Will one of these 12 visions replace today’s throwaway coffee cup?

A new research contract has been formed between the UK Space Agency and Rolls-Royce Defence that will have planetary scientists working together to explore nuclear power’s potential as a plentiful source of energy to make deep space exploration possible in the decades to come. One area of research will be nuclear propulsion that would involve channeling energy released by splitting atoms to accelerate propellants, like hydrogen, at high speeds.

The UNECE region leads the world in producing, value-adding and transforming its natural resources for socio-economic consumption. However, these resources are often finite. Their production and consumption require enormous energy and other resource inputs, and lead to environmental degradation and increased vulnerability to climate change – effects that are compounded on the region’s increasingly urbanized populations. Transitioning to a more circular economy and sustainable use of natural resources is crucial for achieving the SDGs.