Source: Canada’s herring facing ‘biological decimation’, say First Nations and activists
The latest news related to nature conservation from around the world. If there is
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What does the world gain when we protect tigers?
World Wildlife Fund
Tigers are one of the world’s most recognized animals. Throughout history they can be seen in cultural traditions across Asia, as well as in brand images and logos the world over. But while they might be omnipresent across our cultural landscape, their actual existence in the wild has been dramatically reduced to only a few pockets of their historical range…
Empowering Indigenous peoples crucial to climate, biodiversity crises: Study
Mongabay
Indigenous communities in Latin America and the Caribbean have consistently asserted that they are the best guardians of their forests. Now, a recent U.N. report has mainstreamed this argument, adding that these communities are also under increasing threat and supporting and empowering them will be the most cost-effective response, not only to tackling carbon emissions, but also to protecting biodiversity and our weather systems…
Companies back moratorium on deep sea mining
BBC News
A long-running dispute over plans to start mining the ocean floor has suddenly flared up. For years it was only environmental groups that objected to the idea of digging up metals from the deep sea. But now BMW, Volvo, Google and Samsung are lending their weight to calls for a moratorium on the proposals…
Rewilding our cities: beauty, biodiversity and the biophilic cities movement
The Guardian
Buildings covered in plants do more than just make the cityscape attractive – they contribute to human wellbeing and action on climate change. Our cities are dominated by glass-faced edifices that overheat like greenhouses then guzzle energy to cool down. Instead, we could have buildings that are intimately connected to the living systems that have evolved with us…
Canada’s herring facing ‘biological decimation’, say First Nations and activists
The Guardian
Herring off western coast will ‘teeter on edge of complete collapse’ if commercial fishing continues at current level, says report. First Nations and conservationists are warning that Pacific herring populations are “collapsing” off Canada’s western coast, and are appealing for a moratorium on commercial fishing until the critical species can rebuild…
Create national parks around UK coastline, conservation group says
The Guardian
National parks in sea could bring greater protections for habitats, says Blue Marine Foundation. National parks should be created in the waters around the UK coast to help conserve fragile marine habitats and give people access to more of Britain’s natural heritage, a marine conservation group has said…
Births Among Endangered Right Whales Show an Encouraging Rebound
Yale Environment 360
Critically endangered North Atlantic right whales gave birth to the largest number of calves in six years, offering a glimmer of hope for a population that has been driven to the verge of extinction because of entanglements with fishing gear and collisions with ships…
Seagrass Forests Counteract Ocean Acidification
Scientific American
Vast underwater meadows of gently waving sea grass stand sentinel for hundreds of miles up and down the West Coast. These blue-green fields perform a variety of important services… New research suggests sea grass meadows may also mitigate a serious consequence of greenhouse gas emissions: the steady acidification of ocean waters…
Study: Aerial drones capture manta ray behaviors in thriving population
Conservation International
Gliding through the crystalline waters of the Bird’s Head Seascape in West Papua, Indonesia, is one of the planet’s most highly intelligent — and threatened — marine species: the manta ray. By sifting through 16 years’ worth of satellite data, drone footage and field surveys, a team of researchers recently took a deep dive into the natural history of manta rays in the Bird’s Head…
Gender matters in achieving biodiversity goals
Malaysia Sun
With the ongoing global pandemic exacting a heavier toll on women, training key actors to integrate gender perspectives into efforts to achieve biodiversity and environmental goals is crucial. This was the core message at the online launch of the gender and biodiversity training materials for South East Asia and the Pacific…
YubaNet
Despite the fact that our planet is mostly ocean and human maritime activity is more intense than it has ever been, we know remarkably little about the state of the ocean’s biodiversity — the variety and balance of species that support healthy and productive ecosystems. And it’s no surprise…
France’s New Marine Protection Strategy Should Include Stronger Safeguards, Experts Say
PEW
In January, France unveiled its new global marine conservation strategy with a goal of protecting 30% of its waters by 2022; a third of that would be shielded by “high protections” under the plan, meaning that extractive activities would not be allowed in the areas. Achieving these goals would be a major step forward for global ocean health…
New map shows where the 80% of species we don’t know about may be hiding
Mongabay
A new study maps out the regions of the world most likely to hold the highest number of species unknown to science. The study found that tropical forests in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Madagascar and Colombia had the highest potential for undescribed species, mostly reptiles and amphibians…
Costa Rican Biological Corridors, a Bridge for the Conservation of Biodiversity
The Costa Rica News
In Costa Rica, biological corridors are the second most important conservation strategy in terms of territory and scope promoted by the National Program of Biological Corridors and with the participation of local actors in their management through participatory platforms called Local Committees of Biological Corridors…
Hidden diversity of coral more important for conservation than previously thought
Science Codex
In recent years, advancements in DNA sequencing have exposed a large amount of hidden diversity in reef-building corals: species that appear identical to one another but are genetically distinct. Typically ignored as they are invisible to the naked eye, a team of researchers is taking a more holistic approach…
Biodiversity’s healthy byproduct – nutrient-rich seafood
YaleNews
About a third of people around the world rely on protein from the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. But the full nutritional value of this seafood depends upon the species diversity in the ecosystem where it was extracted, a new study by researchers at Yale and the University of British Columbia finds…
Africa is creating its own Great Wall – and it’s green
World Economic Forum
Green is not the first colour you typically associate with the arid Sahel region in Africa. But a pan-regional initiative could change this significantly by 2030, following a pledge for new funding of more than $14 billion. Stretching coast-to-coast from Senegal to Djibouti, the Great Green Wall is aiming to regenerate one of the region’s most seriously affected by land degradation and desertification in the world…
Recent notifications from the Convention on Biological Diversity
Preparation for the formal meetings of SBSTTA 24 and SBI 3
A joint meeting of the COP and SBSTTA Bureaux was held today, 1 April 2021, after a series of regional consultations with Parties to discuss the timings and modalities of the formal meetings of the subsidiary bodies, taking into account the experience gained at the recent informal meetings…
