Cihan Sultanoğlu New York – In the World Bank’s most recent “Doing Business” report, half of the Eastern European and Central Asian countries included in the global ranking were among the top 50. As a measure of economic maturity, the…
Category: Resilience
IFAD leads on sustainable farming on World Water Day
Rome, 21 March – On World Water Day 2018, a new report released by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) shows that sustainable investment in freshwater ecosystems in developing countries helps farmers reduce the impact from floods, droughts and…
Natural shot in Bangladesh’s battle against climate change
Zulker Naeen Reducing dependence on fossil fuels requires a long time to decrease emissions. A rapid transformation of the existing energy systems and infrastructure is also a slow process. But, natural climate solutions are already available if we want to…
$40m German grant for climate resilient infrastructure in BD
Dhaka, March 9 – Germany will provide $40 million in grant for Climate resilient infrastructure mainstreaming in Bangladesh. A Financing Agreement to the tune of $40 million has been signed on Thursday between the Bangladesh and KfW, Development Bank German…
Citizen-generated energy enters the scene in Argentina
By Daniel Gutman Buenos Aires, Feb 24 (IPS) – The Argentine population can now generate their own energy through clean and unconventional sources and incorporate surpluses into the public grid, thanks to a new law. This is an important novelty…
Roof gardens to help turn Dhaka into sustainable city
Dhaka, 27 Jan – Several hundred roof gardeners got free saplings of fruit-bearing trees at an informal programme at Dhaka University’s Botany Department premises on Friday a fternoon. The ‘Sabuj Bagan Society’ organized the programme. About 2000 saplings were distributed.
Minimum temperature rises slightly across Bangladesh
Lowest temperature recorded 4.8 °C in Dinajpur Dhaka, Jan 9 – The overall situation of the cold wave, sweeping over parts of the country over the last few days, is gradually improving as the temperature across the country rose by…
Cities flushed with raw sewage as Hurricanes stress systems
By Jennifer A Dlouhy and Ari Natter Hurricane Harvey took aim at one of the nation’s most industrial regions, releasing a stream of toxic pollutants from chemical plants, refineries and Superfund sites in Texas. But when its bigger sister Irma…
Eco-towns and sustainable lifestyles of the future
by Julia Whitney Sustainable business and consumption initiatives have traditionally been driven by compliance with regulations. Now times are changing, and we are seeing innovative businesses benefit from green investments and products promoting sustainable consumption and lifestyles.
Building climate resilience in coastal communities of the Caribbean
By Zadie Neufville Negril, Jamaica, Aug 24 (IPS) – Ceylon Clayton is trying to revive a sea moss growing project he and friends started a few years ago to supplement their dwindling earnings as fishermen. This time, he has sought…
Guyana’s Model Green Town reflects ambitious national plan
Bartica, Guyana, Aug 3 (IPS) – At the head of Guyana’s Essequibo River, 50 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean, you will find the town of Bartica. Considered the gateway to Guyana’s interior, the town has a population of about…
Cricket’s summer song making a comeback in UK
The cheep, cheep, cheep of a cricket in the grass is the quintessential sound of summer. The song of the elusive insect fills the air, as if conjured up by a magician. Mike Coates, the warden here at RSPB Farnham…
Building resilience amidst “imbalances” and “inequality”
Geneva (D. Ravi Kanth) – The leaders of the Group of 20 developed and developing countries on Saturday (8 July) delivered a blueprint for “Building Resilience” in the world, but without addressing the grave “imbalances” between capital surplus and deficit…
Concerted effort in global resilience to turn back desertification
As we mark World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought tomorrow, notable strides have been achieved in building resilience to these issues globally. From Africa to Asia, concerted effort has led to gains in development, and all regions are experiencing…
Firefighters battle massive blaze in London high-rise
London – Firefighters battled a massive fire in a 27-floor high-rise apartment building in west London for several hours Wednesday. –AP/UNB
Women small-holder farmers, key drivers for sustainable production
By Sally Nyakanyanga Harare, Jun 5 (IPS) – The shouts can be heard from a distance as one approaches Domboshawa, 30 kilometres northeast of the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.
Country exists for Sundarbans: PM
Dhaka – Highlighting the importance of the Sundarbans for the country’s existence, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said whatever project the government takes for development it does that keeping this mangrove forest in mind so that it does not…
UNHCR calls for urgent shelter for cyclone victims
Dhaka – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said urgent shelter is needed for those affected in Bangladesh and Myanmar by the cyclone Mora that swept across the Bay of Bengal earlier this week damaging thousands of homes…
Indian ship with relief materials heading towards Ctg
Dhaka – Indian Navy ship, INS Sumitra, an offshore patrol vessel, is carrying disaster relief materials and now 90nm south off Chittagong. UNB news reported
PM seeks support from friendly countries for Rohiynga repatriation
Dhaka – Irked by the very slow pace of repatriation of Myanmar nationals Rohiynga from Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought help from friendly countries to gear up the process. UNB news reported
BRAC launches emergency relief effort for haor people
Dhaka – BRAC will carry out month-long emergency relief activities to help the people in the haor (low-lying wetland) area hit by flashfloods, resulting from continuous rainfall for about three weeks now. UNB news agency reported
Strengthening Kenya’s resilience to disaster
By Miriam Gathigah Nairobi, Apr 7 (IPS) – Kenya’s lack of capacity to cope with wide-scale disaster has seen thousands of households continue to live precarious lives, especially in light of erratic and drastically changing weather patterns. If millions are…
New FAO representative in B’desh joins office
Dhaka – Susan Lorraine Lautze has joined as the FAO Representative in Bangladesh. Lautze has already reached here and started work with FAO Dhaka office, Assistant FAO Representative (programme) Dr Nur Ahamed Khondaker told UNB on Monday.
Statelessness a global problem: Shirin
Dhaka – Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Executive Committee Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Monday said statelessness is a global problem, not a single country one.
Stop eviction without rehabilitation: CPB
Dhaka – Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) General Secretary Comrade Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed on Sunday demanded rehabilitation of hawkers before their eviction.
OIC emergency meeting in KL to take genuine steps to end Rohingya crisis
Dhaka – The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will discuss “genuine steps” on Thursday that the OIC and the international community should take to address the Rohingya issue. UNB news agency reported
Indonesian FM to visit Rohingyas at Ukhia Tuesday
Dhaka – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi will visit Ukhia upazila of the Cox’s Bazar district on Tuesday morning to witness the Rohingya situation over there.
Stabilise major rivers to combat bank erosions
Dhaka – Water Resources Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud on Wednesday stressed the need for stabilising the country’s major rivers to reduce riverbank erosion aiming to protect people’s land and belongings from its wraths. “Riverbank erosion creates a lot of…
Frantic rescue underway in Indonesia as quake kills scores
Meureudu – A strong earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Aceh province early Wednesday, killing nearly 100 people and sparking a frantic rescue effort in the rubble of dozens of collapsed and damaged buildings. Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman, chief of the army in…
Four important lessons from Cuba’s urban food survival srategy
Aurel Keller Cuba has come a long way since the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the loss of imports crucial for the island nation’s industrial agriculture system—such as chemical pesticides and fertilizers—left Cuba with a severe food crisis in…