Climate change is a well-established reality in Kenya, with evidence continuing to mount in recent years. Over 70 per cent of natural disasters are related to extreme weather and climate: recurrent droughts, floods, mudslides, crop failure, loss of livestock, and unpredictable erratic rainfall patterns. Vast areas of farmlands in Kenya have been degraded and no […]
E.F. Schumacher, an economist who founded Practical Action, wanted to help expand aid programs through technology. Fueled by the idea of developing and promoting appropriate technology to reach a greater segment of the underprivileged population of the world, he published an article in The Observer, on August 29, 1965 titled “How to help them help themselves.” […]
This past autumn, I saw a shocking headline: Forest fires in Indonesia were creating as many greenhouse gas emissions as the entire United States economy. Between June and October 2015, an estimated 2.6 million hectares—or 4.5 times the size of Bali— burned to clear land for production of palm oil, the world’s highest value non-timber […]
An estimated 1.3 billion people—nearly 20 percent of humanity—rely on forests and forest products for their livelihoods, with the majority living on less than $1.25 a day. In some areas, forest activities even rival agriculture in terms of benefits and earnings, and they may provide an especially important source of income for women. But do forests actually […]
It’s probably safe to say that we know more about the physical state of the world’s forests than ever before. From satellites to drones to interactive apps, technological advancements in how we measure and monitor forests have been remarkable, and essential to reaching commitments for protecting forests—a crucial contribution toward meaningful action on climate change. […]
The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 in New York. They replace the Millennium Development Goals which have achieved substantial changes in some, but not all areas. The 17 SDGs and 169 targets were developed in a process of consultations involving governments, civil society and many […]
Industrial timber plantations could provide a way for Ethiopia to reduce rural unemployment and conserve natural forests. Work on a timber plantation in Ethiopia is tough, with low wages, poor conditions and little security – but at least it’s a living. And in a country with high demand for wood products and widespread rural poverty […]
