FT RETHINK
Circular, lean, inclusive and clean focuses on the people, technology, strategies and systems moving us from an economy that is wasteful, idle, lopsided and dirty towards one that is circular, lean, inclusive and clean
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Can sustainable aviation fuel clean up flying?
Sustainable aviation fuel can reduce emissions from flying by up to 80 per cent. The FT’s Myles McCormick looks at whether production of SAF can be scaled, and how long it will take.
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Is a sustainable electronics industry possible?
Over the past decade, tech has become an indispensable companion in our lives.
Recycling the world’s hard drive waste
Wiping, instead of shredding discarded hard drives for data protection could save valuable resources but companies are reluctant to do it.
Planetary Boundaries: What are they and why shouldn't we cross them?
Michael Urban, Chief Sustainability Strategist for the Lombard Odier Group explains the nine planetary boundaries we live within, how they interact with each other, and what could happens when we cross them.
Are we too obsessed with our personal carbon footprints?
The FT’s Simon Mundy argues that intense debates about personal behaviour when it comes to climate action may be crowding out some more important questions. But what can we do about it?
Farmbots bring precision to the business of food production
By nurturing crops on a plant by plant basis, new technology can cut chemical use and boost yields
How tech is being used to keep fisheries in line
Pick up an Austral Fisheries toothfish loin in the supermarket, scan the barcode on the back of the packet, and you’ll be able to follow every step in the fish’s journey from deep ocean to shop shelf.
Nuclear is back in vogue. But what about its waste?
With more than 50 reactors being built around the world, nuclear power is undergoing a revival. But the question of how to deal with lethal radioactive waste hasn’t gone away.
Racing against the clock to decarbonise the planet
Two companies are on a mission in Iceland to find a technological solution to the elusive problem of capturing and storing carbon dioxide.
Into the Heart of the Amazon
How should investors think about nature? What can we learn from indigenous cultures about our approach to markets?
Can plastic-eating enzymes solve the recycling problem?
Less than 10 per cent of the man-made material is currently reused but a new technology is set to create a more circular economy
Can green hydrogen really help heavy industry to decarbonise?
Industries like steelmaking need to decarbonise dramatically. Could switching from fossil fuels to green hydrogen be the solution?
How to feed 10bn people in a sustainable way
How to feed 10bn people in a sustainable way
Water: too precious to be just another commodity?
In California and Australia investors can now bet on the cost of water. But is the liquid that’s essential to life really just another commodity?
How ‘Fitbits for cows’ can tackle the antibiotic crisis
Monitoring the health of cattle lowers the use of drugs — and the risk of bacterial resistance to them
Saving nature: why 2022 is key for biodiversity
A global effort aims to conserve and harness biodiversity over the next decade
Will the Ukraine war help or hinder attempts to reach net zero?
Optimism was high following the COP26 summit, but will the war in Ukraine prove to be a long-term setback when it comes to net zero goals, or an incentive to create a greener world?
Can we save the world’s forests?
Every year, the world loses millions of hectares of forest. Moves to combat deforestation are being made, but how effective are they?
Rethink Sustainability explores the spread of sustainable practises into urban systems, food systems, financial systems and supply chains
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Falling wind speeds could affect green energy strategy
By 2100, average annual wind speeds could drop by up to 10 per cent, but what impact might that have on the world’s transition to renewable energy?
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Biodiversity: the risks of living outside nature’s boundaries
From bacteria to blue whales and from fungi to flowers, the loss of Earth’s biodiversity and the subsequent damage to our ecosystem is one of the top ten dangers facing society today.
Decarbonisation: plotting the path to net zero
There is limited time left to reduce emission levels and mitigate climate change risks, but the path to net zero will bring with it significant investment opportunities
Precision Agriculture - Farming for the future
Digital solutions could be the key to producing more food while protecting the environment
A world without waste: how gold mining is going green
Recycling precious metals and minerals from used electronics can help make today's consumption patterns more environmentally sustainable.
Sponge Cities - Smart cities for the future
It seems inevitable, in the short-term at least, that Wuhan will be remembered most widely outside of China as the city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak.
The pandemic will forever transform how we live
From homeworking to healthcare, Covid-19 has forced society to adapt in ways that should endure
Can we turn the tide of plastic packaging?
The consumer movement against plastic food and beverage packaging is gathering momentum, and companies are beginning to respond.
Coronavirus could help push us into a greener way of life
For all its horror, the pandemic may change our habits when nothing else could
Warrior accountants: leading the green revolution?
When it comes to green issues, many of us assume it’s activists and campaigners who will change the world. But the FT’s Gillian Tett believes that as the responsible investing business continues to grow, so too will the need for financial transparency and
High-hanging fruit?: Feeding cities with vertical farming
By 2050, 68% of the global population is expected to live in cities and eat 80% of food produced. Unless we find a way to grow food within or near cities, the ecological footprint of feeding the masses could be devastating.
Alternative meat industry moves beyond the burger
Cell- and plant-based meat start-ups are developing ‘cuts’ of steak and chicken
Eco-friendly tech that uses natural and recycled materials
Five sustainable gadgets for the kitchen and the living room, designed with the wellbeing of the planet in mind
The digital technologies transforming the supply chain
Whether they’re tracking the origin of valuable assets or allowing consumers to discover more about the sustainability of their purchases, digital technologies are making the supply chain ever more efficient, and transparent.
Can you swallow the idea of lab-grown meat?
The notion of ‘growing’ a steak in a test tube sounds like science fiction. But our food habits change
The growing problem of e-waste
Globally, we produce 50m tonnes of toxic electronic waste every year — and the UK is one of the worst offenders
The Devil wears sustainable nylon
Lorenzo Bertelli oversees bags made from recycled fabric after joining family group
Can we break our addiction to plastic? The future of packaging.
Roughly a quarter of the 348 million tons of annual plastic production worldwide now goes into packaging, according to Plastics Europe and UK conservation charity the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, making it the single biggest use of the material
Sustainability Revolution takes a look into every aspect of life and business – from healthcare to data management, transport and energy
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Climate change and the migrant caravan
Thousands of Central Americans are trying to flee to the United States in what’s become known as the migrant caravan. Many are escaping violence and extortion, but climate change is also playing a part.
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Can we build smarter people using AI?
Theoretical neuroscientist and entrepreneur Vivienne Ming believes that AI and what she calls “augmented intelligence” mean we’ll eventually have people who are artificially smarter than others.
Why women should invest in women
Men dominate the venture capital scene. A recent UK study found that less than one per cent of venture capital goes to businesses founded by women.
The rise of the #MeOnly society
People are living longer and children have always been expected to look after their parents in old age. But the FT’s Roger Blitz is convinced individuals are becoming more self-centred and less interested in the family.
Dinner is printed: is 3D technology the future of food?
Culinary 3D printing is new and rather niche but it could be an answer to some of the food industry's biggest challenges.
What If I don't Buy A House...Ever?
Whilst the traditional home ownership model is no longer viable for many, it hasn’t dampened the appetite for city centre living, nor impacted the growing desire for a smaller environmental footprint.
How cities can heal themselves
As urbanisation accelerates and infrastructure decays, researchers are working out how cities can heal themselves. As the FT’s Nikou Asgari explains, they are carrying out tests on materials that repair themselves and an army of maintenance robots that ca
Will gene editing increase inequality?
A Chinese scientist claims to have created the world’s first genome-edited babies, but won't this cause more inequality in society?
Deep-sea mining: vital resource or environmental disaster?
Chief Economist of Lombard Odier Samy Chaar shares his diagnosis for Europe's economy ""We're not going to run the marathon tomorrow, but we're doing ok"".
A Diagnosis for Europe
Chief Economist of Lombard Odier Samy Chaar shares his diagnosis for Europe's economy ""We're not going to run the marathon tomorrow, but we're doing ok"".
Hotels in fifty shades of green
Who wants to worry about taking care of the environment when they’re on holiday? No one, according to Xenia zu Hohenlohe, partner at Considerate Group, which is which is why she thinks hotels should do the job for their guests.
The west’s new recycling challenge
At the end of 2017, China banned virtually all materials for recycling. Before that, it took about 60 per cent of the plastic waste exported by G7 countries.
Should we be frightened of AI?
Could computers ever replicate humans and take over the world? It’s unlikely, according to leading neuroscientist David Eagleman, largely because what it means to be human is constantly evolving.
What If?
An investor with ownership in a large forest faces numerous choices, ranging from farming the land, to building houses, to simply selling all the wood
The internet is broken - people could die
The internet has rapidly become an indispensable tool, but the FT’s Hannah Kuchler thinks it is seriously flawed and in urgent need of repair.
The scorpion-milking robot: extracting the poison that cures
Since ancient Rome animal poisons have been used to heal rather than harm the human body. Scorpion venom can be used to help detect and cure diseases, but milking scorpions by hand is a time-consuming and dangerous process.
Blockchain in the Silicon Savannah
One of the most innovative blockchain and cryptocurrency hubs on the planet right now is in Nairobi, Kenya.
Is technology controlling you?
We may think we’re in control of our technology but the FT’s Rana Foroohar believes it may be controlling us. A recent study found that 4 in 10 Americans are suffering from addictive behaviour linked to their phones.
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