The European Parliament agreed on legally binding targets to protect and restore nature in the European Union — a significant step but short of the “30 by 30” goal that most conservationists and scientists have called for to stem the tide of species extinctions and climate change.

July 13, 2023

Every year, up to 10 million tons of plastic end up in the world’s oceans — an amount so large it’s hard to visualize. Two journalists from Al Jazeera found that if flattened, ocean plastic today would cover an area roughly the size of Jamaica.

June 21, 2023

For years, two communities in southeast Colombia have worked to protect the black caiman — the largest predator in the Amazon River basin, which was hunted to near extinction in the area for its highly-prized skin.

May 26, 2023

Increasing drought and urban expansion have contributed to the destruction and degradation of 35 percent of the world’s wetlands. How might we stymie this decline? Introducing beavers back into their natural habitats is a good start.

February 13, 2023

In case you missed it: Every bite of food we eat comes with an environmental cost. But not every diet is created equal. A new tool illustrates the toll our food system takes on nature — comparing dietary staples like meat, fish, dairy, eggs and grains.

February 6, 2023

In case you missed it: One of the coldest regions of the planet is experiencing its highest temperatures in at least a millennium. While grim, the findings are in line with what’s becoming clearer and clearer — Earth’s frozen regions are steadily warming.

January 30, 2023

In case you missed it: The Amazon is the ecological jewel of the world, home to nearly 400 billion trees and 10,000 species at risk of extinction. It’s also the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sink. Yet a new report shows those climate benefits are not uniformly distributed.

January 23, 2023

In case you missed it: A recent study reveals that underwater forests are much more prolific than previously thought — and may play a key role in stemming the climate crisis.

January 9, 2023

In case you missed it: As climate change drives sea level rise, and more extreme droughts and floods, understanding the world’s water patterns is increasingly important. Luckily, scientists are coming up with new ways to adapt. The latest: satellites.

January 3, 2023

In case you missed it: Around the world, rivers have been treated like repositories of trash and toxic runoff — some so heavily polluted that they caught on fire. Now, cities from Australia to Europe to North America are turning to nature to restore their waterways.

December 12, 2022

In case you missed it: North Atlantic right whales are fast approaching extinction. Each year, this rare species migrates along the eastern coast of the United States. The path leads right whales into a gauntlet of treacherous fishing grounds around New England.

December 5, 2022

Worldwide, mangroves — once destroyed for agriculture and development — have seen a sharp decline in deforestation. A new report from the Global Mangrove Alliance offers a plan to end mangrove loss entirely.

November 23, 2022

On a tiny island in the Philippines, fishermen and green sea turtles live side by side in hard-earned harmony. That wasn’t always the case. Slowly and steadily, they have returned, a story of against-the-odds compromise.

November 15, 2022

Climate risks are growing, but global efforts to adapt to them are not keeping pace. That’s the big-picture takeaway from a new United Nations report, which underscores the funding needed by developing nations to reduce their exposure to climate disasters.

November 7, 2022

More methane is being pumped into the atmosphere than ever before, according to a new study from the World Meteorological Organization. The rapid acceleration is threatening to hamper efforts to curb climate change.

October 31, 2022

Deep in the frigid east Bering Sea, snow crabs have historically flourished — supporting Alaska’s $160 million annual crabbing industry. Yet state officials recently sent shockwaves across the industry when they announced there would be no snow crab season this year for the first time.

October 25, 2022

In case you missed it: More than 85 percent of the world's best surf breaks are located in areas that are critically important for conservation. And surfers are some of the ecosystems’ best advocates.

October 19, 2022

Australia has lost more mammals to extinction than any other continent. A new plan commits to protecting its iconic wildlife, but some say it doesn’t go far enough.

October 10, 2022

In case you missed it: Spruce trees are creeping northward into the arctic tundra — a barren terrain where frigid temperatures have long prevented them from growing. The changing landscape could have huge implications for life on Earth, scientists say.

October 5, 2022

In case you missed it: Climate change is exacerbating existing ailments and causing people to suffer from new afflictions. Moreover, entire health systems are beginning to recognize that threats from climate change will have a big impact on their operations.

September 27, 2022

In case you missed it: A new study suggests that the consequences of crossing critical climate thresholds could be more severe than previously thought — including the collapse of polar ice sheets and death of coral reefs.

September 22, 2022

In case you missed it: Scientists are sourcing new, lifesaving medications from the sea. But deep-sea mining explorations could risk critical marine ecosystems before their potential is understood.

September 12, 2022

In case you missed it: Emerging genetic technologies could someday bring back Tasmania’s apex predator. But critics say concerns abound — including siphoning resources from conservation.

September 2, 2022

In case you missed it: Millions of salmon commute up Alaska’s Yukon River every fall in search of safe places to spawn. But as waters begin to warm, their populations have slumped to all-time lows.

August 22, 2022

In case you missed it: A new study found that birds with distinctive shapes and sizes are the most likely to be lost.

August 15, 2022

In case you missed it: Large mammals are critical to keeping ecosystems in balance.

August 10, 2022

In case you missed it: Communities across the southern coast of the U.S. are now losing their land — and the culture it represents — to sea-level rise. Nature can help.

August 1, 2022

In case you missed it: Species living in extreme conditions could advance antibiotic production.

July 26, 2022

In case you missed it: Brazil's rainforests are in serious trouble.

July 18, 2022

In case you missed it: Mudslinging is on the rise in the Senegalese city of Dakar.

July 11, 2022

In case you missed it: Rising temperatures are putting the pollen from essential crops — including tomatoes, canola and rice — at risk.

July 6, 2022

In case you missed it: A giant stingray hooked (and released) by a fisherman in Cambodia’s Mekong River earlier this month has taken the title of world’s largest freshwater fish.

June 27, 2022

In case you missed it: The unprecedented floods that ripped through Yellowstone National Park in the United States could be a warning of climate impacts to come.

June 22, 2022

Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.

April 8, 2021

Protecting nature will be critical to preventing future pandemics, some scientists say. With that in mind, here are five articles that explore the connection between nature and human health.

April 1, 2020