Quantum computing is one of the most anticipated yet least understood technologies of our time, but it could transform all aspects of life and give humanity the power to fight climate change and cure cancer, say scientists. Charlotte Middlehurst finds out more Quantum computing refers to the next stage of computer processing where machines can carry out vast and complex calculations at unfathomable speeds. As the quantum era dawns, the… …
Following the announcement this week that China would be carbon neutral by 2060, Charlotte Middlehurst arranged a round table of environmental experts to discuss whether they think the plan is realistic China surprised the world this week with the announcement that it would decarbonise its economy by 2060. In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, president Xi Jinping pledged to deliver carbon neutrality within the next 40 years…. …
US car maker Tesla’s arrival in Shanghai, coupled with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, has prompted a race among electric vehicle makers in both China and America. But who will win, and will this ‘new cold war’ shape the future of environmentally-friendly travel, writes Charlotte Middlehurst For a while it seemed like China’s grip on the 21st-century’s electric vehicle market was unshakeable. For decades Beijing has led the world… …
With global travel on pause, the world’s richest outbound tourist market is turning to virtual travel, writes Charlotte Middlehurst A young lady in a pink suit points at the Elgin Marbles. “The gods are much bigger than the other figures,” the tour guide says to the camera. A moment later her Chinese counterpart in a grey jacket and neat bob translates into Mandarin for the benefit of those watching live… …
Beijing aims to eradicate rural poverty this year – but challenges lie ahead, writes Charlotte Middlehurst When four siblings, aged between six and fourteen years old, committed joint suicide by drinking fertiliser in the village of Cizhou, south China, in 2015, the nation was horrified. In a note, the eldest boy wrote that he had “dreamed of death,” an end to the years of suffering and neglect they had endured…. …
As China brings into effect further recycling rules, could the country become a new model for urban recycling, asks Charlotte Middlehurst Before new recycling rules came into effect last summer, taking out the trash used to be simple for Ni Yuan, a resident of a leafy middle-class Shanghai neighbourhood. She would sort household waste into only two categories, wet and dry, and deposit it at her convenience. On July 1,… …
- Food and Drink
Swine flu has caused a major impact to the world’s pig trade and opportunities for British farmers
China’s swine fever has reshaped global meat markets, writes Charlotte Middlehurst When the first case of African Swine Fever (ASF) was reported in China fifteen months ago, its devastating impact on the global meat sector and the ripple effect on trade were unimaginable. What began as a few cases of a rare and fatal pig virus at the Russian border has become a national emergency, labelled by the World Organisation …
The ocean is our greatest source of untapped wealth but failure to develop marine industries sustainably will harm life for all, writes Charlotte Middlehurst Billions of people around the world depend on the seas for nutrition and jobs and the ocean’s potential to generate wealth is vast. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group dedicated to advancing world trade, the ocean contributes £1.15 trillion to the… …
China’s Belt and Road Initiative will help renewable energy spread, writes Charlotte Middlehurst Swapping souks for solar plants and camel caravans for wind farms, the Silk Road is undergoing a makeover. President Xi Jinping’s plan to revive the old Silk Road through a US$4 trillion programme of trade deals and infrastructure investment has attracted the eye of green enterprises that see a golden opportunity to win contracts and gain valuable… …