Category Archives: Analysis

Red gold: the rise and fall of West Africa’s palm oil empire

For thousands of years, the oil palm – indigenous to West Africa – has had an intimate relationship with people. An explosive expansion of oil palm groves throughout western and central Africa in the wake of a dry period around 2,500 years ago enabled human migration and agricultural development; in turn, humans facilitated oil palm propagation through seed dispersal and slash-and-burn agriculture.

Australia’s education system is one of the most unequal in the OECD. But we know how to help fix it

According to UNICEF, Australia ranks in the bottom third of OECD countries in providing equitable access to quality education. This means our education system – from access to early childhood education to expectations for study after school – does not allow every student to enjoy the same benefits that come from schooling.

Disaster news on TV and social media can trigger post-traumatic stress in kids thousands of miles away – here’s why some are more vulnerable

When disasters strike, the flood of images on TV and social media can have a powerful psychological impact on children – whether those children are physically in the line of danger or watching from thousands of miles away.

Net zero: UK government sued for weak strategy – so here’s what makes a good climate change plan

Two-thirds of countries have now committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions at some point this century. During 2021, the share of large companies with net zero commitments jumped from one in five to one in three.