Tag: Environment
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How Collapse of a Dam Revived Nature of Ukraine’s Great Meadow
At the southern edge of Khortytsia Island, where Europe’s largest river island meets the Dnipro, the ground opens into a landscape no one expected to see again. From a rocky ridge above the village of Malokaterynivka, the view stretches out over mirrored lagoons and dense young willows—trees so tall they…
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Illusion of Nature in Anthropocene
In the geological timeline of Earth, a new epoch has emerged. Known as the Anthropocene, it marks a period defined not by natural forces, but by human activity. Though scientists continue to debate the precise starting point, many trace its origins to the Industrial Revolution, approximately 200 years ago. This…
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Dam Collapse Triggers Ecosystem Revival in Ukraine’s Great Meadow
The destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in 2023, under Russian control during the ongoing war, has led to a dramatic ecological transformation in southern Ukraine. The breach unleashed catastrophic flooding, killing an unknown number of people and displacing up to one million from safe drinking water sources. But two…
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Dartmoor: A Landscape of Lost Wilderness
Dartmoor is often celebrated as one of the UK’s most beautiful and storied landscapes. Rivers wind through wild moorland, ancient rocks burst from the earth like sleeping giants and Bronze Age burial sites speak to a deep human history. Designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), this expanse…
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Hidden Toll of Plastic in Stork Nests
Across southern Europe’s farmland, towering stork nests have long stood as signs of life and resilience. Built over decades, these massive structures—some weighing up to a tonne—house not only white storks but also a host of other bird species. Yet, inside these high nests, a silent threat is emerging: plastic.…
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Global Wildlife Populations Decline by 73%
Wildlife populations have dropped by an average of 73% over the past 50 years, according to a report by the World Wide Fund for Nature and the British Zoological Society. Scientists warn that this dramatic decline signals a deeper crisis in the Earth’s ecosystems, as human activity continues to reshape…
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A Legal Turning Point for Climate Justice in Asia
Climate urgency often drowns in political inertia. Judicial systems are, however, beginning to step into the vacuum. South Korea’s recent Constitutional Court ruling, which found the government’s climate measures insufficient to protect the rights of its citizens, especially younger generations, is not just a domestic legal event; it’s a moment…
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South Korean Court Rules Climate Law Fails Future Generations
South Korea’s Constitutional Court has, in a groundbreaking decision, ruled that a portion of the country’s climate law violates the constitutional rights of future generations by failing to establish binding greenhouse gas reduction targets beyond 2030. The unanimous verdict, announced on Thursday after four years of litigation, marks a historic…
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The Overlooked Voice in the Climate Conversation
Far too often, the climate conversation is dominated by voices from academia, politics and affluence, leaving out those who bear the brunt of its impacts: the poor. This imbalance leads to a dangerously narrow understanding of the crisis and its solutions. Simi Garewal’s Op-Ed piece from 2019 offers a necessary…
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Preserving Southeast Asian Fisheries
Serina Abdul Rahman writes in Policy Forum. As Southeast Asian countries pursue rapid economic development, many are doing irreparable damage to their environment and their most vulnerable citizens, Serina Rahman writes. Across Southeast Asia, coastal areas are facing unprecedented threats from urbanisation, coastal development, and climate change. Moreover, decisions about how…
Climate Observer 