rainforests
Newsletter
Credit: Kate Stone Matheson/Unsplash
Rainforests might survive after all, says new study
A new study shows that while rainforests continue to face threats, certain areas are seeing a decline in deforestation, offering a glimmer of hope for their future.
In short:
- Tropical forests lost more than 9 million acres last year, equivalent to 10 soccer fields per minute, with deforestation primarily driven by agriculture.
- Recent declines in forest loss in Colombia, Brazil, and Indonesia highlight the impact of effective laws and governance in protecting these critical ecosystems.
- The World Resources Institute's analysis points to a stubborn consistency in the rate of primary forest loss, stressing the need for continued vigilance.
Key quote:
"We have the opportunity again of being a champion on climate, and Lula has promised to do that."
— Ana Paula Vargas, Brazil Program Director at Amazon Watch
Why this matters:
Rainforests, often dubbed the lungs of the Earth, are under significant threat from deforestation, a process that not only affects biodiversity but also has profound implications for local communities. These ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots, hosting over half of the world's plant and animal species in their dense, green canopies. When trees are cut down, it doesn't just result in habitat loss; it also disrupts intricate ecological networks, pushing numerous species towards extinction.
Are you a coffee drinker that cares about your environmental footprint? Buy shade-grown coffee, brew it by French press, and dispose of the coffee grounds in compost.
Keep reading...Show less
Palm oil is actually not that bad for the environment (anymore)
Palm oil once destroyed orangutan-filled rainforests in Southeast Asia. Now, the industry is cleaning up its act.
Trial of palm oil tycoon Surya Darmadi begins in Jakarta
Palm oil tycoon Surya Darmadi began trial in Jakarta on Thursday over an alleged corruption scheme that deforested tens of thousands of hectares on the island of Sumatra.
Rainforest politics in Brazil and Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Brazil are home to the world’s biggest rainforests. Their challenges are similar, but on climate they are pursuing divergent paths.
jai Mansson/Flickr
Foreign capital powers Brazil's meatpackers and helps deforest the Amazon
Foreign investors, including asset management companies and pension funds, now own large stakes, which means that ordinary citizens in the United States and elsewhere are helping fund Amazon deforestation through their investments.
Photo by Julian B. Sölter on Unsplash
Drop in rain forest productivity could speed future climate change
Tropical forests host a rich diversity of plant and animal life and process vast amounts of carbon dioxide. Therefore, researchers have been particularly interested in how these ecosystems might be affected by climate change.
news.mongabay.com
Tom Lovejoy, prominent conservation biologist, dies at 80
Thomas E. Lovejoy III, a prominent and influential conservation biologist who helped catalyze a global movement to save the Amazon rainforest and served as an advisor to a wide range of global leaders on environmental matters, has died. He was 80. Lovejoy was known as a pioneer of modern conservation efforts.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
