Huge increase in large-scale mining is being fuelled by the rising price of metals and oil, as search for minerals centres on Africa

With the world’s freshwater supplies under mounting pressure from pollution and galloping consumption, understanding the how, where and why of water use is more important than ever.

To that end, scientists from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have released a new study analyzing the quantity and distribution of global water use from 1996 to 2005.

It should come as no surprise to learn that the world is over reliant on petroleum, from the gas we put in cars to the plastic bags we take groceries home in. We're still trying to figure out how to make electric cars popular, but scientists at Utrecht University in the Netherlands may have solved the plastic bag half of the problem, creating an innovative new process that turns plant material to plastic.

It is now two months since the devastating floods that hit the southern Philippines, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving many more homeless.

Officials admit that deforestation was the cause of much of the destruction and the government says it has renewed efforts to prevent any more trees being cut down.

But the BBC has seen evidence that logging is still causing concern that December's disaster could be repeated.

Kate McGeown visited one of the worst affected areas in Mindanao to see the impact of the floods and hear from locals.