sustainablenz

The recent release of the UN World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision contains some sobering reading. The global population projection for 2050 has been revised up from 9.3 to 9.6 billion and for 2100 from 10.1 to 10.9 billion. The reason is that fertility levels in a number of developing countries, particularly those in Sub-Saharan … Continue reading →

Gwynne Dyer wrote a recent opinion piece published by the New Zealand Herald that is well worth a read. In it he outlines the potential geopolitical instability that may be caused by Ethiopia’s plans to build a massive dam on the Blue Nile (upstream from Egypt). Water is clearly becoming a resource of international significance, … Continue reading →

On May 2nd 2013 the daily average atmospheric CO2 level reached 400ppm at the Moana Loa observatory. The last time atmospheric CO2 reached this level was 800,000 years ago. I know that I am only one of many to comment on this topic, yet I think it is worth a post. Atmospheric CO2 levels have … Continue reading →

10 years on and Iraq is still suffering severely from the war instigated by the Bush Administration. Sure, the nation of Iraq was not in a great shape prior to the invasion, however, the invasion and war has not made matters any better. The Atlantic magazine recently ran a series of photographic essays to mark … Continue reading →

As I am sure you are aware, the Orangutan; that amazing ginger-haired great ape, is threatened with continued habitat destruction that is a result of humankind’s continuing population growth and our voracious appetite for consuming natural resources. Orangutan are classed as endangered to critically endangered and at their current rate of population decline they could … Continue reading →

Empowering women is key to addressing sustainability issues. Education, equality and the freedom to access family planning is essential in achieving such empowerment. If you are a reading this, you obviously have access to the web, and as we have seen in recent years, access to the web is becoming an essential element in maintaining … Continue reading →

Looking at a child is like looking through a window into the future. A child born this year will be but 37 and in the prime of their life come mid-century. What will the future hold for them? The projections for population, consumption, climate change etc are ominous for 2050. Many people would rather ignore … Continue reading →

As it is still summer here in Aotearoa, I do not have the mental capacity to write anything of great significance due to the heat and humidity. Yes, I know that compared to our Australian cousins we have it good here, anyway, I diverge from my short post today. A big congratulations to Rebecca Kamm … Continue reading →

Kiribati is an island nation that is dispersed over 3.5 million square km of the central Pacific Ocean, yet has a land area of only 811 square km. The population of Kiribati is currently around 110,000 resulting in a population density that is similar to China (around 130 persons per square km). However, over half … Continue reading →

Why do I keep reading the New Zealand Herald? I really should stop. However, as it is the widest read media source in New Zealand I feel it is important to keep up to date with the information that is being propagated. Today’s Herald contained a business article based on a new report; Lifting Export … Continue reading →