Author: EcoLife

    A city that thinks for you: inside the AI-powered future of Dubai’s Sustainable City 2.0

    A new wave of sustainable urban design is taking shape in the UAE, and the developer behind Dubai’s original Sustainable City has announced plans for a more ambitious, AI-integrated successor: The Sustainable City 2.0. Under the plan, drones will take to the skies, while residents receive health updates and personal training from AI bots and self-driving vehicles navigate […]

    Ditching fossil fuels would improve energy security for most countries, new research finds
    13 Apr 2025

    Trade-related risks to energy security decline on average by 19 per cent in net-zero scenarios. A pivot from fossil fuels to clean energy by 2060 would improve energy security and reduce trade risks for most nations, according to a new study. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earth minerals are among the prized materials for […]

    Anti-anxiety drugs that have polluted waterways alter behaviour of young salmon, study finds

    Young salmon are more likely to carry out what are deemed as risk-taking behaviours, such as separating from the shoal, when exposed to levels of an anti-anxiety drug similar to those found in waterways because of pollution, research indicates. Involving a drug called clobazam, which pollutes many rivers, the findings from scientists in Sweden highlight the wide-ranging effects on […]

    Hundreds of millions will flee homes if soil degradation continues, new report warns
    11 Apr 2025

    Time is running out to reduce the degradation of Earth’s soil and, without urgent action, the forced migration of people as a result is estimated to soar, a new report said. Warning that “soil degradation is a critical and often overlooked threat multiplier,” the Save Soil non-profit organisation highlighted that when agricultural productivity was hit, […]

    UAE to address critical environmental challenges at IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025
    10 Apr 2025

    An international conservation event in Abu Dhabi is set to focus on boosting environmental action and ways to change economies to support nature. The International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress 2025, taking place from October 9 to 15 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is expected to draw more than 10,000 participants […]

    Oxygen is running low in inland waters, and humans are to blame

    Rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs aren’t just scenic parts of our landscape — they’re also vital engines for life on Earth. These inland waters ‘breathe’ oxygen, just like we do. But a new study led by Utrecht University researchers shows that we’ve been suffocating them during the last century, an era also known as the […]

    Eight countries in Europe use renewables for more than half of their heating and cooling needs
    08 Apr 2025

    District heating networks help Nordic and Baltic countries top the list, while many major economies are lagging behind. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to underscore the importance of energy security. Renewables play a key role in strengthening that security and diversifying energy sources. The share of renewables has been rising across Europe, but it is […]

    Researchers recycle wind turbine blade materials to make improved plastics
    07 Apr 2025

    A new method to recycle wind turbine blades without using harsh chemicals resulted in the recovery of high-strength glass fibers and resins that allowed Washington State University researchers to re-purpose the materials to create stronger plastics. The innovation provides a simple and environmentally friendly way to recycle wind turbine blades to create useful products. Reporting […]

    Carbon capture could become practical with scalable, affordable materials
    06 Apr 2025

    Researchers at Northwestern University have expanded the potential of carbon capture technology that plucks CO2 directly from the air by demonstrating that there are multiple suitable and abundant materials that can facilitate direct air capture. In a paper to be published on Thursday (April 3) in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the Northwestern researchers present […]

    Beryl, Helene and Milton join list of nearly 100 hurricane names so deadly they won’t be repeated
    05 Apr 2025

    The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was the ninth in a row with above average activity, the WMO says. Hurricanes Helene, Milton and Beryl caused so much destruction last year that their names are being retired. The World Meteorological Organization on Wednesday officially replaced the names of the trio of 2024 storms that killed more than […]