Sumatra’s dwindling forests face extra pressure from a major highway project
JAKARTA — In Indonesia’s Sumatra, which has lost much of its forests over the decades, a major highway project running the length of the island is poised to speed up…
Environmental headlines
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In a flip-flop, Uganda says it’ll allow a study for a dam at Murchison Falls
The Ugandan government has announced it will let a South African company carry out a feasibility study for a dam in Murchison Falls National Park, reversing an earlier cabinet decision…
Canaries in the coal mine? North Atlantic right whale use of key habitat changing rapidly
Scientists say that behavioral changes observed in North Atlantic right whales should be considered a “canary in the coal mine” scenario. A team of researchers with the Center for Conservation…
Amazon’s giant South American river turtle holding its own, but risks abound
A major six nation study finds that the arrau is thriving mostly in river systems where conservationists are active, but not elsewhere; climate change looms as a major threat.
Svalbard reindeer rebounding better than hoped after nearly going extinct
Reindeer and caribou populations have been declining dramatically over the past few decades. But one subspecies of reindeer seems to be doing better, a new study has found. The wild…
In other news: Environmental stories from around the web, December 6, 2019
Tropical forests Gabon’s new environment minister touts the importance of protecting his country’s rainforests (Yahoo Finance). The head of the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo pledges…
Protecting living corals could help defend the Great Barrier Reef from ocean acidification for decades
As humans continue to emit record levels of carbon dioxide, we are putting marine habitats at risk. One consequence of these emissions, ocean acidification, is a serious threat to many…
‘A crisis situation’: Extinctions loom as forests are erased in Mozambique
NACOPA, Mozambique — It’s nighttime on Mount Nallume in central Mozambique and the chirping of frenzied crickets fills the thick forest air. Then, toward midnight, another voice joins the cacophony.…
Philippine climate activists fight to make the issue relatable
MANILA — As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, the Philippines is known for its active participation in the global climate movement and negotiations at various forums. But despite…
Latest UN Emissions Gap Report finds world must ramp up climate ambitions at least threefold to meet Paris goals
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its latest Emissions Gap Report on the eve of the climate negotiations that kicked off Monday in Madrid, Spain. According to the report,…
Sounds of healthy corals draw in fish to degraded reefs, study finds
A healthy coral reef, with its vibrant community of colorful corals and fishes, is not just a visual treat; it’s also a rich medley of sounds. Previous studies have shown…
New regulations to expand protections for seafloor habitats, reopen fishing grounds off US West Coast
New regulations for essential fish habitat off the West Coast of the United States that go into effect in 2020 will extend protections for deep-sea habitats and corals while reopening…
Catching fish to feed fish: Report details ‘unsustainable’ fishmeal and oil industry
Every year, billions of fish — almost one-fifth of the world’s annual wild catch — are dried, pressed and ground into oil and meal. The majority of this material is…
As nesting season begins, Sri Lanka’s olive ridley turtles face myriad threats
COLOMBO — The Sri Lankan Navy has rescued 32 sea turtles that were likely being reared for their flesh, highlighting just one of the key threats to turtles migrating through…
World is fast losing its cool: Polar regions in deep trouble, say scientists
New report reveals how both the Arctic and Antarctic are heating up and changing dramatically amid ongoing, but largely insufficient, UN climate negotiations.
Indonesia zoning plan hurts fishers, favors coal and oil, activists say
JAKARTA — Environmental activists in Indonesia have slammed a proposed zoning plan for coastal areas in eastern Borneo that they say will hurt the livelihoods of local fishing communities in…
Follow the permits: How to identify corruption red flags in Indonesian land deals
This story was co-published with The Gecko Project. When Rita Widyasari, the former head of Kutai Kartanegara district in Indonesian Borneo, was sentenced to 10 years in prison last year…
Water flowing up the mountain: Development devours forest reserve in Zambia
LUSAKA – On a chilly August afternoon in Chongwe, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the Zambian capital, Lusaka, a handful of children warm themselves around a small fire…
Indonesian officials charged in $1.6m bribes-for-permits scheme
JAKARTA — Anti-corruption investigators in Indonesia have charged two government officials for allegedly taking $1.6 million in bribes to grant permits for oil palm plantations spanning just over half the…
As hurricane season ends, now is the time to take local action to rebuild and recover (commentary)
Most of us have places where we feel safe — a tree in our backyard, a den in our house, a beach in our town. But these days, some “safe…
Special series
Endangered environmentalists
- Iran sentences eight conservationists convicted of spying
- Watchdog denounces arrests of four anti-mining activists in Indonesia
- Activists fighting for their lands swept up in Philippines crackdown
Indonesias forest guardians
- Reforesting a village in Indonesia, one batch of gourmet beans at a time
- Restoring Sumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem, one small farm at a time
- Indigenous Iban community defends rainforests, but awaits lands rights recognition
Amazon infrastructure
- Brazil works behind scene to greenlight Manaus-Boa Vista transmission line
- Yanomami Amazon reserve invaded by 20,000 miners; Bolsonaro fails to act
- Amazon infrastructure puts 68% of indigenous lands / protected areas at risk: report
Asian rhinos
- Malaysia’s last Sumatran rhino dies, leaving Indonesia as the final refuge
- Indonesia plans IVF for recently captured Sumatran rhino
- Malaysian attempt at Sumatran rhino IVF fails on low quality of sperm
