Disasters

In the face of climate change, workers' health is put to the test by new dangers

26 April 2024

In the face of climate change, workers’ health is put to the test by new dangers

Climate disruption is leading to the onset of health problems, such as ‘heat stress’ or skin and eye diseases, while certain extreme weather events are responsible for a large number of work-related deaths every year. In Brazil, workers in the least skilled jobs are often hardest [...]Read the full article

“Our lives are very worthless” – garment and textile workers decry rights violations one year after Turkey's devastating earthquakes

6 March 2024

“Our lives are very worthless” – garment and textile workers decry rights violations one year after Turkey’s devastating earthquakes

“As these flashpoints become increasingly the norm, [global] companies should be using their agility to deal with these crises in a way that improves supply chain resiliency and workers’ ability to make a living safely. When there is a dent to profits, the go-to should not be that suppliers, and [...]Read the full article

Delays in Morocco's post-earthquake reconstruction may hasten its rural youth exodus

3 November 2023

Delays in Morocco’s post-earthquake reconstruction may hasten its rural youth exodus

“The risk of depopulation is real. Although they feel a deep attachment to their douars, those who have the opportunity will not wait for the lengthy reconstruction process. Migration will primarily affect the younger generation, who will likely move to already overcrowded [...]Read the full article

In south-eastern Turkey, the life-changing trauma of the Turkey-Syria earthquakes have cast a long shadow over the new school year

29 September 2023

In south-eastern Turkey, the life-changing trauma of the Turkey-Syria earthquakes have cast a long shadow over the new school year

According to the United Nations Population Fund, 2.5 million children in Turkey are in need of humanitarian assistance and psychosocial support following the devastating earthquakes that killed more than 50,000 people across the Turkey-Syria border this [...]Read the full article

Agriculture and technology: index insurance to the rescue of African farmers

14 September 2023

Agriculture and technology: index insurance to the rescue of African farmers

As Africa faces increasingly severe climatic hazards, agricultural insurance based on rainfall indices is being developed thanks to technological and digital innovation.Read the full article

In Indonesia, villagers on an island threatened by flooding are seeking justice

8 September 2023

In Indonesia, villagers on an island threatened by flooding are seeking justice

Residents of the Indonesian island of Pulau Pari have filed a lawsuit against the Swiss cement company Holcim demanding compensation for its role in climate change, which is causing sea levels to rise and threatening their livelihoods.Read the full article

Given the ravages of climate change, has the time come for environmental accountability and responsibility?

31 July 2023

Given the ravages of climate change, has the time come for environmental accountability and responsibility?

During the summer, the Equal Times newsdesk invites you to explore an issue by revisiting our archives.Read the full article

In the wake of devastating forest fires, residents of the Greek island of Evia are helping each other to rebuild through mutual aid and solidarity

19 July 2023

In the wake of devastating forest fires, residents of the Greek island of Evia are helping each other to rebuild through mutual aid and solidarity

Two years after the fires burned roughly 15 per cent of its surface area, inhabitants of Evia, Greece’s second largest island, are doing their best to move forward. Solidarity still plays an essential role in reconstruction efforts, just as it did when the tragedy was [...]Read the full article

Can climate-smart agriculture help build resilience against food, health and climate shocks in Malawi?

26 May 2023

Can climate-smart agriculture help build resilience against food, health and climate shocks in Malawi?

Experts are calling on the government to strengthen its disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation strategies, particularly in agriculture, which forms the bedrock of the country’s economic activities.Read the full article

Between war and the recent earthquake, health workers are exhausted after ten years of trauma in north-west Syria

17 March 2023

Between war and the recent earthquake, health workers are exhausted after ten years of trauma in north-west Syria

The earthquake was the final blow for an already overstretched health system in Idlib province, exhausted by ten years of war, bombing, and the recent outbreaks of coronavirus and cholera.Read the full article

Welcome to Miami: speculation, gentrification and inundation

7 November 2022

Welcome to Miami: speculation, gentrification and inundation

Real estate developers are flocking to some of Miami’s poorest neighbourhoods, located farther from the coast and better protected from flooding and coastal erosion. Faced with rising housing prices and cost of living, many longtime residents are being forced to [...]Read the full article

After calamitous floods, Pakistan makes a compelling case for climate reparations

19 October 2022

After calamitous floods, Pakistan makes a compelling case for climate reparations

After the recent floods in Pakistan left behind unprecedented destruction, the demand for climate reparations is louder than ever.Read the full article

Unregulated gold mining is costing lives in Cameroon's East Region

23 September 2022

Unregulated gold mining is costing lives in Cameroon’s East Region

With impoverished populations regularly engaging in artisanal gold mining, fatal accidents are becoming increasingly commonplace. Critics point the finger at negligent mining companies and inadequate oversight legislation.Read the full article

Sandstorms, an increasingly common global disaster exacerbated by land degradation

2 May 2022

Sandstorms, an increasingly common global disaster exacerbated by land degradation

Sandstorms can paralyse an entire economy, cause road accidents, ground aircraft, and jam radar and electronic systems, with consequences for agriculture that are still poorly assessed as well as serious long-term health impacts.Read the full article

Climate emergency and global security: could tomorrow's conflicts be handled differently at the UN?

13 April 2022

Climate emergency and global security: could tomorrow’s conflicts be handled differently at the UN?

Chloé Maurel: Despite the will of the majority of its members to see the global governance body embrace new tools to deal with the challenges of the century, the UN is still stalled on the issue of how to deal with conflicts related to climate [...]Read the full article

Environmental activists in Russia are under increasing pressure

9 March 2022

Environmental activists in Russia are under increasing pressure

Being an environmental activist in Russia has never been easy. Industrial pollution, environmental degradation and health problems are truths that the Russian government has always tried to hide. Recently, however, the repression of activists has become increasingly [...]Read the full article

Bearing witness to the ‘world's first climate-induced famine' in Madagascar

19 November 2021

Bearing witness to the ‘world’s first climate-induced famine’ in Madagascar

For several months, nearly 1.35 million people have been struggling to eat their fill in southern Madagascar. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), this could be the first famine in the world caused by climate change.Read the full article

Businesses and workers affected by the Beirut port explosion find themselves caught in multiple crises

8 November 2021

Politics & economy

Businesses and workers affected by the Beirut port explosion find themselves caught in multiple crises

The destruction of the port has only exacerbated food shortages, unemployment and economic hardship caused by government corruption and the Covid-19 pandemic. More recently, the obstruction of the investigation into the disaster has frozen the reconstruction and could awaken [...]Read the full article

It has the legal framework but what will it take to power genuine just transition in the Philippines?

5 November 2021

It has the legal framework but what will it take to power genuine just transition in the Philippines?

How compatible is the Philippine government’s commitment to soaring economic growth with its ambitious pledge to transition to a low-carbon economy?Read the full article

In the midst of the Covid crisis, Kenyan unions are attempting to tackle the climate emergency head on

13 October 2021

In the midst of the Covid crisis, Kenyan unions are attempting to tackle the climate emergency head on

“In creating green champions, our aim is to come up with environmental experts at the trade union level and to build the capacity for participation and in advocating for a just transition in Kenya.”Read the full article

With widespread kidnappings and violence, daily life is becoming increasingly dangerous in Haiti

24 September 2021

With widespread kidnappings and violence, daily life is becoming increasingly dangerous in Haiti

With gangs taking control, many Haitian neighbourhoods have become impossible to live in. The violence and assassinations have not spared political circles either and the situation became even more acute in the aftermath of the 14 August [...]Read the full article

The communities striving to “protect life” and create “sustainable societies” in the wake of Japan's 2011 tsunami disaster

11 March 2021

The communities striving to “protect life” and create “sustainable societies” in the wake of Japan’s 2011 tsunami disaster

The tsunami took away loved ones, homes, infrastructure and jobs, as well as the sense of belonging in communities already suffering from depopulation. For the affected villages in rural Japan, rebuilding is a matter of survival.Read the full article

As climate displacement increases, migration myths fuel fears

10 February 2021

As climate displacement increases, migration myths fuel fears

Experts agree that climate change is affecting mobility. However, the relationship between these two things is not straightforward, as it is often portrayed, but complex, multicausal and context specific.Read the full article

Bernard Duterme: “The environmental movement must be urgently decolonised”

25 January 2021

Bernard Duterme: “The environmental movement must be urgently decolonised”

“Sensitivity to the currently unfolding climate and environmental crisis is unequally distributed. Those who are directly affected are not always those who are most concerned. The populations most exposed to the effects of environmental imbalances are not always the most worried about the future [...]Read the full article

In Bangladesh, “workers are not responsible for climate change but we are the ones losing everything because of it”

9 December 2020

In Bangladesh, “workers are not responsible for climate change but we are the ones losing everything because of it”

Rising sea levels have forced workers to migrate to Bangladesh’s congested cities and accept extremely poor working conditions and low wages out of sheer desperation. The Bangladeshi trade unions are fighting to protect these workers while adopting just transition [...]Read the full article

After the failure to meet the Aichi Targets, action is needed to ensure that biodiversity does not face another “lost decade”

19 November 2020

After the failure to meet the Aichi Targets, action is needed to ensure that biodiversity does not face another “lost decade”

Annick Berger: The international community gave itself ten years to protect biodiversity effectively. In 2020, the situation is catastrophic. The year 2021 must be the turning point in the fight to protect species and to combat climate change, with the adoption of a new global [...]Read the full article

In desperate search of disposal sites for its nuclear waste, Japan offers poisonous grants to two small villages

9 November 2020

Politics & economy

In desperate search of disposal sites for its nuclear waste, Japan offers poisonous grants to two small villages

Despite having shut down the majority of its reactors following the fatal accident in Fukushima, Japan’s commitment to nuclear energy remains firm. The government is now being urged to construct a nuclear disposal site and the top contenders for its location are villages with ageing populations [...]Read the full article

Eight years after the Ali Enterprises factory fire in Pakistan, victims and their families are still fighting for justice

19 October 2020

Eight years after the Ali Enterprises factory fire in Pakistan, victims and their families are still fighting for justice

“Workplaces in Pakistan are still unsafe as the government, the factory owners and the international brands have learnt nothing since the Ali Enterprises factory fire.”Read the full article

As desert locusts wreak havoc throughout east Africa, agricultural jobs and livelihoods hang in the balance

1 April 2020

As desert locusts wreak havoc throughout east Africa, agricultural jobs and livelihoods hang in the balance

“If the government is not going to help us in driving the locusts and destroying their eggs from hatching, I will lose food and money, and all those who depend on me for employment will not have an income to feed their families.”Read the full article

26 March 2020

After Covid-19, the world will be a different place. Let’s make sure it’s a better one

Equal Times Newsdesk: The crises the coronavirus has laid bare exist on multiple fronts: it is a crisis of inequality, of human rights, of who does and doesn’t have the right to freedom of movement, to healthcare and essentially, the right to life.Read the full article

Bangladesh is already living with the consequences of climate change

13 March 2020

Bangladesh is already living with the consequences of climate change

In Sundarbans (in Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, as well as one of the country’s worst affected by climate change) a combination of a rising sea level and river erosion is submerging entire villages and causing the forced displacement of millions of [...]Read the full article

After the earthquake in Albania: the challenge of rebuilding trust

26 February 2020

After the earthquake in Albania: the challenge of rebuilding trust

The small Balkan country was hit hard by an earthquake in November 2019. With reconstruction due to start, the victims are growing impatient. Will the authorities succeed in rebuilding trust by putting an end to corruption and the lack of regulations in the construction [...]Read the full article

Given its rich heritage and its role in regulating the world's climate, is ‘internationalising' the Amazon an option?

18 December 2019

Given its rich heritage and its role in regulating the world’s climate, is ‘internationalising’ the Amazon an option?

The sheer scale of the fires consuming the Amazon rainforest during 2019 has brought the idea of the Amazon being collectively managed by the international community back to the fore. But the notion of ‘internationalising’ this region is by no means [...]Read the full article

Can humanity rise to the challenge of finding just solutions to the threat of coastal erosion?

4 December 2019

Can humanity rise to the challenge of finding just solutions to the threat of coastal erosion?

All over the world, coastal areas are losing ground. While the latest IPCC report recommends strengthening protection systems, other strategies are emerging, such as the removal of infrastructure and housing, and are highlighting the social inequalities in the distribution of [...]Read the full article

Twenty years after the İzmit earthquake killed 17,000 people, is Istanbul prepared for another major earthquake?

29 November 2019

Twenty years after the İzmit earthquake killed 17,000 people, is Istanbul prepared for another major earthquake?

Istanbul’s speedy, unchecked development predates the Justice and Development Party (AKP) by decades. But 15 years of the party’s administration has pushed the city to its absolute limits.Read the full article

Valérie Cabanes: “Without political visionaries who are willing to defy special interests, humanity doesn't stand a chance”

20 November 2019

Valérie Cabanes: “Without political visionaries who are willing to defy special interests, humanity doesn’t stand a chance”

Could recognition by the International Criminal Court of ecocide as a crime provide a legal tool for protecting the environment from the actions of multinationals?Read the full article

Beatrice Fihn: “As long as we have nuclear weapons, nuclear war will always be an option”

16 September 2019

Beatrice Fihn: “As long as we have nuclear weapons, nuclear war will always be an option”

“With nuclear weapons, it is hard for people to visualise their impact. But, like climate change, nuclear weapons know no borders. These are international issues that need multilateral solutions with everyone onboard”Read the full article

The Amazon rainforest is burning – and we are all hypocrites

27 August 2019

The Amazon rainforest is burning – and we are all hypocrites

Mathilde Dorcadie: The critical state of our common natural heritage is all of our responsibility. The rainforest is burning because we’ve let it happen.Read the full article

The climate emergency is a core trade union issue: that's why it's time to ‘Climate-Proof Our Work'

25 June 2019

The climate emergency is a core trade union issue: that’s why it’s time to ‘Climate-Proof Our Work’

Bert De Wel: “Workers have to speak up and organise. We have to make sure that our jobs, our businesses and our colleagues are ready for ambitious climate policies. This is a core union responsibility and it starts on the work floor.”Read the full article

Two years on, Grenfell survivors are still waiting for justice

14 June 2019

Two years on, Grenfell survivors are still waiting for justice

It has been two years since 72 people lost their lives following a fire at Grenfell Tower in London, but survivors and families of the bereaved still have very few answers.Read the full article

After the storm: Mozambique faces the long-term challenge of reconstruction and climate resilience post-Idai

11 June 2019

After the storm: Mozambique faces the long-term challenge of reconstruction and climate resilience post-Idai

Over 1,000 people were killed, and more than three million people were affected after Cyclone Idai tore through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe this March, destroying roads, houses, schools, bridges and farmland.Read the full article

Theatre for Fukushima: voices from the silence

20 May 2019

Theatre for Fukushima: voices from the silence

Eight years after the Fukushima disaster in Japan, a group of teenagers who were young children at the time, take to the stage to express their feelings.Read the full article

In Brazil, thousands of people are still living under the threat of bursting mining dams

25 March 2019

In Brazil, thousands of people are still living under the threat of bursting mining dams

Brazil has experienced two unprecedented human and environmental disasters, in 2015 and 2019, caused by burst mining dams. Ever since, all those who live near similar dams live in fear of another disaster.Read the full article

Hitting nature where it hurts: Iran feels the pernicious effects of US sanctions on biodiversity conservation

27 February 2019

Hitting nature where it hurts: Iran feels the pernicious effects of US sanctions on biodiversity conservation

To prevent the first continent-wide extinction of a big cat, the Asiatic cheetah, Iranian and international scientists are calling for conservation exemptions to the sanctions.Read the full article

What are the prospects for peace in Yemen in 2019 and beyond?

18 January 2019

Politics & economy

What are the prospects for peace in Yemen in 2019 and beyond?

Helen Lackner: Regardless of its weaknesses, the Stockholm Agreement is a first sign of hope for 29 million Yemenis who are desperately waiting for peace.Read the full article

Time is running out to save the planet

5 December 2018

Time is running out to save the planet

Despite extensive scientific literature, many believe that agroecology is nothing but a trend, and see banning single-use plastics as an inconvenience. What they don’t understand is that we have no other option – we’re living on borrowed time. If we don’t set limits for ourselves, the planet will do [...]Read the full article

Fighting against plastic oceans – a global challenge

28 November 2018

Fighting against plastic oceans – a global challenge

Eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans every year, damaging ecosystems and probably, in the long run, our health. Citizens, companies, states, everyone must act.Read the full article

Brazil's public universities are in crisis

26 October 2018

Brazil’s public universities are in crisis

In a divided country, public universities struggle to operate in the face of fire hazards, budget cuts and the threat of privatisation.Read the full article

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