Crystal Chow

Coral Conundrum: the ignored victim of the South China Sea 2
- Environment and Energy, Op-ed
- 05/09/2016
The arbitral tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) recently ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines in its case against China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. After a month, however, the contested waters of Southeast Asia remain mired in military tensions, with little attention given to the “voiceless victims” for which the stakes are higher: the coral reef ecosystems – and the people whose living rely on them.
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The unexpected champion: How Rio’s favelas strive to go green while Olympic legacy falls short 1
- Environment and Energy, Op-ed
- 01/07/2016
The municipal government of Rio de Janeiro has promised to urbanize its favelas by 2020, but projects supposed to upgrade the favelas’ infrastructure and create jobs have quickly lost momentum. Fortunately, an unexpected champion has emerged, as residents of favelas have come together and taken the initiative to “green” their communities with reforestation projects, rooftop solar panels and community food gardening, highlighting how sustainable urban design should be done.
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