NEWSROOM
Cattail reeds could save sinking Sacramento islands
Scientists from the US Geological Survey are growing cattails and tules – reeds native to California – to fortify islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The islands, which are made of fertile peat soil, are sinking due to extreme weather and over-farming. Safeguarding the ecosystem, which is protected against saltwater by levees, is critical to ensuring fresh water supply from the delta to farms and cities in the south. The project, which has also been found to be a natural carbon sink, is due to expand, and farmers across the delta will be paid to grow cattails and tules by firms seeking to meet state greenhouse-gas limits. According to scientists involved in the research, the reed plots capture two to three times as much carbon as other natural green spaces like marshes and forests.
West Bank and Gaza factions form unity government
After 17 years of dispute, Palestinian factions including rivals Hamas and Fatah have agreed to form an interim national unity government, in a deal brokered by China. The Beijing Declaration was signed in China’s capital on 23 July and follows failed efforts by Egypt and other Arab countries to reconcile Hamas and Fatah. While no timeline has been set, the deal marks a first step towards a single government voice for Palestinian people. It is a further diplomatic success for China in the region, following a peace deal between longstanding regional foes Saudi Arabia and Iran last year.
UK first European country to approve lab-grown meat – for pets
The UK will become the first European country to sell lab-grown meat, following approval for British startup Meatly. The company makes cell-based chicken as pet food. Once heavily hyped, lab-based meat has struggled to attract long-term investment, with reticence to grant permission for human consumption hampering growth across the EU. Founders are now looking to Asia and the US, where regulatory regimes are more relaxed, though sales remain modest.
Leading HIV drug saves as much carbon as emitted by whole of Geneva in a decade
World-leading HIV drug Dolutegravir has reduced carbon emissions by 26mn tonnes compared to its predecessor, as much as is emitted by the Swiss city of Geneva over a decade. Since entering mass production, Dolutegravir has become the preferred treatment for more than 100 low-and-middle-income countries and is used by 24mn people worldwide. Using fewer active ingredients – 650mg compared to 1200mg – has reduced carbon emissions by a factor of 2.6. This is the first study to compare the carbon footprints of two similar medications, reflecting what the researchers call “the first large-scale effort to decarbonise health products”. The production of medicines in believed to account for a little over 1% of global greenhouse-gas emissions.
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