Other – Page 2 – Global South Policy Review

Climate crisis on track to destroy capitalism, warns top insurer

Damian Carrington

The climate crisis is on track to destroy capitalism, a top insurer has warned, with the vast cost of extreme weather impacts leaving the financial sector unable to operate.
The world is fast approaching temperature levels where insurers will no longer be able to offer cover for many climate risks, said Günther Thallinger, on the board of Allianz SE, one of the world’s biggest insurance companies. He said that without insurance, which is already being pulled in some places, many other financial services become unviable, from mortgages to investments.

Why Recycling Still Matters in 2025

Deepa Sai

Recycling is not just a stopgap—it’s crucial for a circular economy and climate action. It is not merely about sorting trash; it’s a systemic solution to some of the world’s pressing challenges.
The World Bank warns that global waste could surge by 70% by 2050 if we don’t change our practices. Each time we recycle, we reclaim precious materials—metals, plastics, paper—that help reduce our dependence on virgin resources.

Hidden Costs of Going Green- the Issues with Ethical Energy Transition

Deepa Sai

The global dash to green energy is not so green after all. We are uncovering the geopolitics and dark sides of the renewable energy transition while countries race to become the next Green powers.

The world is at a critical juncture, urgently needing to combat climate change—a reality that many experts now label a climate emergency. Countries are racing to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources—like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power—because this shift is more urgent than ever. While Big Oil advocates are still aggressive about their ‘drill-baby-drill’ campaigns, there is a hidden race to be the next Green Superpower (especially with nuclear at the hinge).

Greenwashing: Indian govt unveils new guidelines to rein in misleading ‘eco-friendly’ ads

Dhirendra Kumar

Under new regulations, companies must back their environmental claims with credible evidence. Misleading advertising could result in fines or imprisonment, as the government pushes against greenwashing to ensure truthful marketing.

Companies using terms such as ‘eco-friendly’, ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ in their advertisements must substantiate their claims and include adequate qualifiers and disclosures under a new law against greenwashing.

Minimizing Environmental Impact in Solar Panel Production and Disposal: Towards a Sustainable Lifecycle

Saur Energy Team

As we celebrate the growth of renewable energy, particularly solar, we must also address the environmental footprint left by the very technologies that propel this transition. Solar energy is undeniably central to a sustainable future, but the environmental impact of producing and disposing of solar panels must not be overlooked. We believe that a responsible, sustainable approach to solar panel production and disposal can significantly enhance the industry’s long-term environmental benefits.

Why Women Risk Losing Out in Shift to Green Jobs

Stefania Fabrizio

Closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) would accelerate the green transition while making it more inclusive.

Men hold about 70% of the world’s polluting jobs, so one might think that they have most to lose from the transition to cleaner energy. After all, they risk finding themselves out of work as countries close down dirty industries in a push to decarbonize and reach net-zero emission targets.

Yet our analysis shows that women are also at risk of losing out over the course of the transition. That’s because too few women study STEM subjects that are vital to the green jobs of the future.

Championing Clean Air: Our Shared Responsibility

Jane Clifford

A breath of fresh air is hard to find. More than 99 percent of the world’s population now breathes unhealthy air, and poor air quality is linked to 1 in 8 deaths globally. In low- and middle-income countries, the statistics are worse. India had a staggering 99 of the top 100 worst polluted cities in the world in 2019, and populations in South Asia and Africa face the highest burden of disease related to air quality. Air pollution has ripple effects on everything from health, to economic growth, to the climate crisis.

Sustainability in the Global South Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All: Here’s Why

Jana Rué Glutting

The circular economy, a crucial means to an end to achieve sustainable development, offers an opportunity to change the way we live and work. It provides a pathway to live within our planet’s limits by making the concept of ‘waste’ obsolete, and drastically lowering emissions and material use. While the idea behind a circular economy is not new, it’s growing in popularity: circular economy strategies, action plans and agendas are increasingly making their way into policy and business strategies.

The digital revolution could unlock a green transformation of the global economy

Dr Dirk Messner

Life has changed almost beyond recognition in the last few decades. Artificial intelligence (AI) has substituted entire job fields – intelligent software can now review legal documents, a job which was previously only carried out by lawyers. Machine learning means technical systems can pull together entire libraries of information in a single handheld device. Virtual spaces now exist where people from all over the world can share, connect and chat instantly.
In 2019, it’s clear that digital innovations will continue to change society and the economy, but it’s uncertain whether these new technologies will benefit the global transformation to sustainability. Will digital technologies allow everyone to live in a world where their development isn’t dependent on exhausting finite resources and increasing emissions?

Climate Justice in the Context of the Global South

Nat Kelly

Millions of people in low- and middle-income countries will soon face the extreme effects of climate change – repercussions they had very little hand in creating. Described as the “biggest threat to public health” we will face this century, climate change will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, who mostly reside in Global South nations.
Much of MDPI’s research is dedicated to climate justice and the issues surrounding this concept.

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