International - The Purbottar

21 Aug

Innovation Battles Salinity and Sea-Level Rise with Floating Farms

Mohini BarmanInternational

In response to increasing coastal salinity and land inundation, Bangladesh is piloting floating agricultural gardens in areas near Khulna. Constructed on buoyant platforms using bamboo and recycled plastic, these gardens allow crops like vegetables and herbs to flourish even during seasonal flooding. Initial trials demonstrate improved yields and water resilience. This innovation is attracting interest from coastal Indian districts and Nepal’s marshlands, where land use is challenged by climate change. Development agencies suggest this could scale into regional climate-adaptive agriculture.

21 Aug

California Opens 50-Acre Sunset Dunes Linear Park

Mohini BarmanInternational

San Francisco has unveiled Sunset Dunes, a 50-acre urban linear park on the former Great Highway, stretching between Lincoln Way and Sloat Boulevard—making it California’s largest pedestrianization project to date. Opened in April 2025, the park offers a scenic two-mile promenade along Ocean Beach, complete with walking paths, dune landscaping, and recreational areas. Built amid pandemic-era street closures, Sunset Dunes reflects a growing trend of converting formerly vehicle-centric zones into vibrant communal spaces. Urban planners in Dhaka, Kathmandu, and Delhi are studying this project as a model for reclaiming underused spaces and boosting public well-being.

20 Aug

$1 Million Challenge Opens for Revolutionary Infrastructure Ideas

Mohini BarmanInternational

The U.S. Department of Transportation, through ARPA-I, has announced a new $1 million “Ideas Challenge” to encourage breakthrough innovations in public infrastructure. Open to individuals, startups, and academic teams, the competition seeks concepts that improve commuting safety, efficiency, and affordability—from smart road management to predictive maintenance systems. Ten finalists will present proposals in early 2026, vying for significant funding and development support. South Asian urban planners—especially from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal—are watching closely, considering similar innovation contests to solve transit challenges in growing metropolitan hubs.

18 Aug

Brazil Experiments with ‘Passive Restoration’ in the Amazon

Mohini BarmanInternational

In Pará state, Brazil, officials are testing "passive restoration" of the Amazon—letting a vast, previously deforested area regenerate naturally, with minimal human intervention. The initiative asks if forests can heal themselves. Despite promising early signs, experts caution that 60% of regenerated land may be deforested again, highlighting the fragility of natural regeneration alone.

18 Aug

New York State Launches SUNY Reconnect for Working Adults

Mohini BarmanInternational

New York State has introduced the SUNY Reconnect initiative—offering free community college education for adults aged 25–55 without prior degrees. The program, launching in Fall 2025, covers tuition, fees, books, and supplies in high-demand fields across the SUNY system. With information sessions starting this summer, the goal is to remove financial and logistical barriers for adult learners seeking upward mobility. This initiative is inspiring education advocates across South Asia—particularly in Delhi, Dhaka, and Kathmandu—where similar models could significantly increase skills training and workforce inclusion among older students.

16 Aug

UK Greenlights Opt-Out Law for Organ Donation

Mohini BarmanInternational

Scotland’s Human Tissue (Authorisation) Act 2019 has come into force, making every resident an organ donor by default unless they opt out. This aligns Scotland with many European nations using presumed consent to increase organ availability. The model offers a reference point for Bangladesh, Nepal, and India, where organ donation rates remain low. A culturally tailored opt-out system, with adequate safeguards and public awareness, could enhance lives saved across the region.

16 Aug

World’s Largest Photovoltaic Plant Operational in Saudi Arabia

Mohini BarmanInternational

Saudi Arabia's Sudair Solar PV Project in Sudair Industrial City has gone fully operational. At 1.5 GW capacity, it stands among the world’s largest solar farms. Equipped with bi-facial panels and tracking tech, it's expected to power approximately 185,000 homes while offsetting 2.9 million tons of CO₂ annually. The project's $924 million investment aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s drive to derive 70% of energy from renewables by 2030. The model has implications for Nepal and Bangladesh, where solarization of remote or rural areas could harness abundant sunlight to support decentralized electrification.

13 Aug

Major U.S. Airlines Pilot Zero-Emission Aircraft on Regional Routes

Mohini BarmanInternational

Two U.S. airlines are partnering with electric aviation startups to pilot zero-emission regional aircraft on short-haul routes in California, aiming for full certification by 2027. These small ePlanes promise silent, emission-free flights between cities like Sacramento and San Francisco. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted test licenses, and the project is backed by clean energy funding as part of the green infrastructure push. Industry analysts predict these aircraft could revolutionize commuter travel by drastically reducing carbon footprints. Airline executives in India and Bangladesh are closely observing the progress. Regional aviation could benefit from similar low-emission technology on short domestic…

12 Aug

Education Reform: Major Push to Reduce Student Debt

Mohini BarmanInternational

In a bold bid to tackle student debt and boost economic opportunity, U.S. President Biden has unveiled a proposal offering free community college education for students from households earning under $80,000 annually. The plan also includes expanded Pell Grants and emergency student financial aid through partnerships with community colleges and nonprofits. The initiative is expected to increase high school graduation incentives and funnel skilled workers into trade sectors. Education advocates in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh are observing closely—engaging in discussions about similar models to reduce dropout rates in rural areas. This push could reshape workforce development and inspire region-wide reforms…

11 Aug

London Hosts Major Event on Sustainable Insurance and Green Finance

Mohini BarmanInternational

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is gearing up for its presence at London Climate Action Week 2025, focusing on sustainable finance models, insurance underwriting transformation, and climate risk strategies in financial systems. Sessions will showcase how to de-risk climate investments and integrate resilience into financial structures, with global bankers, insurers, and policymakers participating. Finance professionals in South Asia—especially in Bangladesh’s Dhaka and India’s Mumbai—are using this as a roadmap to strengthen their own climate-responsive financial frameworks.