Fifty five hectares of key conservation land has been returned to the Indigenous people who will steward it.
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Nature’s Best Hope in the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas: The Case for Sambucus racemosa
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This is the story of Weda Bay – and how nature is being sacrificed for mining
…a much bigger footprint than previously thought.
Weda Bay is just one example of a global trend that could see the mining industry expand into some of Earth’s last areas of wilderness in search of minerals and materials to feed the global economy.
Analysis produced for the Guardian by a group of academic researchers found more than 3,267 mining operations within key biodiversity areas (KBAs), accounting for nearly 5% of the mining sector’s global footprint. China, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico top the rankings for total surface mining area within key biodiversity areas, the most naturally precious areas of the planet.
Until recently, quantifying the industry’s exact imprint has been a difficult task, with mining companies rarely sharing accessible details about their environmental impact. But a growing number of researchers are using satellite imagery to track the sector’s activities from space.
“We have a huge gap on the global assessments of the footprint of mining. It is much bigger than we think,” says Victor Maus, a researcher at Vienna University of Economics and Business. “Most of what is published about mines is for businesses and attracting investors. There’s not much about their impacts. It has somehow escaped the eye of the international community,” he says.
With growing demand for commodities to fuel the green energy transition, the mining sector’s footprint continues to grow.-“We see an expansion of mines in biodiverse areas, particularly with materials like nickel in Indonesia. You have seen expansion into pristine forests over the past few years. The same in the Amazon in Brazil and Peru – gold mining is big there,” says Maus.
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Iran’s Biodiversity and Current Threats Explained
Iran’s Biodiversity and Current Threats Explained — SEVENSEAS Media
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A Snares Crested Penguin leads a small group across rocky coastal ledges, weaving through clumps of bull kelp as they make their way to the sea.
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The Biodiversity Bulletin — Brief Ecology
Our latest Biodiversity Bulletin is out:
🪸 Coral Reef Emergency
🌎 IPBES Expert Panel
🕛 The ‘Homogenocene’
‼️ and more
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Deforestation and carbon stock in state forests in Côte d’Ivoire: The case of the Haut-Sassandra classified forest
Abstract
This study assesses the impact of deforestation, primarily due to the expansion of cocoa plantations, on carbon stocks in the Haut-Sassandra Classified Forest (HSCF) in Côte d’Ivoire. The methodology was based on the processing of a 2019 Landsat image and a forest inventory in 117 plots of 625 m² each, respectively, to map land use in the HSCF and quantify biomass and sequestered carbon…
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🐛 Hidden insect diversity in grass shoots threatened by mowing
Hidden insect diversity in grass shoots threatened by mowing
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How Climate Change Is Affecting Wildlife
How Climate Change Is Affecting Wildlife
Climate change isn’t just changing temperatures — it’s reshaping the natural world and the lives of animals everywhere. From melting Arctic ice to shifting migration patterns, wildlife is being forced to adapt faster than ever before.
For many species, survival now depends on how quickly they can respond to rapidly changing environments.
🌡️ Changing Habitats
Rising global temperatures are transforming ecosystems that animals depend on. Forests, oceans, wetlands, and polar regions are experiencing major environmental shifts.
As habitats change:
- Some species lose food sources
- Others are pushed into unfamiliar territories
- Competition for resources increases
Animals adapted to specific climates often struggle the most.
🧭 Disrupted Migration Patterns
Many animals rely on seasonal signals like temperature and rainfall to migrate or reproduce. Climate change is altering these natural cues.
Birds may arrive too early or too late for food availability, while marine species move toward cooler waters, disrupting entire ecosystems and food chains.
❄️ Melting Ice and Rising Seas
Polar wildlife faces some of the most visible impacts. Melting sea ice reduces hunting grounds and breeding areas for Arctic species, while rising sea levels threaten coastal habitats used by birds, turtles, and marine animals.
Loss of habitat directly affects survival rates.
🔥 Extreme Weather Events
Wildfires, droughts, floods, and storms are becoming more frequent and intense. These sudden events can destroy nesting areas, reduce food availability, and force animals to relocate quickly.
Recovery becomes harder when extreme events happen repeatedly.
🐠 Ocean Changes and Marine Life
Oceans absorb much of the planet’s heat and carbon dioxide, leading to warming waters and coral bleaching. Marine ecosystems depend heavily on coral reefs, so their decline affects thousands of species at once.
When oceans change, entire food systems shift.
🌱 Can Wildlife Adapt?
Some species are adapting by changing behaviors or moving to new regions, but adaptation has limits. Conservation efforts, habitat protection, and climate action play a critical role in helping wildlife survive long term.
Protecting biodiversity ultimately protects ecosystem balance — and human life too.
🌍 A Shared Future
Climate change reminds us that humans and wildlife share the same environment. Actions taken today — reducing emissions, protecting habitats, and supporting conservation — can help ensure animals continue to thrive alongside us.
Every small step toward sustainability helps preserve the natural world.
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Do Humans and Chimps Really Share Nearly 99% of Their DNA?
Tambako the Jaguar via Getty Images
Chimpanzees, along with bonobos, are humans’ closest living relatives. In fact, you may have heard that humans and chimps share 98.8% of their DNA. But is this actually true? And what does “similar DNA” actually mean? The truth is that the frequently cited 98.8% similarity between chimp (Pan troglodytes) and human (Homo sapiens) DNA overlooks key differences in…
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A Barbarian Through the Gates
Our negotiations at the UN Biodiversity Convention have drawn to a close.
Many of the diplomatic skirmishes were clashes of low cunning rather than of high ideals. However, I was uniformly impressed by the diligence of my colleagues on Canada’s State Delegation.
I believe we collectively succeeded in strengthening the foundation for implementation of the Convention.
I spent my last day in Rome wandering through the remnants of its ancient glories.
Rome’s long rise, slow decline, and staggering collapse under the weight of political corruption and social inequality has far too many parallels in the contemporary world.
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Prehistoric Philippines: A Glimpse into Life 250,000 Years Ago
By WPS News Science ReporterBaybay City | February 24, 2026
The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of over 7,000 islands, rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity. However, to understand the unique characteristics of this nation today, one must delve into its prehistoric past. About 250,000 years ago, the archipelago was a vastly different place, inhabited by early hominins who played…
Prehistoric Philippines: A Glimpse into Life 250,000 Years Ago
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Mosses and More: Exploring the Bryophyte Flora of Kalikasan Park | InformativeBD
Mosses and More: Exploring the Bryophyte Flora of Kalikasan Park | InformativeBD
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