The tiny island nation of Mauritius, known for its turquoise waters, vibrant corals and diverse ecosystem, is in the midst of an environmental catastrophe after a Japanese cargo ship struck a reef off the country’s coast two weeks ago. That ship, which is still intact, has since leaked more than 1,000 metric tons of oil […]
By Sulaiman Sesay I lost five family members to Ebola within two weeks when the virus ravaged Liberia in 2014. First my uncle became sick. I called an ambulance to take him to the treatment center, but he died before they came. Everyone who attended to him became infected and passed away. At the time, […]
By Sonya Diehn More than 2 billion hectares of previously productive land is degraded. For Desertification and Drought Day on June 17, DW spoke with Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). DW: What do you want people to know about this year’s desertification day? Ibrahim Thiaw: Despite COVID-19, […]
By Kimberly White Ethiopia has set out to plant 5 billion tree seedlings this year. The planting is part of the country’s larger reforestation initiative spearheaded by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Launched in 2019, the Green Legacy initiative aims to combat environmental degradation, build resilience, and transition into a green society. The nation has lost […]
By Lamfu Fabrice Yengong and Sylvie Djacbou Deugoue Biodiversity loss is a global crisis. In May last year, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) warned that over 1,000,000 species are threatened with extinction worldwide. On May 22, the International Day of Biodiversity, it is important to recall the silent victims of […]
The glaring lack of adequate medical resources is becoming increasingly pronounced as developing nations try to prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak. In Africa, for example, there are fewer than 2,000 working ventilators in public hospitals across 41 African countries, the World Health Organization says, compared with more than 170,000 in the U.S., as The New […]
By Eddie Ndopu South Africa is ground zero for the coronavirus pandemic in Africa. Its townships are typical of high-density neighbourhoods across the continent where self-isolation will be extremely challenging. The failure to eradicate extreme poverty is a threat beyond the countries in question. As soon as the novel coronavirus criss-crossed the planet, defying borders […]
There’s a welcome bit of good news coming out of Africa. After immense conservation efforts, the numbers of critically endangered black rhinoceroses is slowly ticking up, according to the latest figures released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as the BBC’s Science Focus reported. The numbers show that the population is growing, […]
A pair of rare white giraffes met a tragic end when they were slaughtered by poachers in Kenya. The mother and calf were confirmed dead Tuesday in Ijara, Garissa County by community members and rangers from the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy, according to a press release. “This is a very sad day for the community […]