Can data speak for Mother Earth? — issue #12

"Trees have long been trying to reach us. But they speak on frequencies too low for people to hear." 

—Richard Powers, The Overstory

Remember when the lockdowns began in March?
Amidst panic, we still found it in ourselves to marvel at how COVID-19 was helping the environment heal. In Punjab, residents finally glimpsed the Himalayas after three decades of polluted skies. China's shuttered power plants alone cut global carbon emissions by 11 percent.

It was a gentle yet powerful message—a reminder of the planet we may still save, if only we act in time.

This June, in Notes from the Equator, we ask ourselves what's at stake in how we talk about the environment.

While few would argue—we hope!—that our environment is in grave danger today, many are unsure of what our societies and communities should focus on here in Asia. Our region faces unique challenges in environmental protection, and the question isn't an easy one.

Our plastic waste crisis and dependence on fossil fuels make changing habits and sustainable development essential. But narrowing on these can drown out other inconvenient truths too—such a when hydropower threatens livelihoods downstream or waste campaigns detract from debates on carbon policy.

Here at Kontinentalist, we love how data lets us hear the signal through the noise. Handled responsibly, data gives us clarity and common ground so we can move forwards together. We hope these articles offer you a starting point for thinking some of the toughest, most crucial decisions of our times.

Any environmental issues you feel we should devote more time to? Reach out at hello@kontinentalist.com, and you'll have our ears.



Kenneth
Editor and Content Strategist