The research presented in this article was subsequently published in a peer-reviewed article: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/spp-2023-0029/html

Sub-Saharan Africa’s sluggish economic growth and brittle political structures are clear challenges for the region. And two major development theories—one strictly political, the other demographic—seem to steer parallel courses in explaining them.

The annual multilateral Conference of the Parties (COP) has become one of the most important meetings on the global agenda. So the fact that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host COP28 starting this week in Dubai—on the coattails of another Arab country, Egypt, hosting COP27 in 2022—is a big deal. Bringing such important international meetings to the Global South is a step forward in decentering and reorienting global climate action.

In the rugged heart of Western Afghanistan, the people of Herat Province have been grappling since October 7, 2023 with a relentless barrage of aftershocks from a series of powerful earthquakes that surpassed 6.0 in magnitude. These seismic convulsions have left an indelible mark on this land and its people. After 40 years of almost-continuous conflict, Afghanistan already faces some of the world’s most alarming health statistics. The nation has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with 638 deaths per 100,000 live births, as well as an infant mortality rate of 36 deaths per 1,000 live births.

A quiet agricultural revolution is on the horizon in parts of China. Innovative anaerobic digestion techniques are revolutionizing agriculture by transforming livestock manure into organic fertilizer and clean biogas energy. As these technologies significantly lower carbon emissions, they can set a precedent for sustainable farming practices across China and the world.

The untold stories about waste are about invisible and vulnerable waste workers. China is no exception. The millions of Chinese migrant waste workers who recover 20% of the country’s urban waste are ignored. Chinese policymakers need to integrate migrant waste workers, their knowledge, and social justice issues into the country’s waste management future.

The summer of 2023 featured some of the hottest days ever recorded. Feminists should be alarmed. 

Climate change may not seem like a feminist issue on its face. A warming planet poses a cross-cutting and common threat. But the perception that climate impacts result in uniform harm produces partial solutions that neglect the world’s most vulnerable populations. This alone makes environmental justice a gender justice issue as well.

Nowhere is China’s critical mineral dominance greater than in rare earth supply chains. In 2022, the US government estimated that China controlled “nearly 60 percent of mined production, over 85 percent of processing capacity, and over 90 percent of permanent magnet production.”

China’s power sector makes up the lion’s share of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, but rising methane emissions from rice farming and livestock, nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizers, and CO2 from food transport could all hinder China’s progress toward its 2060 carbon neutrality goal. Chinese policymakers could rein in agri-food emissions by modifying existing climate plans and policies. Climate-smart agriculture is not only a mitigation strategy, but also an adaptation strategy to intensifying extreme weather events like heatwaves and typhoons.