Campaigners have forced the biggest shareholder in a titanium mining project on south Africa's 'Wild Coast' to withdraw, reports Rachel Lees. But they now fear the project itself will continue under the auspices of local 'front' companies, while the big profits enrich the British and Australian investors that are the real masters of Africa's neo-colonial minerals boom.
… Victory in the campaign against mining South Africa's Wild Coast - but it's not over yet! Rachel Lees | 21st July 2016 News Mining Africa South Africa Finance UK Australia Indigenous Peoples …
The human family must come together now to stop Ebola in West Africa or risk a global pandemic that could potentially kill billions, writes Glen Barry. And that will mean solving, with equity and justice, the disease's root causes: rainforest loss, poverty, war and overpopulation.
… | 26th October 2014 Activism Health Africa Forests Society children-guinea-cut.jpg … must come together now to stop Ebola in West Africa or risk a global pandemic that could … overpopulation. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is doubling every 20 days, killing 70% …
An elite group of aid donors and agribusiness corporations met in London this week to plan the takeover of Africa's seeds, writes Ian Fitzpatrick, replacing traditional seed breeding and saving by small farmers with a corporate model of privatized, 'improved', patented, genetically uniform and hybrid seeds in a profit-driven market.
… Carving up Africa - aid donors and agribusiness plot the … Oliver Tickell | 26th March 2015 News Africa Food Farming Corporations Seeds USA UK … in London this week to plan the takeover of Africa's seeds, writes Ian Fitzpatrick, …
The medical response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been monstrously inadequate, writes Richard Kock. But so has been recognition of the underlying causes - in particular the explosive spread of industrial oil palm, which disrupts the ecology of forests and farms, and undermines local economy and traditional governance, leading to a 'perfect storm' of disease.
… Oil palm explosion driving West Africa's Ebola outbreak Richard Kock | 29th October 2014 News Health Africa Liberia Guinea Farming Development … response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been monstrously inadequate, writes …
Africa's biotech establishment is deploying its biggest guns to attack NGOs opposed to GMO crops to help push through Ghana's corporation-friendly Plant Breeders Bill - a key element in the corporate enclosure of Africa's farming, seeds and agricultural heritage.
… Ghana | 17th February 2015 Comment GMOs Africa Corporations Science Commons Health cowpea-harvest-ghana-cut.jpg Africa's biotech establishment is deploying … - a key element in the corporate enclosure of Africa's farming, seeds and agricultural …
Coca-Cola is the latest company to join the agricultural 'scramble for Africa', writes Miriam Ross. Backed by £600 million of British aid under the guise of 'food security' and 'nutrition', a vast give-away of Africa's land is under way that will condemn small farmers to landlessness and poverty.
… Coca-Cola is not the solution to hunger in Africa Miriam Ross | 22nd September 2014 Comment Food Farming Corporations Africa UK farmer-ethiopia-keep-watch-cut.jpg A … to join the agricultural 'scramble for Africa', writes Miriam Ross. Backed by £600 …
Africa's car battery recycling industry is anything but green, write Desirée García & Javier Marín on African Environment Day. Toxic emissions from the re-smelting of lead from old batteries is poisoning workers and nearby communities. And among the buyers of the lead are EU car companies, apparently indifferent to the death, disease and contamination they are financing.
… Dirty business: Africa's unregulated lead battery smelting … Javier Marín | 3rd March 2016 News Recycling Africa Pollution Toxics Health jackson … wanyama-former worker at the smelter-cut.jpg Africa's car battery recycling industry is …
The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa had everything to do with logging, deforestation and the disruption of traditional agro-forestry by large scale industrial agriculture, writes Rob Wallace. The only long term solution to this terrible disease may lie in forest conservation, the restoration of agroecological farming systems, and the exclusion of agribusiness investment.
… The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa had everything to do with logging, … drove the emergence of Ebola in West Africa. Apparently I'm an "addled guy" whose … to have been spilling over for years in West Africa. Epidemiologist Joseph Fair's group …
The Environmental Investigation Agency and BBC Panorama use GPS to prove British electronic waste is being exported to poor African nations where it threatens the environment and human health. Andrew Wasley reports
… in toxic e-waste trail from London to West Africa Andrew Wasley | 14th May 2011 News … electronic waste is being exported to poor African nations where it threatens the … at the firms facilities were exported to Africa in contravention of regulations …
Vultures have become one of the most threatened families of birds on the planet thanks to poisoning by the veterinary drug diclofenac. Now Birdlife has discovered that it's on sale in Europe - threatening to wipe vultures out and undermine significant EU investments in vulture conservation.
… with carcasses, vultures in Europe and Africa may be set to follow, according to … budget lines. A host of other threats in Africa As well as the impending threat of … threats need to be unravelled further in Africa, and investment needed to tackle them. …
A new report reveals huge declines in the UK's migratory birds that winter deep in Africa's rainforests. Shorter distance migrants are performing much better, with some recording big population increases.
… African habitat loss driving migrating birds' … | 16th October 2014 News Birds UK Europe Africa Natural World turtle-dove-cut.jpg A new … the UK's migratory birds that winter deep in Africa's rainforests. Shorter distance …
The Gates Foundation has received a 57,000 strong petition denouncing its support for a 'biopirated' GM banana program in Africa, and calling on it to suspend a feeding trial on US students, writes Vanessa Amaral-Rogers. The banana threatens both the health of the students, say campaigners, and the future of African agriculture.
… for a 'biopirated' GM banana program in Africa, and calling on it to suspend a feeding … students, say campaigners, and the future of African agriculture. On Monday this week Iowa … introduce the GM banana to Uganda and other African countries. The petition was initiated …
Perhaps all the 'do gooders' busy forcing industrial models of agriculture onto poor but independent African farmers really do think they are helping them, writes Colin Todhunter. But if so they are deeply deluded. All they will achieve is the takeover of export-oriented agribusiness and GMOs, the destruction of agroecological farming systems, and a future of debt and landlessness.
… embedding agribusiness and GMOs into African agriculture Colin Todhunter | 8th April 2016 Comment Farming Africa GMOs Nutrition Health Finance … of agriculture onto poor but independent African farmers really do think they are …
The 'New Alliance', backed by £600m of UK aid, is meant to improve food security, reduce malnutrition and lift people out of poverty, writes Aisha Dodwell. But it's all a huge con - delivering corporate welfare, attacking small farmers, enabling land grabs - and leaving a trail of poverty and human devastation. It draws praise from only a single review of its activities: its own.
… truth about the New Alliance and farmers in African countries? Aisha Dodwell Global … Now | 15th January 2016 Activism Farming UK Africa Corporations Aid … its full title, is about helping countries in Africa to improve food security, reduce …
Important developments are unfolding at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty negotiations in New York this week, writes David Lowry. These include the surprisingly large scale of the US's warhead scrapping, and a grassroots rebellion against the nuclear states led by South Africa. But the UK and its media remain aloof from it all - intent on renewing Trident no matter what.
… | 21st May 2015 News Nuclear WMD UK USA South Africa titanii-missile-cut.jpg Important … against the nuclear states led by South Africa. But the UK and its media remain aloof … from seeking their own nuclear weapons. South Africa was arguably the most robust in …
The UK Government is to examine the activities of London-based oil company Soco over alleged violations of environmental protections and human rights abuses in Africa's first National Park, home to 200 Mountain gorillas.
… The Ecologist | 17th February 2014 News Africa Congo Natural World Oil Fossil Fuels UK … protections and human rights abuses in Africa's first National Park, home to 200 … make it the most biodiverse protected area in Africa, a status recognised by the World …
The economic and climate-related impacts of forest destruction are well known, but continued logging could unleash devastating new pandemics and spread fatal diseases into the human population, scientists tell the Ecologist
… in studying the effects of deforestation on African rainforest birds by mapping and … a bit more easily,' he says. His work in Africa on species including the olive sunbird … move in unpredictable ways. Spreading malaria Africa has already witnessed an expansion of …
Plastic waste, often burning, is a constant companion in Gambia, a poor country where few enjoy formal rubbish collection, writes Louise Hunt. Now a pioneering project to upcycle waste plastic is beginning to tackle the problem - and in the process enhancing women's social and economic status.
… Louise Hunt | 13th August 2014 News Waste Africa Gambia Green Economy Pollution Health … municipal waste collection does not exist in Africa's smallest country. This is a common … not going away As GDP has risen in West Africa so has plastics consumption and waste. …
Bats serve as a natural reservoir for the Ebola - but we cannot blame them for the epidemic. In Ghana alone people eat over 100,000 fruit bats a year as 'bushmeat', yet the country has escaped the epidemic. Much more research is needed to discover the mechanisms of transmission, and to devise effective, appropriate interventions.
… Restif | 23rd October 2014 News Health Ghana Africa Ecology fruit-bat-ghana-cut.jpg Bats … until recently, never been examined in West Africa, and only peripherally probed elsewhere … the combined bushmeat consumption in Central Africa and the Amazon Basin exceed 1 billion …
Ebola has wiped out a third of chimps and gorillas since the 1990s, writes Meera Inglis, and together with hunting and deforestation is pushing them towards extinction. So why haven't we even used a safe, effective Ebola vaccine developed for chimps and gorillas?
… 2015 Comment Health Primates Extinction Africa mtn-gorilla-uganda-cut.jpg Ebola has … to our nearest cousins, the great apes of Africa. At this moment in time Ebola is the … factors behind the declining numbers of Africa's great apes: illegal trading in …
Should we really be spending £1.2 million a year to conserve red squirrels? Yes we should, writes James Borrell. But with Africa's rhinos facing extinction, and vital conservation in UK's overseas 'biodiversity jewels' sadly underfunded, there are much better investments we should be making too.
… Yes we should, writes James Borrell. But with Africa's rhinos facing extinction, and vital … in Europe. Meanwhile, in southern Africa, critically endangered black rhinos are … cuckoos and turtle dove all migrate from Africa, but numbers have dropped 73% since the …
At the inspiring new 3,500 acre 'wildland' of the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, the nightingale is making itself at home amid the thorny thickets, writes Hazel Sillver. That's proof to any that need it that the bird's extinction is far from inevitable - if only we can muster the will to save it! It also offers a wonderful opportunity to hear its magical song ...
… 2% of the nightingales that fly annually from Africa to breed in the UK. Why these … lush green pastures and wetlands of North Africa, before these turned into the scorched … any female birds that may be flying in from Africa - if his warbling is up to scratch, she …
Sub-Saharan African countries top list of those with most vulnerable water supplies as report warns of 'looming crisis' in both Asia and Africa from pollution and depletion of natural water resources
… conflict (click to enlarge) Sub-Saharan African countries top list of those with most … warns of 'looming crisis' in both Asia and Africa from pollution and depletion of natural … The dam, which would be the largest in Africa, has also faced opposition from NGOs …
Vultures are superbly adapted creatures for the essential role they play, efficiently disposing of the mortal remains of millions of dead animals, writes Louis Phipps. Yet we humans appear to be doing our best to kill them off - creating a vast hazardous waste problem that's costing us billions.
… according to a 2014 study in Nature . In Africa, vultures are also suffering The situation in Africa is just as grim - " another continental … more vultures are being killed in southern Africa each year as rhinos or elephants. …