Hey, this is Sham Jaff, your very own news curator. Each week, I highlight some of the biggest stories from regions and countries that are historically underreported in "Western media". My goal is to burst our Western-centric bubbles, and expand the view we hold of the world. Questions, comments, concerns? You can reach me anytime by replying to this mail. And if this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up at whathappenedlastweek.com.
Issue #405 is dropping on my birthday—for the first time ever! 🎉 Today, I’m letting nostalgia take over, so I want to thank you. Whether you’ve been here since Day 1 or just joined, thank you for paying attention. Attention—it’s no small thing. Entire systems are built to steal it, to twist it, to distract it. But here you are, every Monday, choosing to focus on these perspectives, choosing to care. That choice, week after week, holds more power than we often realize. It keeps these perspectives relevant.
Okay, let's talk about The News: Lucia (and I) took a closer look at the 2024 Earthshot Prize winners and the very valid criticisms of the flashy environmental award. Just how useful is it, really? We try to answer this as constructively as we can. Get ready–you're also going to follow a lot of new accounts on your social media accounts, too. For paid subscribers, there’s even more waiting for you: An Egyptian Christmas song (unofficial, but it works) that’s been on repeat for me, Iraqi hip-hop legends making waves in Baghdad, a Brazilian investigation exposing all the dirty money in politics, a mini-doc about a Senegalese fisherman that stayed with me for days, and a hilarious news bit that I don’t think I’ll ever top. If you want to become a paying subscriber–or a Very Important Potato (VIP), as I call them– sign up here, using my special birthday discount (€1.25 per issue if you're going for the monthly plan, or €0.95 per issue if you're going for the yearly plan).
Good reading, and catch you in your inbox next week!
Sham
|
|
🔍 Estimated reading time: 10 min 🔍
You have access to all of my sources by clicking on what's underlined.
Big shout-out to Wikimedia Commons for the helpful maps.
|
|
Meet the winners of the 2024 Earthshot Prize
|
|
What happened
On November 7, the Earthshot Prize was held in Cape Town, South Africa, where five out of 15 finalists won £1 million each to expand their environmental projects.
Why this matters: Climate change is hitting the hardest in places that often lack the money to fight back. The Earthshot Prize is one of the largest awards for environmental efforts, and a much-needed financial injection.
Tell me more
The award supports innovative initiatives to tackle climate change and environmental pollution, from preserving vulnerable ecosystems like oceans and forests, reducing plastic waste, to cutting CO2 emissions. Since its launch in 2021, the prize has focused on five categories inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals: ‘Fix Our Climate’, ‘Protect & Restore’, ‘Build a Waste-free World’, ‘Clean Our Air’ and ‘Revive Our Oceans’. All winners join a one-year fellowship to refine their projects, get expert guidance, and connect with global partners.
Who are the winners?
Here's a quick overview of all five, with links to their websites and/or social media, so you can stay in the loop if you wanted to.
1) Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative: This group from Kazakhstan is saving the Golden Steppe, a huge 75-million-hectare grassland. They’ve helped the saiga antelope population recover from just 20,000 to 2.8 million, recovering from “critically endangered” to “near threatened” status. They focus on research and protection to keep this unique ecosystem alive. Follow them: Website, LinkedIn.
- Why this matters: The Golden Steppe is one of the least protected ecosystems in the world. It is under threat from overgrazing, farming, and industrial acitivity. Restoring animals like the saiga antelope, wild asses, and Przewalski’s horses keeps the ecosystem balanced and reduces wildfire risks.
2) Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO): In 2014, while still a student, Desmond Alugnoa started GAYO to tackle pollution and waste burning in Ghana. The organization teaches people how to turn waste into valuable products like compost and charcoal briquettes, which can be sold for income. GAYO also fights for fair working conditions for waste pickers, making sure they’re treated with dignity. Follow them: Website, Instagram.
- Why this matters: Tons of waste are polluting beaches and cities in Ghana—much of it imported from Europe. Each week, 15 million items of used clothing arrive in Ghana, but nearly half are unsellable and often end up burned, polluting the air and land. GAYO’s solutions, like recycling and upcycling waste, offer a way to protect the environment while improving lives and health in local communities.
3) High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People: This global initiative works to get governments to commit to protecting 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030, a goal known as the “30×30 target.” So far, 120 countries have signed on to this ambitious plan, which the coalition helped define during the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). Their next big challenge is making sure countries actually follow through on their promises. Follow them: LinkedIn, Instagram.
- Why this matters: For years, there wasn’t a global plan to protect biodiversity, leaving many governments without clear goals or accountability. This coalition is changing that by holding leaders responsible and working to prevent overfishing, agricultural exploitation, and other threats to ecosystems. Their work is crucial for preserving biodiversity and creating a sustainable future.
4) Keep IT Cool: This Nairobi-based start-up helps small farmers and fishers in East Africa keep their food fresh using solar-powered cooling boxes. By improving refrigeration and food distribution, they work on a more reliable food supply for consumers and provide stable incomes for producers. Follow them: LinkedIn.
- Why this matters: Globally, one-third of all food is wasted, and in the so-called Global South, 40% of produce is lost before it even reaches the market—mainly due to poor refrigeration. By preventing spoilage, Keep IT Cool helps reduce waste, improve food security, and cut financial losses for small-scale farmers.
5) Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems: This U.S. project turns wasted heat from factories into electricity. Their technology is small, easy to install, and works in places like cement and steel plants. Follow them: Instagram.
- Why this matters: Factories waste a lot of energy as heat—up to 60% in some cases. That wasted heat could power 4 billion homes. By capturing and reusing it, this system helps reduce pollution and saves energy.
Lucia and I recommend you to also browse through some of the other projects that made it among the nominees.
Good to know: Despite its positive impact, the Earthshot Prize isn’t without criticism. Some call it a "publicity stunt for billionaires" or an "example of greenwashing." Critics argue that with backers like Uber and Jeff Bezos’ Earth Fund, the prize doesn’t reflect genuine ecological transformation. Plus, with only five prizes awarded, many believe the prize money should be higher or spread across more projects, especially since the application process can be time-consuming for smaller organizations.
One writer pointed out that Rihanna donated nearly three times more to climate groups in 2022 than Earthshot’s entire annual prize pool—without all the fanfare.
|
|
Hey, I'm Sham, the person behind this newsletter. Since 2014, I email a bunch of strangers once a week, curating news headlines from Asia, Africa and the Americas. I work under the assumption that, here in the West (I live in Berlin, Germany), we don't read or know much about the global majority, aka the rest of the world.
My goal is to help you burst your Western-centric bubble.
If you want to know more about me, visit my website or follow me on Twitter or Instagram.
|
|
|
This week's recommendations are presented to you by this newsletter's very first intern: Lucia Baumann.
"Having lived in both Brazil and Japan, I often find myself missing the news from those parts of the world. That’s how I fell in love with this newsletter. I’ve worked at local magazines and radio broadcast in Leipzig, as well as ZEIT ONLINE and dpa (German Press Agency). My academic background is in cultural studies and history, where I researched how societies commemorate their past, using literature, film and audio material. Currently rehabilitating my Portuguese and studying colonial history in Lisbon." (Photo credits: Elias Schulz)
|
|
|
|
|
