Category: Biodiversity / Biodevastation

For much of the past two centuries, profits flowed from building things: factories, transportation networks, electric grids, cities, suburbs, and global communications infrastructure. Capital transformed abundant fossil energy into ever-greater economic velocity and complexity. Today, that process is becoming difficult to sustain. The easiest resources have already been exploited. Infrastructure is aging. Ecological damage is…

India’s rapid expansion of AI and data centres is raising concerns about environmental justice, resource use, and the impact on vulnerable communities. In this article, Dr Gopabandhu Dash examines the growing ecological footprint of data infrastructure, including its demands on water, electricity, land, and its contribution to carbon emissions. Drawing on studies, public interventions, and…

Denmark’s new agricultural reforms are prompting a broader debate about the future of farming in Europe. In this essay, Gunnar Rundgren examines efforts to curb industrial pig production, strengthen environmental protections and support smaller-scale farming. He argues that decades of consolidation and market-driven agriculture have weakened rural communities, eroded public support for farming and disconnected…

A hypothetical solar or nuclear future, at current energy usage rates, would require more minerals or uranium than can realistically be extracted. Recycling would help, but there are also limits to recycling. In the end, the main solution to our energy and climate problems must be to find a way to use less,

This article by Ghassan Shahrour reflects on the findings of ICAN’s 2025 report on nuclear weapons spending, which shows that nine nuclear-armed states spent $119 billion on their arsenals in a single year. Writing from the perspective of a physician, Shahrour contrasts these expenditures with unmet needs in health care, essential medicines, nutrition, and climate…

Forty years of studies find higher cancer risks among children exposed during pregnancy and early life to pesticides used on farms, lawns, gardens, and pets

Rising temperatures are affecting women’s health in ways that often remain unseen. Drawing on research and field evidence from across India, Dr. Trishna Sarkar examines how extreme heat can disrupt menstrual cycles, increase risks during pregnancy, and contribute to miscarriage, stillbirth, and other reproductive health challenges. The article highlights the disproportionate burden borne by women…

India’s push to attract hyper-scale data centres is accelerating, with Andhra Pradesh positioning itself as a major AI infrastructure hub. This article examines the environmental, economic and social implications of that strategy, including concerns over massive power and water consumption, ecological impacts, limited long-term employment generation, and the growing influence of global technology companies. Drawing…

In Metro Manila, Philippines, a series of heavy rainfall events in recent years has repeatedly overwhelmed drainage systems, leaving waterways and pumping stations buckling under the strain of plastic waste blockages.

Water, drought, and urbanization are deeply connected in arid regions. In this article, El Habib Ben Amara examines how modern cities accelerate desertification by draining rainwater instead of retaining it in soils and ecosystems. Drawing on Saharan traditions such as foggaras, oases, and earthen architecture, the article argues for a different approach to urban planning…