All that glitters is not gold
Gold Mining: as well as being the largest global artisanal mining activity, also faces a number of sustainability challenges. One is where it comes from, and another is how it's processed.
Innovation in feeding cattle
Innovation in livestock feeding can minimise their impact on the environment, improve their health, and help with logistics.
Is gas flaring a solvable problem?
Gas flaring is part of the wider methane emissions challenge. It gets a lot of attention, in part because its highly visible. How easy is it to fix ? Part solutions seem easy, and financially viable, full solutions look tough.
The landscape of biological ageing
Whilst we are living longer on average, our desire to 'cheat death' remains. And it has spurned a big, and growing industry.
The cyber threat to our key infrastructure
Smart grids are making our electricity systems more responsive and reliable, better able to handle the addition of more renewable generation, and they are contributing to reducing costs. But they also bring cyber risks.
Taking TV for a 500 mile drive?
This works out at a daily working return commute of only 2 miles per day - suggesting the impact of watching TV for a year is small. However, taken globally, the number of individuals doing that same activity is large and that soon adds up to something meaningful.
Reducing electricity demand and still staying cool
For many in the world, staying cool in the heat of summer is as important as staying warm in the winter is to those of us who live in the the northern latitudes. And yet it often gets a lot less attention in the electricity security and supply debate.
Will half the world starve without fossil fuels?
Not producing gas means we can't produce fertilisers, which in turn means we can't produce enough food to feed half the World. But is that true?
Timber in buildings is good, but not always
The use of timber as a structural element in buildings, replacing steel or concrete, is on the rise. And, in many cases this is a good thing. Timber can be a cost effective, lower carbon and more sustainable solution. But we can sometimes carry this narrative too far
More climate change law is coming
In a world of climate & biodiversity "sticks and carrots", the law is a clear stick. But, we argue that the law is not just about action by governments and regulators. Climate and biodiversity litigation by private citizens and pressure groups is on the rise.
Air pollution and passenger vehicles
With motorised vehicles the focus is often on reducing their carbon footprint by changing how they are powered. But what about their impact on air pollution?
Artisanal mining - seeking solutions
The increasing focus on supply chains for the critical minerals used in green technologies has also brought the topic of artisanal mining to the fore. It remains a controversial and not well understood topic.
