biodiversity
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Oil drilling and water scarcity push Iraq’s famed wetlands to collapse
Iraq’s southern marshes, once among the world’s richest wetland ecosystems, are vanishing as oil extraction and drought deplete water sources and disrupt life for local communities.
Azhar Al-Rubaie, Sara Manisera and Daniela Sala report for The Guardian.
In short:
- Iraq’s Mesopotamian marshes, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, are drying up as water is diverted to oil fields like Halfaya and Majnoon, where extraction methods consume vast amounts of freshwater.
- PetroChina and other oil firms pump tens of thousands of cubic meters of water daily from the Tigris to support oil drilling, while upstream dams in Turkey, Iran, and northern Iraq further choke water flow to the wetlands.
- Pollution from oil operations has poisoned fish, collapsed local agriculture, and forced families into poverty or employment with the same industry damaging their environment, sparking recent waves of protest.
Key quote:
“This economy is literally killing people.”
— Majid al-Saadi, director of the agriculture department in Maysan province
Why this matters:
The Mesopotamian marshes, once a cradle of civilization, now face a man-made collapse fueled by climate change, political neglect, and industrial water use. These wetlands once provided drinking water, food, and livelihoods for thousands, while sustaining a unique ecosystem. Today, oil drilling is pulling freshwater away from the region, leaving behind cracked earth and chemical-laced canals. This transformation is not only displacing families and collapsing local economies — it is also accelerating desertification and biodiversity loss. With Iraq’s government prioritizing fossil fuel revenues over wetland protection, and international oil firms largely unaccountable, the region is becoming a flashpoint where environmental degradation, public health risks, and social unrest converge.
Learn more: Podcast: Climate change forces Iraq’s farmers to abandon ancestral land amid extreme heat and water scarcity
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Melting Alaskan glacier sends floodwaters toward Juneau as city tests emergency wall
A surge of meltwater from Suicide Basin has triggered another glacial outburst flood near Juneau, Alaska, putting new flood defenses to a critical test.
In short:
- The Mendenhall Glacier is again releasing floodwaters after Suicide Basin overflowed, prompting emergency evacuations in parts of Juneau.
- City officials, working with the Army Corps of Engineers, installed a two-mile wall of Hesco barriers along the Mendenhall River to protect neighborhoods.
- The river, already swollen from days of rain, is expected to crest above previous records, posing a serious challenge to the barriers.
Key quote:
“It’s pretty stunning how much water is in there right now.”
— Eran Hood, hydrologist, University of Alaska Southeast
Why this matters:
As Alaska’s glaciers retreat due to rising temperatures, glacial outburst floods — also known as jökulhlaups — are becoming more frequent and dangerous. These floods are unpredictable and can release massive volumes of water in a matter of hours, endangering communities built along waterways once considered stable. In Juneau, the combination of glacier melt and heavy rainfall can create a flash flood scenario with little warning. As glaciers thin and destabilize, the dynamics of meltwater flow become harder to predict, complicating emergency planning. Events like this expose the vulnerability of Arctic and sub-Arctic regions to climate change, where melting ice is not just a long-term concern but a pressing public safety risk. The ongoing flood response also reflects how much infrastructure and resources are being directed toward climate adaptation in even relatively remote parts of the U.S.
Related: A glacier in Alaska causes record flooding in Juneau
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Tropical bird numbers plummet as extreme heat reshapes habitats
A global study tracking 3,000 bird species over 70 years has linked climate-driven extreme heat to steep population declines in the tropics, with some species losing more than a third of their numbers.
In short:
- Researchers from the University of Queensland and Barcelona Supercomputing Centre found tropical bird abundance has fallen by 25–38% since 1950, largely due to prolonged heatwaves.
- Birds in dry tropical savannas, including northern Australia, face heightened risks from extreme heat, water scarcity, and increased fire activity.
- Smaller species, such as the endangered Carpentaria grasswren, are especially vulnerable because they must feed more often and cannot shelter during peak heat.
Key quote:
"This piece of science showed that it's actually the biggest factor causing declines in tropical birds around the world."
— James Watson, professor at the University of Queensland and co-author of the report
Why this matters:
Bird populations are a sensitive indicator of ecosystem health, and their decline signals deepening climate disruption. Tropical species, already adapted to stable conditions, are ill-equipped for the rapid shifts brought by human-driven warming. Heatwaves push many beyond their physiological limits, while altered rainfall patterns erode food and water availability. The loss of bird diversity can unravel ecological webs — affecting pollination, seed dispersal and pest control — while also threatening cultural and economic values tied to wildlife. In places like northern Australia, these changes compound the pressures from habitat loss, fire and invasive species, creating a feedback loop that accelerates decline.
Learn more: Bird populations in the Amazon are declining without clear cause
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Patagonia oil export terminal plan alarms scientists and residents over wildlife threat
Residents, scientists, and tour operators in Patagonia are warning that Argentina’s planned largest crude oil export terminal could devastate marine ecosystems, harm endangered species, and threaten local livelihoods.
In short:
- The Vaca Muerta Sur project, led by YPF with Shell and Chevron, will build a 271-mile pipeline to transport up to 700,000 barrels of oil per day to a new terminal at Punta Colorada.
- Experts fear oil spills, increased ship traffic and industrial noise could harm whales, penguins, sea lions, and other wildlife in the San Matías Gulf, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Local fishing and tourism-based communities warn that pollution could destroy their economies and health, while public opposition has faced intimidation and limited opportunities for input.
Key quote:
“It will have a disastrous impact on biodiversity, from the smallest marine life up to the whales and orcas.”
— María Leoní Gaffet, co-director of Península Valdés Orca Research
Why this matters:
Large-scale oil infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive coastal zones carry high stakes for biodiversity, public health, and climate resilience. Patagonia’s San Matías Gulf supports some of the world’s richest marine life, including endangered whales and vast penguin colonies, and sustains communities through fishing and tourism. Oil spills — even small, routine leaks — can strip animals of insulation, smother eggs, and poison food chains for years. Semi-enclosed waters like the gulf can trap pollutants, prolonging damage. Increased shipping traffic and industrial noise disrupt breeding, feeding, and migration, while collisions with vessels can kill whales outright.
Related: Argentina faces pivotal decision with proposed oil extraction bill
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Court blocks commercial fishing in massive Pacific marine reserve
A federal judge in Hawaii has reinstated a ban on commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage marine national monument, rejecting Trump administration efforts to loosen protections.
In short:
- The ruling overturns an April NOAA Fisheries letter that allowed fishing in monument waters protected under former U.S. President Barack Obama, following a Trump proclamation to reverse the restrictions.
- The court found the federal agency bypassed legal requirements for public notice and comment before changing fishing rules.
- The monument, nearly twice the size of Texas, shelters rare coral reefs, seabirds, sharks, and areas of deep cultural significance to Indigenous Pacific Islanders.
Key quote:
“The Fisheries Service cannot ignore our perspectives as the native people who belong to the islands and to the ocean that surrounds us.”
— Solomon Pili Kaho’ohalahala, founding member of Kāpaʻa, the Conservation Council for Hawaii and the Center for Biological Diversity
Why this matters:
Marine protected areas serve as sanctuaries for biodiversity under increasing threat from overfishing, warming seas, and habitat destruction. The Pacific Islands Heritage marine national monument is among the largest in the world, safeguarding ecosystems that store carbon, buffer coastlines from storms, and sustain species found nowhere else. Removing fishing bans in such regions risks destabilizing food webs, depleting predator populations, and undermining the resilience of coral reefs already stressed by the climate crisis. These waters also hold deep cultural meaning for Indigenous communities whose traditions and livelihoods are tied to healthy oceans.
Learn more: Trump reopens protected Pacific waters to commercial fishing, sparking backlash
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Water demand in South Dakota’s Black Hills is outpacing supply, study warns
A new federal study finds that some aquifers in South Dakota’s Black Hills region are being depleted faster than they can recharge, raising concerns over the area’s ability to sustain its growing population.
In short:
- The U.S. Geological Survey found water use in parts of the Madison and Minnelusa aquifers exceeds recharge rates, particularly in the most populated areas between Box Elder and Sturgis.
- The findings bolster plans for a $2 billion, 161-mile pipeline from the Missouri River to western South Dakota, with 47 municipalities signed on as potential partners.
- The Western Dakota Regional Water System is pursuing feasibility studies and funding, with construction potentially taking decades.
Key quote:
“We're going to have a much higher population and higher draw on those resources, so we have some concerns because we're already exceeding the recharge rate in those areas.”
— James Jones, senior project manager at engineering firm AE2S
Why this matters:
Aquifer depletion is a warning sign for water security across the West. As populations grow and droughts become more frequent, underground reserves that took centuries to fill can be drained in a fraction of that time. When recharge lags behind use, communities face hard choices about growth, agriculture, and industry. In regions like the Black Hills, where groundwater is a primary source of drinking water, shortages can impact public health, ecosystems, and economies. Once these reserves are tapped beyond recovery, the damage can be effectively permanent.
Related: Groundwater overuse is drying the planet and raising the seas
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Wind energy faces new scrutiny as Trump targets eagle deaths
President Trump’s administration has moved to tighten enforcement of laws protecting bald eagles from wind turbines, even as it has weakened those same protections for oil, gas, and other industries.
In short:
- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered a review of permits that allow wind companies to incidentally harm eagles and suggested possible criminal prosecutions.
- At the same time, the administration has rolled back parts of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, often benefiting fossil fuel producers.
- Federal data shows wind power kills far fewer birds than oil pits, power lines, buildings, or domestic cats, and scientists warn climate change poses the greater long-term threat to birds.
Key quote:
“All of the concern for eagles is concentrated solely on wind right now.”
— Sarah Krakoff, professor of environmental law, University of Colorado, Boulder
Why this matters:
Bald eagles are one of the most visible symbols of American wildlife, and their rebound from near extinction is often cited as a major conservation success. But their survival remains tied to environmental safeguards that limit industrial impacts, from toxic lead to habitat destruction. Energy policy decisions that selectively enforce wildlife protections can skew public perception about the real sources of harm and shift the regulatory burden away from larger threats. If political battles over energy sources obscure scientific evidence, wildlife protections risk becoming tools of partisan agendas rather than consistent safeguards for species survival.
Related: Trump’s energy order weakens endangered species protections
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