Ottawa, Canada | THE INDEPENDENT | Negotiators from about 175 countries are meeting in the Canadian Capital Ottawa to forge an international treaty to regulate plastics. The conference in Canada is the fourth in the round of negotiations since the governments backed by scientific evidence agreed to develop an international treaty to …
Read More »A few hours of spiking air pollution ‘raises death risk
The majority of these were in Asia and Africa, and more than a fifth occurred in urban areas Kampala, Uganda | DANN OKOTH | More than a million people die every year due to short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution, researchers say, with Asia accounting for almost two thirds …
Read More »Microplastics found in Nile River’s tilapia fish: new study
This all has serious implications for human health, as people catch and eat the fish Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Nile is one of the world’s most famous rivers. It’s also Africa’s most important freshwater system. About 300 million people live in the 11 countries it flows through. Many …
Read More »From plastic pollution to objects of beauty
Gad Niyomukunzi makes plastics beautiful decorations and cleans up local rivers ARTS | BIRD AGENCY | It was the fishermen who finally pushed Gad Niyomukunzi to act. He had been noticing the build-up of plastic bottles in streams in the city he calls home, for years. But when the fishermen of Lake …
Read More »Experts warn of dangers of Air Pollution Levels to unborn babies
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Experts at Makerere University Lung Institute have warned that exposure to air pollution by pregnant women is catastrophic to their unborn babies. Speaking to URN in an interview just after the institute launched results of a study which found very high levels of air pollution …
Read More »Bunyoro Kingdom tasks oil companies on plastic pollution
Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom has tasked oil companies operating in the region to put in place policies to ensure the conservation, and protection of the environment especially the fight against plastic pollution. Phillip Katahoire, the Kingdom’s Minister for External Relations says that the disposal, …
Read More »Air pollution in Africa
It presents a risk of premature death in fast-growing cities NEWS ANALYSIS | KARN VOHRA & ELOISE MARAIS | Ten more African cities have signed on to the C40 Clean Air Cities Declaration to improve air quality. C40 is an international group of mayors collaborating to make cities more environmentally …
Read More »Tobacco industry worsening global pollution, deforestation: Expert
Mexico city, Mexico | Xinhua | The tobacco industry and tobacco consumption are exacerbating soil, air and water pollution, along with deforestation, according to one expert. “The tobacco industry is one of the main causes of global deforestation, since it cuts down trees to create an area for tobacco plants, which …
Read More »Uganda’s air quality index unknown: Health ministry
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats to human health, alongside climate change Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | While the World Health Organization-WHO warns of catastrophic health consequences arising from the fact that more than 90% of the people across the globe are breathing in bad air, it …
Read More »Unclear laws hinder implementation of kavera ban: Study
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda must ratify and apply international agreements on the environment to boost its efforts to eliminate plastic waste. Uganda spends Shillings 10 billion annually to clear drainages of plastic waste according to a study. This follows 15 years of attempting to ban the production, importation, …
Read More »