Melting glaciers. Rising sea levels. These disturbing climate trends are no strangers to the pages of the Guardian Weekly, but both are subjects to which we return this week with two terrific, insightful pieces of writing.
First, for our cover story, Observer science editor Robin McKie lifts the lid on hectic international manoeuvring over rights to the Arctic’s treasures, where fish, oil, minerals and shipping lanes are some of the economic prizes being opened up by the fast-receding sea ice.
Inside the paper, from the other side of the world, Oliver Milman reports on the human plight of Marshall Islanders in the Pacific, where habitable land is rapidly being eroded by rising seas, a development that is leading large numbers of the population to emigrate to the United States. It’s an essential package of reading on two different sides of one big dilemma for us all.
Elsewhere in the paper we catch up with water riots in India (another portentous climate-related development), Japan’s new female leader of the opposition, trouble at the top for Podemos in Spain, and the radical new mayor of Johannesburg.
In the UK, as Jeremy Corbyn looks set to win a Labour leadership challenge, we consider his plans to re-democratise the party’s structures. His vision may go down well with party members, but will the bulk of British voters agree?
The Weekly Review opens a fascinating if chilling window into the world of algorithmic recruitment and management, and how the process can influence our working lives. We also meet some of the people who enjoy the sedate pace of life up a wildfire lookout tower. Plenty of time to grow a beard up there!
Discovery profiles the colourful Hawaiian bird life at risk from avian malaria, while Books shines a light on the anthropomorphic social lives of trees. And there’s something of a coup in the Culture pages, where you’ll find an extract from John Le Carré’s vivid new memoir.
The seasons are on the move here in London, as the days shorten and fresher conditions arrive. At this time of year I often think about how the weather on the other side of the world will be going the exact opposite way, which I expect many of our southern hemisphere readers will now be enjoying. We try our best to make the Weekly relevant and insightful for you no matter where it reaches you; thanks for reading and please feel free to send me your thoughts on the edition.
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