Studies suggest transparency and accountability lead to positive social and economic outcomes. Good governance, therefore, lies in the degree to which authorities to be subject to scrutiny, as well as the willingness of citizens to demand access to information.
Freedom of Information: Critical to Democracy? Read Post »
Government, Society, Strategy
Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers has been an ongoing controversy for some time. Every year, around 1 million new people seek asylum worldwide. By mid-2021 4.4 million refugees were fleeing their countries. People flee their nations for a variety of reasons. These include war, violence, hunger, and poverty. People also seek to escape due to
Australia’s Asylum Crisis: Protection or Punishment? Read Post »
Government, Society, Strategy
Global warming leading to climate change is a worldwide problem. Emissions of greenhouse gases have a global impact, unlike some other forms of pollution. Whether they are emitted in Asia, Africa, Europe, or the Americas, they rapidly
What is the World Policy on Climate Change? Read Post »
Environment, Government, Strategy
Over the coming decades, global warming is set to increase the earth’s temperature by 1.5 ℃. Indeed, a 2021 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirmed this recently. Fossil fuel emissions are a major cause of this rise. If we don’t act fast to reduce the effects of global warming, this increase could
The story of Iceland: 100% renewable energy Read Post »
Energy, Government, Strategy, Sustainability
Energy efficiency ratings. It seems like they’re on every product at appliance stores. But why are they there, and what do they all mean? Why rate energy efficiency? More than 80 countries have a standardised rating system, across over 50 products. A study found that household appliances and lighting make up nearly 60% of Europe’s
Energy Efficiency Ratings: What Do They All Mean? Read Post »
Energy, Environment, Lifestyle, Society, Strategy, Sustainability
COVID-19 became officially a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020. Nobody then could have guessed its long-term socio-economic impacts. Like all global disasters, the pandemic hurt low income and vulnerable communities the most. Let’s explore the link between poverty and the pandemic. Globally, the virus has been deadlier and more transmissible among low-income communities.
Poverty and COVID-19: Pandemic within a pandemic. Read Post »
Coronavirus, Government, Health, Society, Strategy
Unequal development persists in much of the developing world, with over one billion people living in extreme poverty. (United Nations, 2013). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has set a goal- to leave no one behind. However, can we make this a reality? To put this in perspective, the United Nations found that “the average income of people
Diagnosing Unequal Development: Why is it Happening? Read Post »
Environment, Government, Lifestyle, Science, Society, Strategy, Sustainability
Hunger, poverty, and climate change seem like separate concepts. However, the truth is that climate change disproportionately affects people living in poverty. It exacerbates food insecurity and increases inequality. According to the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change report, changes in the climate are taking place in every part of the world. Climate change refers to
Hunger, Poverty, and Climate Change: How are they related? Read Post »
Environment, Society, Strategy, Sustainability
The term ‘sustainable city’ conjures up images of houses with gardens, large public parks, and bicycle paths. However, urban growth is growing quickly. As population density increases, so does the number of high-rise buildings. So, can a city full of high-rise buildings be sustainable? It is important to consider sustainability within the context of a
Sustainable high-rise buildings: Is it possible? Read Post »
Society, Strategy, Sustainability
Urban slums are called different things in different places. Favelas in Brazil, townships in South Africa, villa miser in Argentina. There is a sensitivity around the use of the word and its place in politically correct and socially reformative language. But whatever we choose to call these communities, we need to address the suffering of
Urban Slums: How to Sustainably Fix the Problem Read Post »
Government, Society, Strategy, Sustainability
