Our Future Planet News

Equality in education: Creating a level playing field in formative years is vital, but many people are denied a fair education from the start.

Thursday, 11 March 2010 14:03

Our Future Planet analyses the situation.

Sadly, many of our planet’s children are still denied the right to a worthwhile education. This isn’t just happening in developing or disaster stricken countries. Developed nations are still failing to tackle poverty, gender inequality and racism.

And the obvious effect is a generation of disincentivised individuals already pushed to the margins of global society. Poor education impacts directly on minimised job opportunities, involvement in crime, drugs or high rates of child birth and mortality.

Stopping slavery: Slavery still exists, despite global efforts to end the practice.

Monday, 08 March 2010 21:52

Giles Crosse investigates how this can happen in today’s supposedly civilised world.

For people in developed countries, slavery may seem something from a previous century, or something that exists only at tribal levels in far flung territories.

But a harsher reality is the practice continues, if shrouded, in both developed and developing world societies. Within the EU, migrant workers, immigrants or asylum seekers sold into the sex trade from Eastern Europe into major Western cities represent a tip of the iceberg.

A Different View of China

Friday, 05 March 2010 11:49

by Simon Mollison

I am frequently reminded of how negatively China’s family planning policy is viewed by the rest of the world, even including many people who share our views. Having fairly recently had the good fortune to work for two years in a corner of rural China, I would like to offer a different perspective.

Damaging diversity: Cultural diversity is one of the key elements to taking humanity forwards.

Wednesday, 03 March 2010 18:18

Our Future Planet looks at ways to halt its decline.

Cultural diversity may not seem on the top of the hit list of greatest fears, compared with environment, climate change, conflict or education.

But in fact, it touches upon and impacts a strong force on all these drivers. Sustainable development, seen widely as today’s solution to the ills of the past, is impossible without richer diversity and growth.

Chain reaction: The nuclear debate is among the most pressing of our times.

Tuesday, 02 March 2010 10:31

Giles Crosse lines up the arguments.

Following the precautionary principle, avoiding the construction of more nuclear power stations worldwide is a sensible idea.

But this doesn’t hide the fact the planet is facing an energy crisis. While plenty of alternative and renewable sources of power exist, whether they can be adopted in sufficient time, or provide the true volumes required seems uncertain.