Molly Millar

Omega-3 nutrients are essential for our health, and for many of us, a major source of these fatty acids is the fish we eat. But these nutrients actually originate much further down the food chain, with the microscopic plant-like organism known as phytoplankton.

The salmon industry plans to pack fish into land-locked tanks, at a massive energy and water cost.

Silvio Netto is helping to coordinate the restoration of 2,000 hectares of forest following the devastating impact of two mining disasters in Brazil. But reforestation alone is not enough. He says the way the environment is managed must radically change – socially, economically and politically – to ensure a sustainable future.

Moving away from fossil fuels and towards clean, renewable forms of energy is crucial as the world strives to stall climate change.

From growing crops to generating energy to supporting ecosystems, water is critical to sustaining life on earth. But human impacts on the planet – pollution, climate change, and agriculture to name a few – threaten the water that our survival depends on.

By taking a long view of our health throughout our lives, scientists can spot patterns that help them break the chain of chronic illnesses.

Social media’s chokehold on the way we’re informed about the world and communicate with each other is leading us down an increasingly dangerous path. Media literacy is alarmingly low, and trust in traditional news outlets is falling.

Technology underpins every aspect of modern life. By educating young people about computer science, you give them the tools to understand and shape the world around us – from building new apps to improving productivity.

The colourful underwater landscapes of tropical coral reefs are a haven for marine life, while around the world half a billion people depend on them for food, income, and protection from storms and coastal erosion.

The food on our plates doesn’t just determine our health, but the health of the planet, too. Climate change is an increasingly urgent threat, and our current diet - rich in animal protein, a significant source of carbon emissions - is a major contributor.

To address the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity, protecting the world’s forests is crucial. Forests play a critical role in absorbing carbon dioxide and regulating the weather, and unless enough biodiverse, tree-rich and forested landscapes are maintained, dropping emissions to the required level is near impossible.

As the consequences of intensifying climate change become increasingly apparent, the ecommerce industry is joining global efforts to decarbonize.

Inès Mvoukani is a legal expert who played a pivotal role in the creation of the Republic of the Congo’s new Forest Code. She explains the challenges of collaborating with the government, how the new law will aid forest communities and why it’s crucial for civil society to have a seat at the negotiating table.

With sustainability at its centre, the circular economy is our pathway to a greener, fairer world.

Rodrigue Ngonzo is a leading expert in independent forest monitoring. In the first of a new series, he shares his story on the development of the approach, why it’s become a critical instrument in forest law enforcement and how international actors can get behind it.