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Circular Waste Systems for Urban Resilience: The Dangers of Linear Waste Systems and how Circular Models Address Those Needs
In the face of escalating climate threats and environmental degradation, the way we manage waste has become a defining issue for urban resilience. A new report, Circular Waste Systems for Urban Resilience, produced by Leading Cities and the Afkar Collective, offers a compelling examination of how circular models can address the urgent shortcomings of our current linear systems. Authored by Domenic R. Brown, the report invites readers to rethink the very foundations of waste m

afkar collective
Oct 22 min read


Governance and Policy Gaps in the Utilisation of AI for Sustainable Urban Development
AI offers transformative potential for sustainable urban development, yet governance and policy gaps hinder its impact. Fragmented decision-making, short-term priorities, and limited citizen engagement undermine long-term resilience. Cities must adopt integrated frameworks, inclusive participation, and ethical standards to ensure AI supports climate adaptation, equity, and sustainable futures.
Myles Sven
Sep 113 min read


Apathy as Abandonment: When Disconnection Becomes the Default
Apathy is not just a lack of feeling—it’s a mechanism of abandonment. In societies where your skin isn’t in the game, disengagement becomes the norm. But this distance is rarely innocent. It’s structured, rewarded, and often complicit in sustaining injustice. What would it mean to resist apathy—not just emotionally, but politically? To stay with the discomfort, even when you could look away?

afkar collective
Aug 222 min read


The Role of Hyperobjects in Today’s International Landscape
Hyperobjects like climate change and digital networks are vast, interconnected forces that shape our world.

afkar collective
Jul 273 min read


With Nature at the center of decision-making
With Nature at the center of decision-making, it is part of the series of white papers from the Manuel Ballbé Chair of Human Security and Global Law.

afkar collective
Jul 12 min read


The Unreal Reality: How Hypernormalization Silently Shapes Our Western World
Hypernormalization shapes our world through illusions and distraction, making us accept a fragile system. It relies on technocratic control, manufactured distractions, and the myth of no alternatives. To break free, we must name the phenomenon, embrace local action, and reclaim agency—showing that, despite the narrative of powerlessness, real change is possible through collective resistance.

afkar collective
Jun 243 min read


Urban Forests: Cities' Living Climate Armour
Urban forests—our parks, street trees, and green corridors—are far more than scenery. They’re dynamic climate shields, cooling heat-trapped cities, boosting food security, and defending against disasters.

afkar collective
Jun 131 min read


The Urgent Need for Global Environmental Data Federalization
Urgent call for global environmental data sharing to tackle ecological crises and harmonize conservation efforts worldwide.

afkar collective
Apr 302 min read


AI's Ecological Feast: A Recipe for Climate Crisis
AI's data feast: A recipe for climate crisis. As algorithms devour energy, can tech's hunger be tamed before Earth's pantry empties?

afkar collective
Apr 242 min read


Why LLMs Fail in Critical Infrastructure – The Case for Physics-Driven AI
LLMs lack domain-specific grounding for critical infrastructure. Physics-driven AI integrates real-world principles.

afkar collective
Mar 173 min read


The Hidden Environmental Cost of U.S. Tariffs—And How to Fix It
Tariffs reshape industries, impacting climate change. From steel to solar, they can accelerate or undermine green progress.

afkar collective
Mar 44 min read


The Promise and Peril of Planetary-Scale Data Integration
Planetary data integration promises global insights but faces ethical hurdles. Balancing tech and diversity is key

afkar collective
Feb 194 min read


The Energy Race within AI Development
AI's energy demand sparks a shift to nuclear and renewables, challenging sustainability and tech goals.

afkar collective
Feb 112 min read


China's Renewable Energy Revolution: Monumental Projects Reshaping the Future
China's renewable energy surge features monumental projects like the Solar Great Wall and vast marine solar farms.

afkar collective
Jan 275 min read


Navigating Technological Progress: The Vital Role of Standards, Regulation, and Assessment
Tech standards and assessments: Guiding innovation for societal good, from ancient wisdom to modern challenges.

afkar collective
Jan 233 min read


Revolutionizing Public Infrastructure: A Bold Ecosystemic Approach for Radical Impact
As urbanization, climate change, and disparities rise, we must adopt ecosystemic thinking for sustainable infrastructure.

afkar collective
Jan 145 min read


Winter Wildfires and Summer Blackouts: Urban Infrastructure at the Breaking Point
Winter wildfires in LA, summer blackouts in Kuwait: Our cities face a new climate reality. Time to rebuild smarter

afkar collective
Jan 103 min read


Bridging the Gap: Future Readiness and the Quest for Meaning in Climate-Threatened Societies
In a world of climate hyperreality, we seek meaning beyond simulations, bridging awareness and action through authentic engagement

afkar collective
Jan 55 min read


2024: A Year of Climate Extremes and Environmental Milestones
2024 marked a turning point for our climate, with record temperatures and key developments shaping our future.

afkar collective
Dec 30, 20242 min read


The Mirage of Digital Reality: Rethinking Our Perception Through Technology
Digital twins: mirrors or mirages? Our tech-mediated reality risks oversimplifying complex systems, blinding us to crucial truths.

afkar collective
Dec 16, 20243 min read
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