Oyster shells are being used to make fabric.
And HongKongers have a new Trump-inspired Cantonese opera.
Your Monday, Wednesday, and Friday briefing on global affairs, human rights, environment, social innovation, business, culture, and design—offering fresh insights through the lenses of sustainable development, women-centered perspectives, and emerging global trends. The aim? To keep you informed, curious, and always ready with a compelling conversation starter at the dinner table.
In today’s letter: a landmark ruling in Guatemala, how Trump’s travel ban affects Afghan women, my favourite US social policy writer, local solutions to the climate crisis, how public transit systems are doing around the world, European watchdogs are officially complaining about Shein, a US startup utilizing AI-driven textile identification to streamline garment recycling, a project to uncover African poetry, and much more.
I think I'll start sharing a few recommendations on Fridays. Things like films, music, books, conscious brands, and the occasional purchase. The stuff I also enjoy chatting about, alongside the discussion points. Please feel free to leave your Friday Favourites in the comments!!!
The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World by Jacqueline Novogratz: A classic memoir in the International Development world, I only got around to reading it this week after I heard Novogratz, founder of Acumen, on a podcast over the weekend. Though it was published in 2009, it still feels remarkably current. Her reflections on dignity, impact, and the complexity of poverty remain essential reading for anyone thinking deeply about sustainable development today (or for those who want to know more about what that actually means). Plus, she has such an interesting story about her journey to founding and growing Acumen. I have already started her second book.
A DJ set for your summer weekend: My favourite DJ (not only because she's my sister) has released a 3.5-hour set that she played live last weekend, ideal for a sunny Saturday or Sunday.
Alex Carter: A brilliant Chicago-based conscious fashion designer, Alex released her new style of bag today, and, unsurprisingly, it is stunning. She also designs the greatest trench in the world.
Image via Alex Carter
UN Watch has sharply condemned the election of China, Russia, Turkey, Burundi, and Chad (nations with well-documented human rights abuses) to the UN’s 54-member Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a key body that regulates rights groups, shapes global human rights policy, and influences the composition of top UN agencies, including those for women and children. In a fantastic statement, UN Watch’s executive director, Hillel Neuer, said, “It’s like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank,” before urging global leaders to denounce the decision. Despite the secret ballot, vote tallies suggest broad EU support, with many member states backing regimes accused of jailing dissidents, restricting civil liberties, and perpetuating abuses. Not cool. Critics warn that the outcome risks eroding the credibility of the UN’s human rights system and paving the way for further influence by repressive governments across crucial international bodies.
In a landmark ruling, a Guatemalan court has sentenced three former paramilitaries to 40 years in prison each for the rape of six Indigenous Maya Achi women during the country’s brutal civil war, marking a significant step toward justice for survivors of state-backed violence. The all-women judicial panel found the men guilty of crimes against humanity for assaults committed between 1981 and 1983, one of the conflict’s bloodiest periods. Applauded by survivors and rights advocates alike, the verdict follows decades of tireless advocacy by the women and their legal team and echoes a broader reckoning with how the Guatemalan army weaponized sexual violence against Indigenous communities. This is the second such conviction in the Maya Achi case, following the sentencing of five other paramilitaries in 2022. Indigenous lawyer Haydee Valey called the ruling “historic,” while rights group Impunity Watch noted it as further evidence of a systemic wartime strategy of repression.
Trump’s sweeping travel ban, targeting nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, has dealt a devastating blow to Afghan women, many of whom championed democratic values and gender equality under U.S.-backed programs. Among them is Fatima, a women's rights advocate forced into limbo in Pakistan after dedicating decades to rebuilding civil society. Thousands of vetted women (lawyers, educators, journalists) now face the prospect of forced return to a regime that bars girls from school and curtails basic freedoms. With lives suspended and futures abandoned, the policy has sparked sharp criticism from human rights groups who argue that it punishes the very women who stood with the West in its nation-building efforts. This is why countries are so hesitant to trust and work with the US…
Rachel Cohen, who writes about US social policy for Vox, is one of my favourite people to read. This week, she published a great piece about why the modern American economy, with its protracted educational tracks, demanding early-career expectations, and lack of institutional support, has become increasingly hostile to fertility, especially for women navigating their prime reproductive years. She writes that while the average age of first-time mothers climbs, many who wish to have children earlier face cultural stigma, rigid academic and career structures, and inadequate support systems. Therefore, if reproductive justice is to mean true freedom of choice, then the conversation must extend beyond abortion access to include the economic and structural reforms needed to make the choice to have a child at any life stage feasible.
Really, every day should be World Environment Day, but the official day was yesterday. When it comes to climate, we must balance the dire headlines with stories that bring cause for optimism (something I strive to do in this newsletter). Across continents, it’s generally local movements—rooted in place and culture—that are driving environmental human rights forward. Their strategies, while often born of necessity, offer replicable models and a reminder: solutions to the climate crisis are already unfolding, even as challenges intensify. So, for today:
In Malaysia’s Sarawak state, long criticized for dispossessing Indigenous communities through provisional oil palm leases, the government has announced an end to the practice, marking a major win for ancestral forest defenders.
In the U.S., a federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit by Black and low-income residents of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley,” who seek to halt petrochemical expansion in one of the country’s most polluted regions.
Meanwhile, in Panama, Guna Indigenous communities facing rising seas have helped push the government to draft a National Planned Relocation Protocol, offering a rights-based blueprint for communities confronting climate displacement.
In Taiwan, oyster farming has been around for over 300 years. Now, the shells are being used to make fabric. Blending marine waste with modern innovation, Creative Tech Textile’s Seawool® transforms discarded oyster shells and recycled plastic into a sustainable, high-performance fabric. With its natural odor resistance, thermal regulation, and significantly lower environmental footprint, this Taiwan-made textile is gaining traction for brands seeking cost-effective alternatives to wool and down.
The airlines have spoken, and they remain committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. (At least those 350 that belong to the International Air Transport Association (IATA)). However, it appears that fuel availability and delays in new aircraft deliveries are growing concerns. As a result, airlines are having to operate older, less efficient jets, and plant-based sustainable aviation fuels are covering only a fraction of the demand. The transition needed to meet these climate goals is not cheap (an estimated $174 billion annually), raising the likelihood of increased ticket costs, and carriers are calling for greater government and energy sector support.
Then there’s BlackRock. After withdrawing from climate alliances like the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative and Climate Action 100+, the firm has been removed from Texas’s list of companies “boycotting” fossil fuels. This clears the way for the state’s $300 billion in pension funds to resume investing in its products.
Where are public transit systems bouncing back around the world? That is what a CityLab reporter set out to find, and the data painted a very clear picture: North and South American transit agencies are struggling, while European and East Asian agencies are thriving. For obvious reasons, hybrid and remote work have dramatically reshaped global transit systems, with mixed results. Networks designed solely for shuttling office workers to central business districts continue to struggle, while those offering fast, frequent service for errands and leisure rebounded more robustly. Fare policy has played a key role: Madrid slashed prices, boosting ridership, while Buenos Aires hiked fares, prompting a sharp drop. In the US, agencies are often blaming sluggish recovery on hybrid work (SF’s BART and New York’s MTA both reporting significant declines in weekday trips), but international comparisons complicate that narrative. Cities like London and Helsinki, with similar work-from-home patterns, have recovered more strongly. Meanwhile, systems in Paris, Seoul, and Hong Kong thrive on consistent service across the week, especially on weekends. In contrast, many American cities still operate with outdated 9-to-5 service models and inconsistent reliability. So really, it isn’t that complicated. Frequent, affordable, and reliable service remains the strongest driver of ridership, demonstrating that well-designed systems still prevail.
One thing 21 countries can agree on? Shein is terrible. Last week, the company’s proposed London IPO was put on hold. This week, consumer watchdogs in 21 countries submitted a formal complaint to the European Commission. The 29-page dossier accuses the Chinese retailer of using “dark patterns” (manipulative design tactics such as fake countdown timers, false low-stock alerts, forced registration, and so-called “confirm shaming”) to pressure users into overconsumption. They argue that these practices promote excessive spending, undermine consumer autonomy, and contribute to environmental degradation through overproduction and waste, often involving clothing that contains harmful chemicals. I think we can all agree that this is accurate? The watchdogs want greater transparency, specifically, data to support claims of stock and sales. I think this is a new legal strategy?? I haven’t heard of this before. Although I’m not surprised, there are some interesting legal actions related to Shein happening in the EU… I suppose you have time to focus on that when your country(s) are not preoccupied with tweet drama.
Climate-tech investor Energize Capital has closed its third venture fund at $430 million (30% larger than its 2023 predecessor), despite headwinds in the climate investing landscape. The Chicago-based firm, which now manages over $1.8 billion, focuses on early-stage, asset-light companies driving industrial digitisation and the energy transition. Backed by more than 80 investors, most of whom are international institutions, the fund has already supported five startups, including grid software firm Nira, technology-enabled retail resale platform Archive, and battery platform Tyba. Energize reports sees rising opportunity at the intersection of AI, infrastructure reshoring, and circular innovation. Don’t we all.
One of fashion’s biggest hurdles is how to accurately sort complex textiles to enable circularity at scale. Refiberd, a US startup, aims to solve this by utilizing AI-driven textile identification to streamline garment recycling. For their work, they took home the Global Fashion Agenda and PDS Trailblazer Award at the 2025 Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen this week. The award includes a $200,000 investment and vital industry support aimed at bridging the gap between innovation and commercial adoption—an ongoing challenge in sustainable fashion where many breakthrough technologies stall without committed brand partnerships. We need both cutting-edge tech and systemic change!!
The R.I.S.E. Artisan Fund has named eight global recipients of its 2025 Market Development Grant Program, supporting artisan-led enterprises that blend cultural preservation with economic resilience. From glassblowers in Oaxaca and indigenous weavers in Colombia to women’s cooperatives in Kenya and heritage textile artisans in Cambodia and India, the grantees exemplify the fund’s mission: to elevate traditional craft as a path to sustainable livelihoods. Alongside financial support, the program offers mentorship and market development to help these enterprises grow globally. A reinvestment model designed to scale impact while honouring artistry and local knowledge? This is what we like to see and support.
With a $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, Brown University scholars Kwame and Lorna Dawes are launching an ambitious project to uncover and elevate the rich, dispersed world of African poetry. The three-year initiative will establish the African Poetry Digital Portal—a central hub for poems, biographies, scholarship, and media coverage that spans the continent and its diaspora. Working with libraries and universities worldwide, the project will digitally reunite scattered and often fragile records, many of which have never been catalogued or translated. The portal will offer a deeper, contextual understanding of African poets and their work, while also inviting global scholars to contribute research through a series of digital humanities projects. This is an incredible project that helps ensure African voices, often overlooked or fragmented by history, are made visible, searchable, and celebrated.
After hearing and reading quite a bit about this new release, The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex by Melissa Febos, I have added it to my June reading list. I’m intrigued.
Hongkongers are having a grand old time with a new Trump-inspired Cantonese opera. It begins with Ivanka having a dream in which her father has a twin brother named Chuan Pu, who lives in China. When Trump is kidnapped by aliens from Mars, Ivanka asks Chuan to pretend to be Trump for a day. I’d watch.
I can’t entirely give up IG because sometimes things like this stunning exhibit in Mexico City come across my feed. Woman in a Rowboat, curated by Diana Nawi, presents a thoughtful selection of works from the Olivia Collection, centered on the concept of interiority and the self. The only thing is that I'm now sad that I won’t see it in person. Pros and cons.
Thank you for reading! Please share with an interesting and interested person in your life. xxx