Conventional wisdom says globalization has been bad for the environment, and that backing away from it could mitigate serious harm. But taking a deeper look at the issue, Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor and Binyam Afewerk Demena come to a surprising conclusion. According to their findings, moving toward “deglobalization” could in fact cause other kinds of environmental damage.
Elsewhere, our experts investigate the truth about Western bombing in Syria, the danger that awaits sea turtles once they make it off the beach, and the lucrative trade in unproven traditional medicine.
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While some argue globalization has been bad for the environment, the move towards deglobalization could spell serious trouble for climate. This photo from 2014 shows smoke streams from the chimneys of a coal-fired power station in Germany.
(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor, University of Guelph; Binyam Afewerk Demena, International Institute of Social Studies
Some experts argue globalization has been bad for the environment. But moving away from globalization could have other consequences that could be even more devastating for the environment.
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Environment + Energy
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Pamela T. Plotkin, Texas A&M University
During sea turtle nesting season, scientists collect data and assess how turtles are doing. But they know less about how plastic pollution, fishing and warming oceans are affecting turtle numbers.
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Health + Medicine
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Ajay Patel, Manchester Metropolitan University
India's Food Safety and Standards Authority needs to get a grip of unproven claims about the health benefits of certain products.
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Jackson Thomas, University of Canberra; Erin Walker, University of Canberra; Gregory Peterson, University of Tasmania; Mark Naunton, University of Canberra
Each year, 500,000 people die of malaria annually, a preventable disease. Most of them children in Africa, where many anti-malarial drugs are fake or substandard.
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Politics + Society
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Moha Ennaji, Université Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah
Conservative segments of Moroccan society, have blocked women from inheriting.
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Craig Jones, Newcastle University
A recent intervention by the US, the UK and France is only part of a far broader – and deadlier – campaign.
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Ryan Powell, University of Sheffield
New research among well-off Roma families in Romania shows how widespread prejudice against them is.
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Science + Technology
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Nikk Effingham, University of Birmingham
All the proofs in the world won't change a convinced flat earther's mind.
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