The GreenCrate Chronicles

Introduction For decades, the planet’s tropical forests - including those in Africa - have been celebrated as one of our most powerful natural defenses against climate change. By absorbing carbon dioxide (CO₂) during photosynthesis and storing it as biomass, they acted as “carbon sinks,” helping to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas levels. But a recent breakthrough study reveals a disturbing shift: Africa’s forests and woody savannas are now emitting more carbon than they absorb.  This reversal has massive implications - not only for Africa but for the entire world’s efforts to meet climate goals. In this article, we explore what the study found, why this shift happened, its consequences for global climate policy, and what must be done to reverse course. What the Science Says: Africa’s Forests Are Now a Carbon Source A new peer-reviewed study published in the journal Scientific Reports (November 2025) has documented a continent-wide shift in the carbon balance of African fo...

COP30: negotiators seal fragile deal - finance tripled but fossil-fuel phaseout absent A tense COP30 outcome boosts adaptation finance while leaving fossil fuel phase-out language unclear. 👉 Read more: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/cop30-talks-grind-into-overtime-eu-objects-proposed-deal-2025-11-22/ #COP30 #ClimateFinance #ClimatePolicy #COPOutcome #GreenCrate COP30 debrief - draft text drops fossil-fuel phaseout, sparks global push for roadmaps Analysis of the COP30 draft shows divergence over fossil fuels and renewed calls for roadmaps from the Global South. 👉 Read more: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/cop30-draft-deal-drops-effort-new-fossil-fuel-transition-agreement-2025-11-21/ #FossilFuelPhaseout #ClimateDiplomacy #GlobalSouth #PolicyDebate #GreenCrate COP30: UN warns world is losing the climate battle as fragile deal holds on. UN climate chief issues stark warning even as a fragile COP30 deal gives some momentum on adaptation funding. 👉 Read ...

  A new UK art exhibition visualises how the tech industry’s over-consumption could transform famous landscapes like Venice & the Giant’s Causeway by the end of the century. It may be art — but the warning is real: the tech sector now drives ~6% of human-induced climate change, twice aviation’s share. ➤ Read more: The Guardian   #GreenTech #ClimateCrisis #Ewaste #SustainableTech #ArtMeetsClimate #PlanetOverProfit #GreenCrate  A Louisiana judge has overturned the permit for a major LNG (liquefied natural gas) facility in Cameron Parish, ordering state regulators to review its climate and environmental justice impacts. A breakthrough moment for coastal communities facing extreme-weather and sea-level risks. ➤ Source: AP News #EnvironmentalJustice #FossilFuelExit #CoastalResilience #ClimateLaw #GreenPolicy #GreenCrate” The European Union is shifting strategy: instead of relying on the U.S. federal government, it will engage directly with U.S. states, local auth...

Every October 10, the world pauses to observe World Mental Health Day. This year, as global conversations grow louder, much of the noise still fails to reach those who need it most: the people in low-income countries for whom mental health is both taboo and impossibly distant. In many of these places, the mind’s wounds are invisible in policy and public consciousness, just as they are deeply felt in daily life. We need to ask: What is the true toll of mental suffering among poorer nations? Which systems are failing them, and what connects this suffering to sustainability, environmental burdens, and social justice? How are governments, NGOs, and corporations stepping in; and where are they falling short? The Invisible Burden: Mental Health & Poverty Mental health disorders - anxiety, depression, psychosis, trauma; are everywhere. But in low-income nations, stigma, silence, and scarcity swamp awareness. Cultural beliefs often frame these conditions as moral failings or spiritual ...