Global Development
In an increasingly globalized world, international development efforts aim to improve living conditions, equity, and human rights around the world. Our global development section tracks this globalization and reports on specific equitable and sustainable development initiatives.
Tax strategies to support pandemic recovery
Let’s be honest—most of us hate paying taxes, even if we understand less why we pay them and support the projects that tax money funds, if we’re speaking plainly, most of us will agree that shelling out the cash for our taxes is kind of painful. However, this week more than 100 members of Read More...
World Meteorological Organization welcomes new leader
Amanda Lynch has been appointed to chair the board of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This United Nations agency has four main focuses: weather, climate, water, and environment. They research many aspects of the Earth’s behavior to provide vital information to the organization's 193 Read More...
Empowered activism is cultivating a marketable skill - A dispatch from Colombia
“Part of doing something is listening. We are listening. To the sun. To the stars. To the wind.” – Madeleine L’Engle By Jackie Gilbert We all catch ourselves making remarks like “I’m starving” or “we’re dying of hunger”, but fortunately for most of us in my middle-class Read More...
Pandemic spurs surge in African medical tech
Tech innovations have helped improve food resilience in countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia, but a new study indicates that health tech is also expanding rapidly across Africa, spurred by the pandemic. More than 60 new and existing private firms now offer health products to consumers and medical Read More...
Austria’s Klimaticket lets you to travel anywhere in the country for just €3 a day
Fifteen years after it was first proposed, Austria has finally officially introduced its Klimaticket, or ‘climate ticket,’ an annual ticket with unlimited access to all public transportation for the price of just €3 ($3.50) per day. The implementation of the Klimaticket comes just after Read More...
Greenland permanently bans all oil and gas exploration
In exciting news for the planet and environmentalists, Greenland has announced it is permanently halting all new oil and gas exploration in the country. Despite the recent discovery of potentially significant oil reserves off the island's east coast, the country's government says the costs for Read More...
For Gen Z, climate careers are the clear path to success
For many Gen Z students contemplating their future careers, the answer is clear: addressing the climate crisis. Multiple surveys have found that overwhelming numbers of students and professionals under 25 are pursuing environmental-related degrees and careers. This shift in career aspirations Read More...
Phoenix is using green space to tackle urban heat disparities
Our latest Optimist View discussed how urban green space impacts heat exposure and health outcomes in cities. One of the cities grappling with this issue is Phoenix. As the hottest city in the US, Phoenix is very focused on keeping things cool in a warming world. The city has pledged to reach Read More...
US will stop financing fossil fuel projects abroad
The US government has officially halted federal aid to overseas fossil fuel projects. The new policy comes after the US joined nearly 40 other countries in a COP26 pledge to end foreign fossil fuel financing by the end of 2022. The funding change will mean no more US financing for coal plants, Read More...
Chile legalizes same-sex marriage
After a decade-long legal battle, Chile’s Congress has officially passed a law to legalize same-sex marriage. Passed on Tuesday, the bill is expected to be signed into law soon by President Sebastian Pinera. The road to marriage equality has been long and arduous in the conservative South Read More...