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Monasteries, especially Benedictine monasteries, have developed a close relationship with nature based on a respect for creation and a goal of self-sufficiency. There seems to be an elective affinity between monasticism and ecologism. Since the second half of the 20th century, monasteries have been engaging in ecological practices, and in many cases have been pioneers in these practices in their region. How can the role of monasteries in ecology be explained? To what extent is the ecology practiced by monasteries different from that of society? And what developments can we observe in this field over the last 20 years? After presenting the background of the elective affinity between monasticism and ecologism, I will explore the practices that monastics put in place to act sustainably for the protection of the environment. The last part of the paper deals with the shift from respect for creation to ecologism in the vocabulary monastics use today and to what extent we can speak of a charismatic ecologism. This article is based on field inquiries conducted in monastic communities in six countries in Europe and four countries in Africa between 2004 and 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has been advocated by the developed world as a means to ensure that the most widely beneficial type of development occurs. This has resulted in a body of rules, which though well intended, does not adequately address the developmental needs of developing countries. It has become a source of tension between developing and developed countries. Developing countries fear that it can be used to frustrate their prospects of development. Hence the adoption of sustainable development provisions by African countries has largely been controversial. This article explores the concept of sustainable development and its level of acceptance in international economic law instruments involving African countries. This article argues that African countries should adopt a more intentional position with regards to sustainable development to ensure that each agreement creates an opportunity for economic transformation and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioscience advances present important opportunities for economic development and sustainable intensification of African agriculture. In the global North, the private sector invests heavily in applied research, whereas in Africa the public sector shoulders the burden of developing research capacity. This article explores whether public science agencies should assume an expanded role to approach bioscience capacity using a system lens – developing capability for innovation within the whole system. The article identifies the types of intervention, beyond skills development, research infrastructure and funding that could enhance the potential of bioscience as an innovation driver. Following a summary of trends, a model of the system capacities required for bioscience impact and innovation is proposed and used to analyse a case study from East Africa. The results suggest that a fundamental rethink of the role of public science agencies within the wider biosciences landscape is required, necessitating complementary investments and a more complex network of partnerships across public and private sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two decades, climate change has gained increased traction on the international scene. The proposed thirteenth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG13) invites the world ‘to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts,’ while recognizing that the UNFCCC is the primary forum for negotiating a global response to climate change. This SDG13 offers an opportunity to combine multi-leveled actions toward climate change with development objectives. Climate change impacts spare no country but strike unequally developed and developing countries, which raises the question of how adequately the African continent is equipped to respond to climate change challenges, particularly considering Africa’s diverse development needs. Given that African countries present remarkably different contexts, this paper explores climate policies in Africa and discusses opportunities to address concurrently climate change and development challenges on this continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steering scholarship away from a dichotomously aligned debate between apologists and critics of Chinese engagement in Africa, this article redirects attention to the policy-oriented question of 'what practical steps can Africans take to seize the opportunities Chinese emergence presents?' The authors recommend that regional organisations coordinate intraregional trade, economic and industrial policies to forge a path towards sustainable region-wide development and implement a code of conduct based on the 1977 Sullivan Principles; aimed at removing the structural impediments average Africans are faced with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]