greenhumans

China is producing renewable energy at an extraordinary pace, but its electricity grid is struggling to absorb everything that solar and wind farms are generating. In the first six months of 2026, China reportedly had to turn away around 360 terawatt-hours of clean electricity, about 49% more than during the same period last year—an amount […]

Along Japan’s tsunami-prone northeastern coast, communities are turning to trees as another line of defence against future disasters. The Chinju no Mori Project has planted around 680,000 trees over the past 14 years, including more than 12,000 trees planted by over 1,000 volunteers in Minamisoma, Fukushima, in June 2026. The idea comes from Japan’s traditional

Bangladesh is one of the world’s biggest jute producers, yet its famous “golden fibre” is steadily losing ground to cheap plastic and synthetic bags. The country introduced the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act in 2010, requiring 19 essential products—including rice, wheat, maize, fertiliser, sugar, potatoes and onions—to be packed and transported in jute sacks. But in

Sri Lanka’s heirloom rice is making a quiet comeback, bringing attention back to farming traditions that have been passed down for generations. These traditional varieties, known locally as “purana haal,” were once an important part of Sri Lankan agriculture, culture and food systems, but many were pushed aside by modern high-yield rice varieties. Today, around

Along the coastline around Freetown, Sierra Leone, mangroves are disappearing—and with them, an important source of food and income for communities that have depended on oyster harvesting for generations. For many women, collecting oysters is not just a traditional activity but a way to support their families and pay for everyday needs. Millicent Turay, who

The Rhine River has fallen to another record low, with the continuing heatwave and months of dry weather leaving one of Europe’s most important waterways struggling to carry normal levels of cargo. At Kaub in Germany, one of the river’s key shipping bottlenecks, water levels fell to just 6 centimetres on August 14, far below

China is facing another difficult summer of extreme weather, with floods, landslides and powerful typhoons affecting communities across the country. Recent disasters have already caused heavy loss of life. In Gansu province, flash floods triggered landslides that killed 25 people, while a mountain collapse in Chongqing killed another 51, bringing the reported death toll from

Hungary has taken an unusual emergency step to protect its Paks nuclear power plant, deliberately sinking two 80-metre barges in the Danube to raise the river level around the plant. The move comes after a historic drought pushed the Danube to record-low levels, leaving Paks struggling to get enough water for its cooling system. The

Mexico’s Caribbean coast is facing an extraordinary sargassum crisis, with huge amounts of the brown seaweed covering beaches across Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. In Quintana Roo, authorities have already removed more than 105,000 tonnes of sargassum in 2026, exceeding last year’s record of 92,783 tonnes. Earlier estimates suggested that around 119,000 tonnes could

Italy’s famous rice-growing region is facing a serious water crisis as drought and extreme heat leave farmers with far less water than they need. The country is Europe’s biggest rice producer, with around 235,000 hectares of rice planted in 2025, mainly across the northern provinces of Pavia, Vercelli and Novara. But this season, rivers, canals