By Heidi McIlvenny, PhD Candidate, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast
The UK now protects 38% of its seas by law. Yet the government’s own assessment shows that our oceans are not thriving.
In April, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) published its latest assessment of the health of our seas: the UK marine strategy report.
Of the 15 components of ocean health assessed, only two clearly meet the standard…
(Full Story)
|
By Roger Fernandez-Urbano, Ramón y Cajal Research Fellow (Tenure-Track) Department of Sociology, Universitat de Barcelona
Maria Rubio-Cabañez, Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics, CED-CERCA, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Pablo Gracia, Professor Investigador en Sociologia, Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics, CED-CERCA, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
As social media becomes a central part of young people’s lives, concerns are growing about its impact on their mental health. Yet public debates and measures tend to treat adolescents as one homogeneous group. We frequently ignore the fact that social media use does not affect all young people in the same way – nor does it have the same impacts on their wellbeing.
In a recent chapter of the World…
(Full Story)
|
By Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Cambridge
Christelle Langley, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Cambridge
Fei Li, Professor of Pediatrics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Qiang Luo, Associate Principal Investigator of Neuroscience, Fudan University
For children with autism spectrum disorder and with an intellectual disability, the options for improving communication and social skills are limited.
Talking therapies and behavioural programmes can help some children develop these skills, but they depend on specialists who are in short supply – even in wealthy countries.
Around 30-35% of autistic children have an intellectual disability, according to research from…
(Full Story)
|
By Amnesty International
The First conference on Transitioning away from Fossil Fuels sent a strong political signal that the age of fossil fuels must end; this “coalition of the doers” must now turn their commitment into proactive international cooperation to pave the way for rights-based just transitions, Amnesty International said today after the end of the Santa Marta conference […] The post Santa Marta conference unlocks historic political momentum for just transitions that must translate into rights-centric action appeared first on Amnesty International. ]]>
(Full Story)
|
By Amnesty International
When silence becomes a crime: Ousmane B.* “More than a dozen journalists I know have been harassed and threatened, even to the point of being abducted or arrested. Every time I’ve spoken out in support of a colleague who was abducted, I’ve been told, ‘You’ll be next’. I’ve received threats of physical assault, arrest, and […] The post Meet three journalists from the Central Sahel who have been silenced by military authorities: “We’re in a dark hole” appeared first on Amnesty International. ]]>
(Full Story)
|
By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University
Only the federal government can fix the problems created by the Job-ready Graduates scheme. Ahead of the budget on May 12, it shows no interest in doing that.
(Full Story)
|
By Tina Soliman-Hunter, Professor of Energy and Natural Resources Law, Macquarie University
Oil is once again making headlines.
This week, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) made the shock decision to leave the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
OPEC is network of oil-producing nations formed in 1960 with the aim of stabilising oil prices in ways that reduce competition and increase profits for member states.
In the decades since, OPEC has…
(Full Story)
|
By Keiran Hardy, Associate Professor, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University
More akin to an intelligence review, the 14 recommendations in the interim report might help government agencies, but don’t yet reckon with the biggest questions.
(Full Story)
|
By Mehreen Ashraf, Lecturer in the Future of Work and Responsible AI, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University
For many people, the rollout of smart technology across the UK’s road network has been clouded by fears about the removal of traffic-free safety lanes. Traditionally, motorway hard shoulders offered motorists a safe haven into which they could steer stricken vehicles.
But amid growing traffic numbers, the rationale for smart motorways (part of the UK government’s wider
(Full Story)
|
By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Perhaps no one should be surprised the report leaves a lot unsaid. The decision to have this report was a case of putting the cart before the horse.
(Full Story)
|