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Benjamin Neimark

Senior Lecturer, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University
As a human geographer and political ecologist, I am passionate about exploring pathways for just socio-economic, political and ecological futures in the global south. I focus on the uneven development of the green and bio-economy. My particular geographical foci include the African countries of Madagascar, Mozambique, and Mali, although I am a lead-initiator of a global political ecology network (POLLEN). These specific countries make up a unique spectrum of biodiversity and constitute a social mosaic of urban/rural livelihoods where I study international development, labour and commodity chain analysis. I am involved in two new research projects exploring the uneven development of land-grabbing for biofuels in Madagascar and Brazilian agribusiness in Mozambique.

My previous research focuses on bioprospecting on Madagascar. Bioprospecting involves search for, and commercialization of, useful natural compounds for new pharmaceutical and industrial products. Also in Madagascar, I have investigated strategies to improve small-scale agriculture using innovative agroforestry methods, and traditional agricultural systems. These systems can have a major effect on farmers' adoption of new livelihood alternatives. In my Master's research, I developed techniques to improve the direction and speed of domestication of threatened Malagasy forest and fruit species, in order to increase food security and provide added income.

Climate Change Series

How to assess the carbon footprint of a war

Dec 13, 2023 08:16 am UTC| Economy

We know that war is bad for the environment, with toxic chemicals left polluting the soil and water for decades after fighting ceases. Much less obvious are the carbon emissions from armed conflicts and their long-term...

Greenwashing: corporate tree planting generates goodwill but may sometimes harm the planet

Sep 27, 2018 16:03 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Trees do a lot more for us than you probably think. Their roots prevent soil from eroding, their canopies provide shade and their leaves decompose into nutrients for crops, which feed livestock. Trees provide homes for a...

Economy

China to Tighten Crude Steel Output Controls and Export Regulation Through 2030

China has announced it will continue strict regulation of crude steel output and prohibit the addition of illegal new capacity from 2026 to 2030, reinforcing its long-term strategy to curb overcapacity and reduce carbon...

Asian Stocks and Gold Rally as Investors Chase Year-End Gains Amid Dollar Weakness

Asian stock markets climbed to their highest levels in six weeks on Friday, extending a strong year-end rally as investors looked to finish the year on a positive note. Despite thin trading volumes due to market holidays...

Gold and Silver Hit Record Highs as Safe-Haven Demand Surges Amid Global Uncertainty

Gold and silver prices surged to fresh record highs on Friday, extending a strong year-end rally as investors rushed into safe-haven assets amid escalating geopolitical tensions and a weakening U.S. dollar. Precious metals...

Platinum Surges to Record High as Supply Crunch and Policy Shift Drive Historic Rally

Platinum prices soared to a record high on Friday, marking one of the strongest rallies in the metals history as a combination of supply constraints, shifting investor sentiment, and an unexpected European Union policy...

China Revises 2024 GDP Lower After Final Review, Eyes Growth in 2025

Chinas economy in 2024 was officially revised downward following a final verification by the countrys statistics bureau, highlighting ongoing adjustments in the worlds second-largest economy. According to the latest...

Politics

Japan Approves Record ¥122.3 Trillion Budget as Takaichi Seeks Fiscal Balance

Japans government, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, has approved a record-breaking budget worth 122.3 trillion yen ($785 billion) for the next fiscal year starting in April, underscoring its attempt to balance...

White House East Wing Ballroom Plans Face Scrutiny Ahead of January Hearing

The White House is set to reveal new details about President Donald Trumps proposed East Wing ballroom during a federal commission hearing scheduled for early next month, according to official notices. The project, which...

Zelenskiy Discusses Ukraine Peace Efforts With Trump Envoys

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he held an extensive discussion with U.S. President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, focusing on possible ways to...

Kim Jong Un Signals Continued Missile Development as North Korea Plans Five-Year Military Modernization

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has signaled that the country will continue to advance its missile capabilities over the next five years, underscoring Pyongyangs ongoing focus on strengthening its military deterrence....

US Airstrikes Target Islamic State Militants in Northwest Nigeria Amid Rising Security Concerns

The United States has carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants operating in northwest Nigeria, according to a statement made by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday. The strikes were described as a direct...

Science

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

Nvidia to Acquire Groq in $20 Billion Deal to Boost AI Chip Dominance

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) has reportedly agreed to acquire Groq, a fast-growing designer of high-performance artificial intelligence accelerator chips, in a $20 billion all-cash transaction, according to a CNBC report. The...

Texas App Store Age Verification Law Blocked by Federal Judge in First Amendment Ruling

A federal judge in Texas has blocked the enforcement of a new state law that would have required app stores and developers to verify users ages, marking a significant legal win for major technology companies and digital...

FTC Praises Instacart for Ending AI Pricing Tests After $60M Settlement

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has welcomed Instacarts decision to end its artificial intelligence-based price testing, a move that follows weeks of consumer backlash and regulatory scrutiny. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson...

John Carreyrou Sues Major AI Firms Over Alleged Copyrighted Book Use in AI Training

Investigative journalist John Carreyrou, widely known for exposing fraud at Silicon Valley blood-testing startup Theranos and for authoring the bestselling book Bad Blood, has filed a new copyright infringement lawsuit...

Italy Fines Apple €98.6 Million Over App Store Dominance

Italys competition authority has imposed a 98.6 million ($115.53 million) fine on U.S. technology giant Apple and two of its subsidiaries, citing alleged abuse of a dominant market position related to the distribution of...