People’s SAARC Statement of 14 Sep: Kathmandu – We, the members of People’s SAARC met in Kathmandu on 13-14 September 2017 to reaffirm our commitment to human rights, freedom of expression, justice, peace, security, and democracy in the region, for…
Category: Think green
PM for deeper south-south understanding to go far fast
New York, Sept 21 – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has underscored the need for promoting a deeper understanding and broader exchange within the South aiming to go far and fast.
Gender and sex inequalities in water, sanitation, and hygiene
by Libbet Loughnan co-authors: Craig Kullmann Addressing gender and sex inequalities in WASH is not only recognized in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 and 6, it is central to the entire ambition of the SDGs themselves. Some water, sanitation, and…
Atrocity on Rohingyas barbaric: Amartya Sen
Dhaka, Sept 19 – Nobel laureate Prof Amartya Sen and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales have offered to be signatories to the open letter written by Nobel peace laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus to the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) calling for…
7 ways to avoid heart attacks
We don’t want heart attacks to knock anyone’s door and we know how it can be done. Here are eight ways in which heart attacks can be avoided
HC stays suspension of Dinajpur Municipality Mayor
Dhaka – The High Court Division of the Supreme Court stayed a government order for three months on Monday that suspended Dinajpur municipality mayor Syed Jahangir Alam.
China morns the death of oldest Panda
China is mourning the death of the world’s oldest panda, Basi, who passed away at the age of 37. Caretakers in the eastern city of Fuzhou said Basi was suffering from a number of ailments, including liver and kidney problems,…
High zinc rice begins benefitting BD women – children
Dhaka – Bangladeshi women and children suffering from zinc deficiency have started benefitting from the introduction of biofortified zinc rice varieties that have been introduced for production and consumption by smallholder farm households.
Alert: Nature is on the verge of bankruptcy
By Baher Kamal Rome, Sep 12 (IPS) – Pressures on global land resources are now greater than ever, as a rapidly increasing population coupled with rising levels of consumption is placing ever-larger demands on the world’s land-based natural capital, warns…
More Co2 in atmosphere produces food crops short of nutrients
Atmospheric CO2 levels of 550 parts per million (ppm), expected to become the global norm by 2050, will shrink the protein, iron and zinc content in wheat and rice, putting 50 million more Indians at risk of deficiency.
How farmers save agriculture by fighting back drought
By Geoffrey Kamadi As sub-Saharan Africa’s climate changes, small-scale farmers are increasingly looking to innovative ways of dealing with agricultural challenges. And in some instances, the techniques they adopt are helping to combat climate change, too.
Capacity development for climate compatible development
By Juliane Nier, Rachel Phillips and Russell Cook Accelerating the shift to climate compatible development is CDKN’s business and improving the lives of the most climate-affected people is our mission. A multi-year, £130 million programme funded by the British and…
BD Food-output loss 23pc sans sustainable river flows
Dhaka, Sept 8 – If Bangladesh fails to maintain environmental flow requirements (EFRs) in river ecosystems, it will face a food production loss of up to 23 percent in the future, says an international study. It highlights that India, Bangladesh,…
Over 5m told to flee Florida coast Irma onslaught
Miami, Sep 09 (AP/UNB) — Irma trained its sights on Florida and officials warned more than 5 million people that time was running out Friday and ordered them to evacuate ahead of the deadly hurricane as it followed a path…
Tribunal on Myanmar minorities in Kuala Lumpur Sept 18
An international tribunal on the situation of the Rohingyas, Kachins and other minorities in Myanmar will convene in Kuala Lumpur from the 18th to the 22nd of September 2017. The venue will be the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya.
Exploitation of global sand supply becoming a crisis
When people picture sand spread across idyllic beaches and endless deserts, they understandably think of it as an infinite resource. But as we discuss in a just published perspective in the journal Science, over-exploitation of global supplies of sand is…
Scaling up development finance
By Anis Chowdhury and Jomo Kwame Sundaram Sydney and Kuala Lumpur (IPS) – The Business and Sustainable Development Commission has estimated that achievement of Agenda 2030 for the Sustainable Development Goals will require US$2-3 trillion of additional investments annually compared…
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.
Ministerial meet in Italy to scale-up geothermal energy
Government and private sector leaders assemble to unlock geothermal’s 200GW of potential Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. — Leaders and ministers from more than 25 governments will meet in Florence, Italy on 11 September, to accelerate the global adoption of geothermal energy.…
Small entrepreneurs backbone of BD rural economy
By Shahiduzzaman Banaripara (Barisal), Sep 4 (IPS) – She was born in the early 1950’s to an ultra-poor family in Kundihar, a remote village of Banaripara of Barisal division in Bangladesh. She was a beautiful baby and her father named…
Missing zoo Python found in Rajshahi Judge’ Bangalow
Rajshahi – A python that went missing for 2 years from the Shaheed A H M Kamruzzaman Zoo of Rajshahi has been recently rescued from residence of District Judge of Rajshahi on Monday night.
Plan to re-excavate 921 canals, 1611 large ponds
Dhaka, Sept 01 -The government has taken steps to re- excavate 921 canals and 1,611 large and small ponds in the country’s 56 districts to encourage rural youths for fish and poultry farming.
Agreement on export of spent nuclear fuel inked
Moscow, August 30 – The Governments of the Russian Federation and Bangladesh have on Wednesday signed a collaboration agreement on the import of spent nuclear fuel of Rooppur NPP to Russia.
On climate finance, “The SIDS Can’t Wait”
By Desmond Brown Castries, St Lucia, Aug 28 (IPS) – Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet warns that the clock is running out for small states such as those in the Caribbean as they struggle to develop the infrastructure capable…
UNEP Young Champions: Vote for Bangladesh’s Nazbin
Dhaka, Aug 27 – Bangladeshi youth Shougat Nazbin Khan has been selected as one the five finalists in the Asia Pacific Region for the Champions of the Earth Award 2017.
Mobile app to helps sustainable waste management
AKM Moinuddin, UNB Staff Writer Dhaka, Aug 27 – A Bangladeshi youth has come up with an innovative idea to ensure sustainable waste management the lack of which remains a major health and environmental concern in urban areas of the…
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…
Green activists want Saudi-like animal waste management
Green activists at a discussion here on Saturday urged the government to introduce Saudi Arabia-like modern waste management system to deal with the wastes of sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Azha. They said millions of animals are sacrificed during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha,…
L.A. jury hits Johnson & Johnson over cancer link to its talc
A Los Angeles jury issued a $417-million verdict Monday against Johnson & Johnson, finding the company liable for failing to warn a 63-year-old woman diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer about the risks of using its talcum products.
Jordan abolishes law allowing rapists to avoid prosecution
By IPS World Desk Romw, Aug 22 (IPS) – In just three weeks time, two Arab countries adopted major steps to combat violence against women, with Jordan abolishing a law allowing rapists to avoid prosecution by marrying their victims, while…