In The News

The World Bank will launch an international biotechnology initiative aimed at opening up policy possibilities for the use of genetically modified (GM) foods. The global initiative sits against the backdrop of environmental, social, and economic concerns regarding the role of GMs. Economically, the biotechnology proposition has found European consumer opposition, creating rifts in trade with the U...

Civil war has ravaged countries like Sierra Leone and Angola for decades. These conflicts, as much about money as about politics, often center around one of the African continent’s most precious resources: diamonds. Rebel groups often sell the gems to developed countries and use the profits to fund their fighting. After years of benefiting from the cheaper stones, Western governments, led by...

When a bag of charcoal fetches US$10 in the Middle East, and a full ship’s worth is valued at US$1 million, there is no wonder that charcoal is called Somalia’s “black gold.” But what might be good for individual citizens living in a war-torn county is hardly good for the country and its environment. The U.N. estimates that forestation in Somalia has shrunk from 14% of the land to 4% in a decade...