Things aren't as bad as they seem.

Researchers at South Korea's KIGAM institute converted spent coffee grounds — at 55% moisture, no drying needed — into high-grade biochar in 90 seconds using flame plasma pyrolysis. The resulting fuel matches anthracite coal in energy output at 29.0 MJ/kg, and the process produces almost no smoke, tar,

Wet coffee grounds become clean solid fuel in 90 seconds flat

Wet coffee grounds become clean solid fuel in 90 seconds flat

22.06.2026

Heading layer

Wet coffee grounds become clean solid fuel in 90 seconds flat

17.06.2026

Solar cold storage cuts food waste and raises farmers’ income by 50%

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that up to 40% of food produced in Africa is lost between harvest and market. Solar-powered cold rooms, rented on a pay-per-use basis, are changing that: provider Soko Fresh reports cutting spoilage rates from 50% to under 2%, while farmers earn up to 50% more per kilogram sold.

17.06.2026

California’s first 8-hour grid battery doubles clean power storage

A 125-megawatt battery installation in Kern County, California, went live on June 1 as the first grid-scale storage facility in the US capable of discharging for eight hours straight — double the four-hour industry standard. Built with lithium-ion phosphate cells, it can absorb solar power during the day and supply the grid through most of the night.

17.06.2026

WasteBar swaps litter for pancakes at Dutch festivals

A food truck in the Netherlands is turning cigarette butts into currency, offering poffertjes, drinks and fruit in exchange for collected litter. Since launching in 2022, WasteBar has appeared at more than 50 events and gathered over 500,000 cigarette butts while encouraging people to see waste as something that can be removed, valued and discussed.

17.06.2026

How a tiny blue gecko staged a comeback in Tanzania’s forests

Once driven toward collapse by the pet trade, Tanzania’s turquoise dwarf gecko is recovering after international trade was banned and local conservation efforts expanded. Communities around Kimboza Forest Reserve have removed nearly 100,000 invasive trees, cut forest fires by about 80%, and restored habitat critical to the species’ survival.

17.06.2026

Russian dandelions emerge as a new source of natural rubber

As climate-driven weather extremes, disease, and rising demand strain global rubber supplies, researchers are revisiting a plant first used during World War II. Russian dandelions grow in temperate regions, need little water or pesticides, and can be cultivated without deforestation. A project in Norwich aims to produce 3,000 tonnes of rubber annually.

15.06.2026

A whole different kind of soccer World Cup is happening in South Africa

Wakati Kombe la Dunia la wanaume linavyovutia umakini wa dunia nzima, mashindano tofauti lakini ya ushindani sawa yanakua katika mji mdogo wa Afrika Kusini: Grannies International Football Tournament, ambayo umri wa chini wa kucheza ni miaka 50. Yaliyoanza kama mpango wa afya wa ndani kwa wanawake, mwaka 2025 yaliwakusanya timu kutoka nchi saba — ikiwemo Marekani, Ufaransa, Togo, Kenya, Msumbiji, Zambia na Afrika Kusini.

15.06.2026

Uganda’s Green Daddy turns Afropop into climate classroom

Born in Nateete, a Kampala suburb damaged by illegal wetland construction, singer Green Daddy watched his neighborhood flood and responded with action. He opened a kindergarten three years ago where children learn to clean streets, drain stagnant water, and plant trees — then carries the same message onto Uganda's stages with upbeat tracks about plastic waste and tree planting.

15.06.2026

Wärtsilä’s 13,000-hp hydrogen engine powers Spain’s grid

The Finnish energy company has run its Wärtsilä 31H2 — a bus-sized, 13,000-horsepower piston engine — on pure hydrogen at its test facility in Bermeo, on Spain's Basque coast, feeding the output directly into the national grid. It is the first time a large-scale combustion engine has run on 100% hydrogen at grid level, with no natural gas in the mix.

15.06.2026

France places 157,000 hectares of forest under stronger protection

France announced seven new biological reserves and two expansions, adding 157,000 hectares to its protected forest network. The vast majority lies in French Guiana, a territory of France in South America. The move advances the country's goal of placing 10% of its land under strong protection by 2030, targeting an additional 250,000 hectares total.

15.06.2026

Naples ring road becomes Italy’s first certified smart road

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15.06.2026

Kenya offers free skin cancer checks for people with albinism

On International Albinism Awareness Day, Kenya organized free cancer screenings for people with the condition — a rare genetic disorder that leaves skin highly vulnerable to sunlight. Because regular screening is essential to catch early signs of cancer, access without cost makes a direct difference for a community that faces both medical and social discrimination.

12.06.2026

Brazil cuts Amazon deforestation by 23% in a year

Driven by stronger enforcement and satellite monitoring, deforestation in Brazil's Amazon fell 23.5% in 2025 compared to 2024, with a 21% nationwide drop. On Indigenous lands, clear-cutting hit its lowest level since 2016 — though increases on some territories show the gains remain uneven.

12.06.2026

Kenyan riders are choosing electric motorcycles

With fuel prices rising by more than 20% following the Middle East conflict, electric motorcycle sales in Kenya jumped by over 40%, and riders are saving money every day, making the investment worthwhile in no time. 93% of Kenya's electricity comes from renewables; the switch cuts both costs and import dependence.

12.06.2026

A jacket that pulls drinking water from the air

Researchers have developed jackets made of a fabric that can harvest moisture from ambient air and channel it into detachable units, producing 400 to 900 milliliters of drinkable water per day. The same textile could be adapted for use in backpacks or tents for emergency responders and remote use.

12.06.2026

Battery “bath” restores 95% power and cuts recycling costs

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12.06.2026

Maasai women build income by farming drought-resistant grass

When prolongued droughts made it difficult to keep livestock in Tanzania, Maasai women in Monduli and Longido districts started growing resilient grasses to sell as animal feed, shifting their role from dependents to economic providers. Herding families also benefit during drought periods, when natural grazing disappears, and these managed plots become a lifeline for livestock.

12.06.2026

Barcelona expands climate shelters for hotter summers

As heat waves become more frequent, Barcelona has built a network of climate shelters in libraries, schools, parks, and civic centers where residents can cool down during extreme temperatures. The city now offers hundreds of shelters within a short walk of most homes, giving access to existing indoor and outdoor public spaces that offer shade and water and reduce heat-related health risks.

10.06.2026

Kenya secures Africa’s first Santiago Network climate support grant

Kenya has become the first African country — and only the second globally — to receive technical assistance through the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, a UN mechanism established in 2019. The $700,000 package will fund a ten-year assessment of economic and non-economic climate losses with projections extending to 2035.