Stories about Development
Is China partly responsible for the destruction of Africa's Miombo woodlands?
China is the world's largest importer of timber. How has it affected the forest and timber industry in Africa?
Africans remain largely invisible in Taiwan
In Taiwan, Africa remains largely invisible, so when Africa Day is marked annually on May 25, it offers a rare occasion for African cultures to be celebrated, albeit for just one day.
Why small islands need their own Marshall Plan
The Fourth UN Conference on Small Island Developing States will negotiate a 10-year agenda that requires an unprecedented financing package to meet the existential scale of the challenge being faced.
Fossil fuels dependency exacerbates Pakistan’s power crisis
Pakistan is currently facing a severe energy crisis characterised by electricity shortages and frequent electricity cuts, which has a detrimental impact on household activities, industries, and the overall economy.
Pakistan administered Kashmir faces internet shutdown amidst protests
In May 2024, Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir witnessed significant unrest, with daily life profoundly impacted by internet shutdowns and the violent suppression of protests by Pakistani security forces.
Tea is a daily delight for Bangladeshis, yet plantation workers face immense hardships
For most Bangladeshis, tea signifies a fulfilling life, but for the tea garden workers, their meagre wages mean tea leaves with rice is all they can afford in a meal.
Money from trees: What of Guyana's Indigenous people and their rights — and do they benefit from the carbon trade?
The funds go towards projects that fall within Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), intended to drive national development while maintaining the country's low deforestation rate.
Locals in Aruba protest unsustainable growth of hotel and tourism industry
With signs that read “No More Hotels”, “Land Back”, and “Decolonise Aruba,” locals showed their concern about the island's environment, as well as the future of its main economic pillar.
In Nepal, families that farm together stay together
The UN designated 2019–2028 as the "Decade of Family Farming". Some Nepali households are embracing sustainable agriculture to address climate change and enhance income.
Balancing Indigenous rights and nature conservation in Nepal
The publication of Nepal's policy on “Construction of Physical Infrastructure Inside Protected Areas” has ignited a lot of controversy for its potential to displace Indigenous communities from their ancestral lands.
A farming community's fight for land and legacy in Sri Lanka
A story of resilience and resistance emerges in the struggle between farmers and the authorities in Uva Province over a land-grab of maize fields for a proposed sugarcane factory.
Guyana’s rainforests play a central role in expanded eco-tourism efforts
"Even with a lucrative timber sector, the country’s annual deforestation rate averages at about 0.06 percent — a whopping 90 per cent lower than other tropical countries."
Women in Moldova are better educated but earn less and marry earlier
Some National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova's data about women living in Moldova today
Photo essay: Communities still coping in the aftermath of Morocco earthquake
Months after Morocco’s catastrophic earthquake, thousands of people in the High Atlas Mountains remain homeless and vulnerable as they rebuild their lives ... a long road to recovery lies ahead."
The perils of extracting limestone in Nepal's Indigenous Chepang communities
The escalating mining for energy transition minerals poses a direct threat to Indigenous rights and territories in Nepal, especially for the indigenous communities like Chepang, whose plights remain often unheard.
The true cost of Japan’s Linear bullet train
Rising environmental and human costs for Japan's planned "maglev," a super-fast, super-conducted bullet train set to link Tokyo to Osaka by 2045, are drawing the ire of many residents.
Jamaica is developing, but at what cost?
Increasingly large developments along Jamaica’s idyllic north coast, a popular tourist destination, have local environmentalists concerned about several recurring issues observed in environmental decision-making in the country.
The Socotri language straddling survival amidst the absence of technology
Socotra has long weathered the tides of isolation amid Yemen's shifting regimes. Marginalization has obscured its cultural identity and hindered linguistic progress. Today, Socotris grapple with sudden technological openness.
Bangladesh is heading for a one-sided general election
The ruling Awami League (AL) is expected to win this election for the fourth consecutive term as major opposition parties refuse to participate, claiming there is lack of electoral oversight.
Ukraine prepares to serve veterans with disabilities
By the time the war ends, Ukraine will get around a million and a half veterans. This is a huge number, which is beyond anything comparable across the neighboring countries
Looking forward to 2024: A year of crucial elections in South Asia
In 2023, pre-election implications were evident in certain South Asian nations as repressive laws stifled free expression and targeted critics. Opposition leaders faced arrests and judicial harassment, reflecting a concerning trend.
