Toucans Reintroduced 50 Years Ago Disperse Seeds of Endangered Trees in Brazil
More than five decades after the ariel toucan was reintroduced to Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca National Park, a year‑long study shows the bird has largely resumed its historic ecological role. Researchers documented toucans feeding on 76 % of the 101 native plant species they once relied on, and nearly 90 % of medium‑to‑large seeded trees, including the endangered jussara palm and bicuíba‑branca. The birds’ ability to crack hard fruit capsules makes them a unique seed‑disperser in the urban forest. Their functional uniqueness persists despite the presence of other reintroduced mammals.
In Search of the Tiny Toad that Stopped a Dam
The red‑belly toad, endemic to a 700‑meter rocky strip in southern Brazil, became the first amphibian to stop a hydroelectric dam in 2013, securing a critical refuge for its roughly 1,000 remaining individuals. In May 2024 catastrophic floods raised the river...
Indigenous Knowledge Confirms What Scientists Observe: Large Birds Are Disappearing
A new study published in the International Journal of Conservation shows that large bird species have become dramatically smaller across three continents, confirming trends documented by scientists. By surveying 1,434 Indigenous and local community members, researchers found the average body...
A Fish a Day: More than 300 Freshwater Species Described in 2025
Taxonomists documented 309 new freshwater fish species in 2025, the highest annual count since 2017 and the third‑highest since records began in 1758. The discoveries span five continents, with Asia leading (165 species) followed by South America and Africa. Many...
Costa Rica’s Head Start May Mask Tougher EUDR Road Ahead
Costa Rica has leveraged its long‑standing sustainability framework to launch a nationwide, deforestation‑free coffee program ahead of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). A pilot with the CoopeTarrazú cooperative in 2024 introduced satellite‑based mapping, AI tools, and due‑diligence training, leading to...
South Africa Endorses Treaty to Triple Global Nuclear Energy Capacity by 2050
South Africa has signed the non‑binding Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy Capacity by 2050, joining 33 other nations at the 2023 UN climate summit in Dubai. The move was announced at the Africa Energy Indaba, where the energy minister called...
Forest Advocates Accuse EU Energy Firm of Dutch Biomass Certification Fraud
Forest groups and Dutch authorities allege that energy giant RWE imported Malaysian wood pellets labeled as Category 5 waste but actually sourced from whole trees, violating EU biomass‑certification rules. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service is weighing a criminal investigation after advocacy...
Study Finds Livestock Pushing Lions Away From Shared Rangeland in Kenya
A new study of Kenya’s Mara conservancies shows that lions increasingly steer clear of zones where Maasai cattle have recently grazed, even after the herds have moved on. Researchers surveyed seven community‑owned conservancies between 2015 and 2023, covering roughly 69,000...
Bangladesh Sees Rise in Ray, Shark Fishing as Traditional Seafood Species Dwindle
Bangladesh has seen a sharp rise in illegal shark and ray fishing as catches of traditional seafood species decline. Lower prices and growing export markets for dried fins and skins have made these protected species attractive to impoverished coastal fishers....
‘We Do Not Have Time’: Interview with MEP Delara Burkhardt on the EUDR’s Second Delay
The European Union Deforestation‑free Regulation (EUDR), a cornerstone of the EU Green Deal, has been postponed twice, pushing its start date beyond the original 2024 deadline. MEP Delara Burkhardt attributes the delays to political pressure from industries and countries fearing...
Rights Violations Prompt World’s Largest Sovereign Wealth Fund to Divest From Bolloré
Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, has fully divested its 0.4% stake in French conglomerate Bolloré, valued at roughly $70 million. The move follows a 2024 recommendation from the fund’s ethics council citing documented human‑rights, gender‑based...
Thai Data Center Boom Sparks Fears of Water Shortage, Air Pollution
Thailand is witnessing a rapid data‑center boom, with the Board of Investment approving 36 projects worth $23 billion in 2025 and at least seven more announced in early 2026. The country aims to lift its data‑center capacity to 1 GW by 2027,...
From Forest to Flatpack, IKEA Faces Timber Traceability Test Under EUDR
The EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), set to take effect at the end of 2026, requires companies like IKEA to provide geolocation data proving their timber was not sourced from land deforested after December 2020. Although IKEA already sources nearly 100 % of...
Ugandans Affected by Pipeline Discontented over Rehabilitation Efforts: Report
A recent AFIEGO survey of 246 Ugandans affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) found that roughly one‑third are dissatisfied with the livelihood restoration program. Respondents cited delayed agricultural inputs, poor‑quality seeds, and cash compensation that fails to...
Pascale Moehrle Pressed Europe to Take Its Seas Seriously
Pascale Moehrle, who directed Oceana’s European office from 2019 to 2025, died on March 4, 2026. She spent four decades urging EU governments to translate scientific fisheries advice into enforceable policy, curb bottom‑trawling, and make marine protected areas more than “lines on a...
Indonesian Communities Try to Reclaim Lands Following Company Permit Revocations
Indonesia’s government revoked the forest utilization permit of PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) and 27 other firms in January 2026, citing violations that contributed to the deadly 2025 floods and landslides. The revocation affects a 167,927‑ha concession, prompting 29 Indigenous...
Indonesia Farmers Count the Costs as Rains Wash Out Java Durian Harvest
Indonesia’s Banyumas district saw a dramatic drop in durian output, with farmer Ganjar harvesting only 500 fruits from 300 trees in 2024 versus 3,500 the previous year. Heavy, unseasonal rainfall caused flowers to fall off, curtailing fruit development across the...
Brazilian Police Seize More than 1.5 Metric Tons of Shark Fins
Brazilian federal police seized more than 1.5 metric tons of shark fins in Rodelas, Bahia, uncovering a suspected Chinese‑run syndicate. Seven suspects, including three Chinese nationals, were arrested at a rural processing site. The haul likely contains fins from vulnerable...
Lawsuit Targets TotalEnergies over Fossil Fuel Expansion and Paris Agreement Goals
French courts have begun hearing a lawsuit against TotalEnergies, filed by 14 French cities and five NGOs, alleging the company’s portfolio of new fossil‑fuel projects breaches the 1.5 °C target of the Paris Agreement. The complaint, grounded in France’s 2017 duty...
The Power of Cities over the Seas
Cities are emerging as powerful actors in ocean governance, using port regulations, municipal procurement, and data tools to shape maritime behavior. Port clean‑air initiatives in Los Angeles and Long Beach have forced shipping lines toward lower‑emission fuels and shore power. Municipal buyers...
Senegal Gas Project Draws International Scrutiny
The UK OECD National Contact Point has ruled a complaint from Senegalese artisanal fishers against the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas platform admissible. The complaint alleges pollution, denied fishing access, and an inadequate environmental impact assessment by BP and partners....
Nepal Signs Major Carbon Deal but Community Access Remains Challenging
On Jan. 23 Nepal became the first Asian nation to sign a carbon‑finance agreement with the LEAF Coalition, unlocking up to $55 million for forest‑dependent communities. The deal covers emissions reductions in Gandaki, Bagmati and Lumbini provinces and splits credit sales across...
Indigenous Communities Oppose Papua Forest Rezoning for Palm Oil
Indigenous communities in Indonesia’s Papua province have lodged an administrative objection to two forestry ministry decrees that reclassify 486,939 hectares of forest as non‑forest land, clearing the way for oil‑palm plantations under the government’s food‑estate program. The rezoning, approved in...
The Cost of Compliance with the EUDR Will Limit Its Impact on Reducing Deforestation (Commentary)
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will require physical segregation of seven high‑risk agri‑commodities, adding substantial compliance costs. Because commodity markets operate on razor‑thin margins—often 1‑3% for soy—the extra expenses threaten price competitiveness. The authors argue that these costs will push...
Indonesia Faces Scrutiny over Permit Revocations Following Deadly Floods and Landslides
Indonesia revoked 28 forestry, plantation and mining permits after Cyclone Senyar caused floods and landslides that killed roughly 1,200 people. An NGO audit revealed that many of the listed concessions had already expired, been cancelled years earlier, or lay outside the...