Author: Bapon Fakhruddin
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The Amazon on the Brink: Urgent Climate Action Needed to Protect South America’s Lifeline
The Amazon regulates weather across South America, stores carbon, and preserves biodiversity. However, unsustainable development practices worsen climate impacts, while policy gaps leave marginalized groups unsupported. The recent extreme drought in the Amazon was a preview of our climate emergency future if we fail to act decisively. Climate change made Amazon 30 times more likely,…
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Panama Canal Faces Water Crisis Amid Climate Change Threats
The Panama Canal is a man-made waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is 50 miles long and consists of a series of locks that raise ships 26 meters above sea level. This allows ships to cross the Isthmus of Panama, a mountain range separating the two oceans. The canal is a vital…
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Mobilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Tackle Africa’s Water and Sanitation Crisis
Africa faces immense challenges when it comes to water. Many countries across the continent endure water stress and scarcity. Rapid population growth, urbanization, pollution, and climate change threaten the availability of safe, reliable water supplies essential for life, health, food production, and economic development. At the same time, hundreds of millions of Africans lack access…
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Unlocking Ancient Coral Records in Vanuatu to Improve Climate Predictions
A fascinating scientific discovery is happening in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. On the island of Espiritu Santo, ancient coral reefs that contain critical climate records from over 16,000 years ago are being uplifted from the sea. These reefs offer a unique glimpse into the ancient climate of our planet. During the last ice…
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The Hydrogen Rainbow: Lighting the Path to a Clean Energy Future
Hydrogen gas may appear colourless, but the emerging hydrogen industry envisions a vibrant rainbow full of potential. From black to blue to green, the shades describe production methods with vastly different environmental impacts. As global hydrogen demand grows, estimated to reach 530 million metric tons by 2050, the rainbow is a sustainability guidepost for the…
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Cost of Climate Change
The historic decision at #COP28 to establish a loss and damage fund marks a new chapter in climate justice. As the first recipients are selected, prioritising principles of fairness, openness, and grassroots-led efforts is essential. Decisions about allocating resources should aim to level the playing field for vulnerable groups and be made transparently. Most importantly,…
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Unlocking Large-Scale Energy Storage to Accelerate the Renewable Transition through Pumped Storage Hydropower
The climate crisis demands an urgent and sweeping transformation of our energy systems. As we rapidly scale up wind and solar to decarbonize electricity generation, the intermittency of these renewable sources poses a significant challenge. This is where pumped storage hydropower offers a proven, cost-effective solution for grid balancing and long-duration energy storage. Around the…
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Brewing a Crisis: Climate Change Threatens Global Coffee and Millions of Livelihoods
#climatechange poses a major threat to coffee production, with up to 75% of land in Brazil and 58% globally potentially becoming unsuitable by 2050. Moving to higher altitudes can help but has limitations. Agroforestry techniques like providing plant shade can also help coffee withstand higher temperatures. The coffee industry supports the livelihoods of over 125…
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Seabed Trawling and Its Overlooked Contribution to Global Carbon Emissions
A recent study by scientists at Utah State University found that seabed trawling releases about 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. That is nearly 1 per cent of global CO2 emissions, a major contribution that has been overlooked until now. Their studies suggest that about 55% of the carbon released…
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Microplastics: The Invisible Threat Demanding Urgent Global Action
Microplastics have flooded the farthest reaches of our planet! This is no longer a problem we can brush away or bury out of sight. Tiny toxin-absorbing plastics have already infiltrated human bloodstreams and organs. Left unchecked, the impacts on health could be devastating from infertility to cancer to brain disorders. Our oceans churn with over…
Bapon (SHM) Fakhruddin, PhD 