Madagascar is well-known for its biodiversity; 5% of all animal and plant species known to man live here and only here (70% of the fauna and 90% of the flora are endemic). For travellers, admiring this modern-day Noah’s Ark is a highlight of a trip to the Red Island. Here are 10 of our wildlife highlights and the best time and place to find them. … Continue reading Madagascar’s wondrous wildlife
For more than 300 years, man has tried to develop spider silk as an alternative to mulberry silk. A pair of entrepreneurs has succeeded in turning the experiment into a real enterprise – and what a result: exhibited at the V&A in London, the material is as beautiful as it is captivating. Read the full story here. Published in The Economist, 25 January 2012. Photo … Continue reading A tangled (and exquisite) web they wove
Private sector participation in Madagascar’s water sector stalled following the presidential coup in 2009. Now, the country’s leading private water proponent, Sandandrano, wants to kick-start investment. Read the full story here. Published in Global Water Intelligence, October 2011. Continue reading Boosting Madagascar’s water sector
With unprecedented investment into the development of Africa’s palm oil industry, governments in the region are trying to avoid past environmental mistakes made in Asia. Read the full story here. Published in This is Africa. Continue reading Can Africa learn from SE Asia’s mistakes with palm oil?
Ursula Sladek has taken on Germany’s coal and nuclear power companies to start a renewable energy cooperative. Her vision for a more sustainable future has been vindicated: she has won the 2011 European Goldman Prize for environmental grassroot activism. Read the full article here. Published in Sun & Wind Energy. Photo courtesy of the Goldman Environmental Prize. Continue reading Grassroot environmental activist wins ‘Green Nobel’
Ensuring that Africa can build up indigenous food-processing capacity will improve food security and help build flourishing local companies. The sector has now become a major areas of interest for development finance institutions, commercial investors and governments. Read the full story here. Published in The Africa Report. Photo courtesy of TechnoServe. Continue reading Food processing: Investing in progress
Africa may only have limited exposure to the Clean Development Mechanism, but with the scheme under threat, what does the future of carbon trading hold for the continent? Read the full story here. Published in This Is Africa on 30 March 2011. Photo courtesy of freefoto.com Continue reading Carbon future: what does the future hold for Africa?
A recent study found that Gabon’s water concessionaire is falling short of expectations and will not meet its infrastructure investment targets. The report fails to represent the whole picture, argues Veolia’s Patrice Fonlladosa. The government of Gabon has asked Société d’Eau et d’Energie du Gabon (SEEG), the company in charge of the country’s electricity and water production and distribution, to produce a five-year investment plan … Continue reading Veolia’s travails in Gabon
The state of Cross River in Nigeria has managed to preserve large swathes of endangered rainforest despite lucrative – and sometimes intimidating – from loggers. It’s also laid the groundwork for a national-scale programme designed to earn carbon credits by saving trees, thus securing its spot in an elite network of states moving forward as UN talks stalk. Read the full story here. Published in … Continue reading Nigeria state sets REDD pace for entire continent
Cancer kills more people globally than HIV-Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. In Africa, it is becoming a growing burden yet few donors have cottoned on to the need for action. Read the full story here. Published in the Guardian. Continue reading Cancer in Africa: time to act
