Cognitive Justice

My break from thesis writing is almost over.

I'll be going back into the cave before next weekend.

I'm topping up my queues as much as I can.

But if I cannot make it back soon I'll definitely be back in the first week of December.

In the meantime, if you send me links and reblogs here and to @solarpunkbusiness I'll try to update at least once a week.

I dare not log in more frequently once I'm back into writing because otherwise I'll never get the thesis submitted by the deadline of 5th December

PhD UPDATE

Emerging technologies are making it easier to find urban heat islets, opening the door to new strategies for improving health in our communities.

For generations, communities across Eurasia have embraced resourcefulness—repairing, reusing, and making the most of what they had.

These traditions offer a practical foundation for sustainable living today.

In a Central Asian yurt, every item—from felt to wooden frames—was designed for reuse and longevity.

Georgian winemakers used clayqvevrifor centuries, fermenting wine underground in vessels that last for generations.

Across Anatolia, water systems—from Roman aqueducts to Ottoman fountains—reflect a deep respect for resource management.

In Serbia, the tradition ofmoba (collective labor for harvesting or building) embodies community-driven sustainability.

These examples show that circular principles are not new; they are rooted in the region’s cultural heritage—even if many of these traditions have faded in the wake of industrialization.

The Mekong River faces growing threats from dam construction, sand mining, climate change and the decline of international aid. Citizen science — grassroots data collection and local knowledge networks — is empowering river communities to become its guardians. Across the basin, citizen science not only allows locals to contribute to knowledge production but also enables them to shape debates about the river’s future and their own livelihoods.

Artists are using public spaces to highlight the impact of climate change on communities and their livelihoods.

They experiment in different formats such as comic strips, photographs, multimedia, theatre, art installations and more to humanise climate change and turn data into lived experiences for the audiences to understand easier.

Climate change-induced displacement, dams and local ecology, oceans and carbon sequestration and climate-resilient food systems are some of the themes tackled by artists and festival or exhibition curators in India.

Community members from Puthenvelikkara village, Ernakulam district, Kerala, re-enact their lived realities of enduring and adapting to recurring tidal floods in Chevittorma, a play. Image courtesy of KaBhumM!!!

Living life with nature: lessons from Assam state of India

In the heart of Charaideo, a remarkable story of coexistence is unfolding ,one where village communities have transformed their surroundings into a sanctuary where forests thrive and wildlife flourishes.

Local residents of Chalapathar have for years practiced traditional ecological stewardship, protecting forest patches, maintaining biodiversity, and promoting sustainable use of natural resources without external interventions.

Their approach stands as a testament to how indigenous knowledge and community participation can ensure environmental balance.

A grassland on the banks of the Dikrong River in Assam’s Lakhimpur district has become a sanctuary for endangered migratory birds during the winter season due to the efforts of a local horticulturist.

In the past, the grassland faced serious threats when miscreants and poachers burned dry reeds and hunted birds. Since then, the area has been under the watchful protection of Krishna Rajkhowa, a local horticulturist.

Rajkhowa, who cultivates apple jujube on a five-bigha plantation in Pokadol near the grassland, has been consistently guarding the area against hunters and other disturbances. His vigilance has completely stopped the burning of the grassland during the birds’ winter migration.

“I’ve been guarding this grassland for the past year, and cases of hunting and burning have come down to zero so far,” said Rajkhowa. He also mentioned that the grassland has witnessed an increase in the rabbit population following his protective measures.

Sociologist Thomas Rudel explores the social and political forces behind global reforestation, arguing that forest regrowth is rarely automatic and often depends on human decisions and local conditions.

He critiques top-down climate pledges for failing to engage with smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities, who are frequently the key actors in both forest loss and recovery.

Rudel highlights the importance of “corporatist coalitions” that link global funders with grassroots actors, enabling more flexible and locally effective forest restoration efforts.

South Africa is a world leader in pursuing a just transition from coal – a major overhaul of the country’s economy and culture that supports the livelihoods of those who rely on the sector.

But those changes bring challenges and conflict, as well as crucial decisions to be made on who stands to benefit in this process and who has a voice.

This brief highlights the dynamics of just transition implementation unique to South Africa.

Thirty years ago, a vision took root in Armenia to reforest a scarred, post-Soviet landscape and rebuild a greener, stronger nation. That vision now stands tall—quite literally—with nine million trees planted across the country by Armenia Tree Project (ATP).

Contrary to a popular belief, pollution plays virtually no role in creating urban heat islands. They're due to dense concentrations of buildings and impermeable surfaces.

Climate change, land take and urban density contribute to rising air and ground temperatures in city centres – especially at night, when road surfaces release the heat they have absorbed throughout the day. A number of factors combine to create a heat island – the materials used to create buildings (bricks, stone, concrete, etc.) and road surfaces (e.g. asphalt mixes), land use (i.e. building density), most often without plant cover, as well as human activities such as road traffic and the use of heating and air conditioning.

More nature in the city

Trees, shrubs and plants help cool the city by providing shade and 'evapotranspiration', which refreshes the atmosphere. Local temperatures can drop significantly by:

reducing the waterproofing of pavements

planting trees

placing mobile forests

greening the ground, facades and roofs

Improving access to water in the city

In its Climate Plan and Municipal Water Plan, the City has committed to improving access to drinking water for residents and users of the City. Several water access points have been set up for this purpose:

Drinking water fountains

Water bottle network: a network of shops that fill water bottles free of charge in Brussels

Adapt buildings and urban landscaping

Adapt materials to the amount of sunshine in the area

Prefer light-coloured cladding or white roofs that reflect rather than absorb the sun's rays

Allow wind to circulate by considering the urban form of construction or renovation projects

Insulate buildings to prevent overheating

Create shade with shade sails

Cool spaces during heat waves

Map and make available private or public indoor spaces to provide cool places nearby for shelter during heatwaves: Map with urban cooling islands

Provide support to vulnerable populations

, 'The Kulak Solar Village is proof that sustainable progress is possible when innovation meets determination. By harnessing the power of the sun, we're giving communities the tools to thrive year-round.' Indeed, the Rwanga Foundation has effectively recreated rural life in villages throughout Kurdistan with the help of infrastructure projects that have transformed villages like Kulak, Gri Bie, and Qamish into fully solar-powered communities.

Plans are already in place to replicate the process for many more villages across KRI and Iraq more broadly. Such development enables empowered rural life, sustained by energy security, reliable agricultural livelihoods, and significantly reduced economic disparities.