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Tackling the water crisis will be just as hard as it sounds
More than 2 billion people around the world lack what the UN considers “safely managed drinking water supplies,” and millions of people across the United States—as much as a quarter of the country, by some estimates—drink water contaminated beyond legal levels.
- Categories
- Environment, WASH
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Ranking: These publicly traded companies are doing the most to help prevent climate change
The ranking, called the Carbon Clean 200, is updated every six months. The difference this time is that the ranking has broadened its definition of carbon-free.
- Categories
- Environment
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The Winds of Change: Mobilizing Microfinance for Climate Change Resilience
Though the world is slowly taking action on climate change, much of the debate still focuses on mitigation. In fact, adaptation – becoming resilient to the changes to come – is equally important, say Daniel Rozas and Sam Mendelson at e-MFP. They explore how the financial inclusion industry can help vulnerable communities develop resilience to the disruptions of climate change, and to adapt to permanently changed environments. This year’s European Microfinance Award aims to inspire the sector to make this fundamental shift – interested providers can apply for the €100,000 award until April 9, 2019.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
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Press release: Investor initiative chooses ideas that will mobilize investment for sustainable cities, energy access, blue carbon, and sustainable agriculture in developing countries
The new ideas target four areas where accelerated investment for climate adaptation and mitigation is urgent: sustainable cities, energy access, blue carbon in coastal & marine ecosystems, and sustainable agriculture for smallholder farmers in West & Central Africa.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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Why Sustainable Food is Key to Impact Investing in China
Tao Zhang founded one of China’s first impact investing vehicles for environmental SMEs, with a focus on the industrial sector. But he realized that there's a pressing environmental issue brewing at the consumer level – a demand for animal products increasing in tandem with rising incomes, bringing greater greenhouse gas emissions and health disparities. Zhang shares how his Dao Ventures consortium is making consumers part of the solution by partnering with other impact finance entities to boost the availability of – and appetite for – alternative protein sources.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing
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Report: Biodiversity crisis: Technological advances in agriculture are not a sufficient response
Rapid population and economic growth are destroying biodiversity. A growing demand for agricultural products requires ever new cultivated areas. Even though technological advances are making agriculture more efficient, the growing population makes up for these successes. Effective nature conservation needs concepts against population growth and for sustainable consumption.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Technology
- Tags
- agtech
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Coffee, Cocoa, and the Cutting Edge
Deforestation is threatening crop diversity and jeopardizing the livelihoods of millions of poor small farmers around the world. But innovative technologies and better access to financing can help farmers to counter some of these risks.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Finance, Technology
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Why Health Benefits Could Drive Customer Value for Solar Lighting and Clean Cookstoves
Solar lighting and improved cookstoves have multiple benefits. But according to a new FINCA International survey of end-users in Uganda, the benefits customers value most involve the products' perceived contributions to a cleaner, healthier household. Scott Graham and Anahit Tevosyan at FINCA explore how highlighting these benefits can help product manufacturers and distributors – and the donors and investors who support them – to strengthen the uptake and usage of off-grid products.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment