Pact Malawi has been awarded a grant of $12 million by USAID to implement a project designed to restore fishing and sustainable living in Lake Nyasa, known as REFRESH.  Amongst other things, the project also aims to conserve the biodiversity of this lake, with a prime focus on sustainable practices. 

A group of scientists, led by Professor Yimin Wu of the University of Waterloo, has created an artificial leaf that could transform CO2 into fuel.  This new technology imitates the process of photosynthesis, with the help of with the help of cuprous oxide, which boosts the production of methanol and oxygen. According to the study published in Nature Energy, methanol can be collected and used as a fuel. 

According to researchers, the coconut tree is an excellent ally for absorbing and storing quantities of atmospheric CO2 over long periods. The coconut palm can, in fact, live for up to 60 years, while still producing coconuts. Researchers also assessed the potential for improving the local microclimate, resilience to prolonged droughts and the capacity for improving soil quality. 

The French Parliament has voted to get rid of tax breaks for the use of palm oil as a biofuel.  This is despite the Government's proposal to delay, until 2026, the ending of these tax advantages, which would have given oil companies more time to remove palm oil from their biofuels.  It has been widely claimed that palm oil increases deforestation in tropical countries and contributes to the destruction of habitat for endangered species, such as orangutans. 

Researchers have accidentally discovered the invasion of micro plastics in fish farms, while studying Hawaiian coastal nurseries developing on the ocean surface.  According to the study, published in PNAS, a large amount of plastic has been found in a certain amount of the larval fish, while this is a stage for them when nutrition is essential to their survival.  According to the researchers, the accumulation of plastic in these nurseries could have far-reaching ecological and socio-economic impacts. 

A new study has shown that physical activity, even if not taken up until old age, helps reduce cardiovascular risk.  Even the most sedentary, so it seems, can reduce the risk of heart disease during old age.  Researchers examined data from over 1.1 million people aged 60 or over with no history of heart disease.  Compared to adults who were continuously inactive, those who started exercising one to two times a week were 5 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack or a stroke.