Environment
Japan’s oldest village tries to attract new, younger residents
Nearly one-third of Japan’s population is over 65, making it the oldest country in the world. Small rural towns nationwide are seeing these demographic changes most acutely as younger residents leave for larger cities. Nowhere is this more evident than in the village of Nanmoku, where officials are using the allure of cheap property to bring a newer, younger generation of residents to town.
A city in southern Brazil is forced to adapt after floods shut down a major airport
Porto Alegre, the capital of Brazil’s southernmost state, has had to adapt after the metropolitan area of roughly 4.5 million people lost its only international airport. A month ago, unprecedented flooding sank major parts of the city. The rains have continued and the city’s airport is still underwater. So, officials have gotten creative.
How do you save a vanishing lake? Kazakhstan has a plan.
Lakes all over the world — like the Aral Sea in Central Asia — are receding because of climate change and dwindling water resources. But Kazakhstan managed to save part of the Aral Sea. The successes and shortcomings of the achievement can provide lessons for other lakeside communities.
Scientists study why some of Central Asia’s glaciers are resilient to climate change
Scientists are racing to learn why some glaciers in a remote part of Central Asia’s mountains seem unaffected by climate change. Their efforts are bolstered by new strategies they’re developing to better understand how climate change will impact the world’s water resources.
Once the epicenter of hydraulic engineering, Mexico City is now running out of water
Water supplies in Mexico City are at a historic low due to low rainfall, rising temperatures and outdated infrastructure. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports on the paradox of a sinking, thirsty city that was once surrounded by lakes.
Macaws lighten things up in Venezuela’s capital, and form a special bond with residents
Blue and gold macaws, a species non-native to the city, have developed a relationship with the residents of Caracas, Venezuela. However, the birds’ future is uncertain as their habitats are becoming increasingly endangered.