intensive overfishing. Governments, fisheries, scientists, NGOs and companies have been seriously tackling this issue with concerted mobilizations for years, but this...
Interview
Ethics for the non-human world: is a plant equal to an animal?
Should plants and animals be viewed in the same way? For philosopher Florence Burgat, a clear line should be drawn between the plant kingdom and animal life at a time when there is a rise in the discourse attributing nearly human consciousness to plants.
Development news
Vegetarianism, a solution for the planet?
The FAO’s figures for the year 2021 indicate that animal husbandry is responsible for 50% of the world’s methane emissions, 24% of nitrous oxide emissions and 26% of carbon dioxide emissions (all three greenhouse gases). These figures raise a few questions – do we need to stop eating meat to save...
Interview
Urban agriculture: tomorrow’s cities will be green
Christine Aubry, a researcher at INRA-AgroParisTech specialized in urban agriculture, discusses this growing phenomenon in cities of both Global North and South.
Shared Innovation
Using technology to protect tuna stocks in the Pacific region
Climate change, pollution, and overfishing are putting enormous pressure on the Pacific. Against this background, eight island nations want to sustainably commercialize their tuna stocks, by conducting research, rolling out electronic monitoring technology and informing environmental policy.
Opinion
Groundwater, a common good that calls for our urgent protection
Pressure is growing on groundwater throughout the world, especially from agricultural use. A “silent revolution” has been occurring, for a long time invisible but now increasingly manifest. It is essential that we contain it as soon as possible.
Interview
Digital technologies, a critical resource running out
Frédéric Bordage, a specialist in digital issues and founder of the collective GreenIT.fr, believes that digital technology is an asset that is being depleted at a very rapid rate. To pass this resource on to future generations, we need to go low-tech.
Opinion
Population dynamics in the South: how will cities change?
If population growth and urban growth are related, the sustainability of tomorrow’s cities will above all depend on urban planning and how cities are linked with the rural world. In this fourth episode of our series “Tomorrow, 9 Billion People,” we explore population dynamics in the South.
Development news
Agroecology, the path to a sustainable future?
Acknowledged by agronomists for its effectiveness and sustainability for years, agroecology has finally found its place in world debates. In January 2021, it was at the center of the One Planet Summit discussions. Is it really a large-scale solution to address environmental protection, food...
Development news
Soil pollution: A silent threat in the ground beneath us
What is the ground we walk on made of? For the FAO, soil pollution is a time bomb which is largely ignored. Where does it come from? How do we stop it? Here is an update by iD4D for World Soil Day.
Shared Innovation
“Decontamination through the living world takes time”
Jean Weissenbach (CNRS) has been interested in a decontamination technique for twenty years now: biodegradation. He has focused on the search for microorganisms that break down pollutants, which he describes in his book Dépolluer la planète (Éditions CNRS, 2019).
Opinion
Ecocide and “Planetary Boundaries”: Strong words provoke major debate
The concept of “planetary boundaries” forms the basis of the ecocide proposal put forward by the members of the Citizens’ Convention for Climate. Planetary boundaries are characteristic of a systemic approach to environmental issues, with the concept continuing to incite controversy among...
Opinion
Ecocide: Bringing the accused to justice
Debates on the classification of ecocide as a crime are taking place against the wider global backdrop of increased use of litigation to address environmental issues. Can the law be used to advance ambitious climate change goals? Second episode in our series.
Opinion
Ecocide, origin of an environmental struggle
For nearly half a century, recognizing the crime of ecocide has been the cause for debate among lawyers and activists, but it could soon enter into French law as an offense. The story of its advocacy.
Opinion
Green construction vs. the economic crisis after COVID-19
Financial stimulus packages for the building sector with green conditionalities attached are the ideal tool for a Green Recovery. They promote jobs and stimulate local economic activity, and provide a chance to make the paradigm shift towards green construction and zero-carbon buildings.
Interview
The agriculture of tomorrow is yet to be invented
According to Christophe Lavelle, a food specialist and researcher at CNRS and the French National Museum of Natural History, ensuring our food security requires changes in both consumer behavior and farming practices.
Development news
Plastic: an environmental challenge made worse by COVID-19
Plastic pollution is a major environmental challenge, and managing its waste is a big problem. And this was before the COVID crisis led to an upsurge in production of non-recyclable plastics such as masks, medical equipment, and gloves!