The Egyptian desert is set to host the African continent's first vertical forest. Italian architect and urban planner Stefano Boeri has unveiled designs for three buildings covered with pollution-absorbing trees and plants in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, which is under construction in the desert east of Cairo. Boeri’s Milan-based practice, Stefano
Tag: Environment
Companies which are the largest polluters in the world
Polluters: Which Companies Are Responsible For the Most Carbon Emissions Since 1965, it’s estimated over 1.35 million metric tons (MtCO₂e) of greenhouse gases have been released into the atmosphere—and over a third can be traced back to just 20 companies. The chart draws on a data set from the Climate Accountability Institute,
Countries by sustainable energy policies ranked
The sourcing and distribution of energy is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Just under one billion people still lack basic access to electricity, and many more connect to the grid through improvised wiring or live through frequent blackouts. On the flip side of the socioeconomic spectrum,
Ocean Governance And Blue Growth
Decarbonizing the transport system in Europe: hydrogen in focus
The use of hydrogen as a fuel for transport might hold the key for de-carbonizing our overall energy system, by complementing the generation of electricity from fluctuating renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Twenty-seven years after the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, and possibly around a decade before
South Eastern Europe Economy in Focus
When leaders of the EU’s current 28 members gathered last month to discuss membership applications from Albania and North Macedonia, there was optimism that the accession process would be given a green light. But a small group of countries, led by France, objected to starting detailed talks with the Western
How to share a message on Climate Changes?
Do we need new, advanced technology to reduce carbon emissions? Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Costa Rica’s Minister of Environment and Energy, says we already have the best “machine” for the job. Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in Dubai, Rodríguez described a conversation with his
Little things that successful people do
Japan: Holiest Shinto shrine is rebuilt every 20 years on purpose
Shinto is Japan’s indigenous religion, blending formal, elaborate ceremonial practices from the imperial tradition with local, community-based beliefs. Followers of Shintoism worship their ancestors and regard them as the guardians of the family. They also pay their respects to the numerous kami – spirits that inhabit the natural world; there
EIB supports clean urban transport
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided almost EUR 200m to cut the polluting emissions produced by buses in Spain's largest cities. The EU bank has been providing this financing since 2017 under the Cleaner Transport Facility, which aims to promote cleaner transport systems. This joint EIB-European Commission financing instrument is
Urban regeneration and sustainable tourism by EBRD
Urban regeneration, green buildings and sustainable and inclusive tourism with links to the local economy are the priorities of the EBRD’s new strategy for the property and tourism sector, approved by the EBRD’s Board of Directors. In particular, the strategy will guide the Bank’s investments and policy work for the period
Sustainable packaging – good both for businesses and the planet
Although sustainability is increasingly a priority for consumers when making purchasing decisions, with packaging often central to a product’s visual appeal for purchasers - many businesses are yet to sufficiently prioritize sustainability and circularity when considering design, use and disposal of packaging, with the majority of packaging still single-use and non-recyclable. This ‘take,