The Mekong Delta's climate defences are failing

Shredded coconut husk, known as Coir, is becoming a popular material for shoreline restoration projects. It’s typically used to trap sediment while protecting vegetation and wildlife from the force of waves. Once the vegetation has several years to flourish, the natural coconut fibers will have decomposed.

In Jamaica, locally-led coral nurseries are working to restore the coral reef that have been lost to natural and manmade disasters. These organizations have small coral gardens where they can grow free of danger and when they’re big enough, are transported to a reef. With coral and fish being so codependent in the underwater ecosystem, the regrowth of coral has meant an increase of fish and fishing for the country, which many people rely on for their livelihood.

In Londonderry, New Hampshire, the Carriage Shack Farm hire out goats to eat unwanted plants like poison ivy or bittersweet. Contrary to humans, they aren’t harmed by the plant and actually enjoy eating it. Prior to being hired, the farm trains the goats so that their appetites and stomachs aren’t adversely affected.

As climate changes causes seawater to flood land and increase the salt content in soil, farms in Scotland and the Netherlands are experimenting with using the saltwater to grow food. Seawater Solutions is growing crops called halophytes that have a high-salt tolerance and can be eaten or used as material for cosmetics and biofuels. And the Salt Farm Foundation has shown that potatoes, cabbage, and tomatoes can grow in saltwater. These projects can labor intensive, but seawater irrigation could be a viable climate adaptation solution.

A growing number of governments, companies, and nonprofit organizations are working together with new technology and data to identify fishing vessels that are breaking laws and engaging in human rights violations. Using satellite imagery and tracking signals, for example, a philanthropic company and a nonprofit worked with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to help the Ghanian navy arrest four vessels for illegal fishing practices. Technology by itself won’t stop forced labor and unregulated ships, but it can be helpful for cash-strapped governments looking to increase oversight of their fisheries.

Lamakani, a small village in India, went barren and townspeople completely depended on water tankers after a drought in the 90s. One leader initiated a watershed movement. They applied a series of approaches which included things like watershed development, bans on grass grazing and tree falling, and collaborating with local artists to communicate messages of conservation. Now, the town is lush again.

Scientists are testing if adding alkaline substances to seawater can allow oceans to absorb more carbon dioxide emissions. Early tests suggest this could be a potential way to combat climate change, but there are still many questions about how this can scale, how it impacts the natural ecosystem, and if it’s cost effective to implement.

The Ecosphere Restoration Institute received $5 million from the Florida State Legislature to restore the declining seagrasses on 100 acres of the coast. The organization partnered with experts who have permits to harvest the seeds, grow them in a nursery, and replant them in shallow areas. The project will also help prevent manatee deaths, as the animal depends on seagrass as a food source.

Capitalizing on broad political-organizing pushes across the U.S., the United Farm Workers (UFW) union signed its first contract in New York, offering significant protections to about 150 orchard workers.

A scholarship endowment from the U.S. Agency of International Development supports the American University of Afghanistan, which provides courses to Afghan women who are not allowed to pursue education in their home country. In all, 208 scholarships have been awarded, including funds for 120 women to relocate and attend college in person, but the future of the program is uncertain due to federal cuts to USAID’s programs.