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After controversy, Plant-for-the-Planet focuses on the trees
- Plant-for-the-Planet, a global forest restoration and youth empowerment initiative, oversees reforestation projects in Mexico, Spain and Ghana.
- The organization was founded by Felix Finkbeiner at just 9 years old, when his school tree-planting project happened to make the local news in Germany. Now 27, he continues to help run Plant-for-the-Planet as it juggles rapid growth with the slow, painstaking work of planting trees.
- In recent years, the organization has been plagued by controversy, with news investigations exposing exaggerated planting numbers, poor record-keeping, and plans to invest in controversial real estate development.
- Now Plant-for-the-Planet is focusing on data collection and longer-term restoration strategies, hoping to leave its mistakes in the past.
Golden eagle spotted in England for first time in more than a decade
A golden eagle has been spotted in northern England for the first time since 2015, indicating the birds may soon be expanding their range south from Scotland into England, where they’re currently considered locally extinct. Conservationists and scientists working in a remote area of rural Northumberland, an English county that borders Scotland, reported seeing the […]
Record-breaking heat wave due to climate change hits Iceland & Greenland: Scientists
In May, both Iceland and Greenland experienced record-breaking heat. A new rapid analysis has found that the heat wave in both regions was made worse and more likely in today’s warmer climate. The analysis was conducted by World Weather Attribution (WWA), a global network of researchers that evaluates the role of climate change in extreme […]
EU appetite for EVs drives new wave of deforestation in tropical forests
- The European Union’s demand for electric vehicles may lead to the deforestation of 118,000 hectares (291,584 acres) in critical minerals-supplying countries, according to a new report.
- Brazil, which accounts for large reserves of nickel, graphite, rare earths, lithium and niobium, would be one of the most affected countries.
- Despite the mining project’s socioenvironmental impacts, the Brazilian federal government has backed companies with financing and political support.
- Experts warn that the new minerals rush increases pressure on Indigenous communities already suffering from mining companies’ violations.
EU anti-deforestation law could overlook big violators, NGO warns
The European Union’s landmark anti-deforestation law could fail to deliver on its environmental promises if enforcement authorities disproportionately focus on small importers while missing less obvious violations from major commodity firms, according to a new analysis by U.K.-based investigative nonprofit, Earthsight. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which comes into force Dec. 30, 2025, aims to […]
EU’s legislative body accepts weakening of wolf protection
The European Parliament has voted in favor of the European Commission’s proposal to weaken wolf protection, citing increased conflicts with people and livestock in some regions. The draft law, which requires approval by the EU Council, will make it easier to hunt wolves. While hunting and landowners’ associations applauded the decision, environmental groups expressed dismay. […]
How a road engineer became an ocean activist & won the world’s top environmental prize
Carlos Mallo Molina has been awarded the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize for protecting the marine biodiversity of Tenerife, the most populated of the Canary Islands. On this episode of Mongabay’s podcast, Molina explains what led him to quit his job as a civil engineer on a road project impacting the Teno-Rasca marine protected area (MPA) […]
European body proposes mass killing of cormorants to protect fish stocks
A regional fishery body is seeking to reduce cormorant numbers across Europe through “coordinated” culling, citing the aquatic birds’ reported impacts on fisheries and aquaculture. The European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC), a body under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the U.N., published its draft plan on April 25. The proposal […]
World’s top seafood firms lobby against ocean conservation measures: Report
- The world’s most influential seafood companies and industry associations mostly lobby against environmental protections, a report by the U.K.-based NGO InfluenceMap found.
- The report assesses the biodiversity-related lobbying efforts of a list of the 30 most influential seafood companies in the world and 12 of the main industry associations they’re members of.
- The vast majority of the companies and industry associations engage in lobbying that’s misaligned with international biodiversity goals agreed to in a 2022 treaty.
- Industry associations told Mongabay that they support science-based policy and that the report is flawed.
England’s flooded farmlands offer habitat, carbon storage & storm protection
When aging infrastructure failed to protect coastal farmland in southwest England from sea level rise, conservationists chose to embrace the flooding and created a new wetland reserve. Mongabay’s Leo Plunkett and Sandy Watt report in a recent Mongabay video that the newly created marsh has brought a host of benefits to the region. The Steart […]
How did Finland lead the pursuit of a circular economy? Mongabay podcast explores
As the first nation to develop a circular economy road map in 2016, Finland has had a head start in trying to develop an economy that’s based on reusing and regenerating materials and products. A lot can be learned from Finland’s experience so far, including challenges and gaps, Mongabay’s Mike DiGirolamo found in an episode of […]
Report accuses Starbucks of tax avoidance through ‘ethical’ Swiss subsidiary
- A report accuses Starbucks of shifting $1.3 billion in profits over the past decade to its Swiss subsidiary to avoid higher taxes in other countries.
- The little-known outfit in Lausanne sources unroasted beans — about 3% of the global coffee trade — and handles the café giant’s ethical sourcing program.
- Critics say the scheme is unethical and deprives countries of tax revenue, while Starbucks insists it complies with all laws and defends its “essential” subsidiary.
With deep-sea mining plans in limbo, Norwegian companies fold or dig in
- Norway’s plans to mine seabed minerals in Arctic waters remain in limbo after the first licensing round was delayed in December 2024. However, the government maintains that progress will resume soon, with a licensing round tentatively set for 2026.
- Some deep-sea mining companies have faced significant financial struggles due to the delay, with one company going bankrupt and another slashing costs; yet, other firms remain optimistic, insisting the industry’s future is still secure.
- Experts warn that considerable knowledge gaps must be addressed before deep-sea mining can proceed, particularly regarding environmental impacts.
- In Norway, the industry also continues to face heavy opposition from environmental groups, the fishing sector, and several political parties.
New EU plastic pellet rules greeted with caution
- The EU has agreed binding rules to reduce plastic pellet pollution, aiming to tackle up to 184,000 metric tons of annual leakage into the environment.
- Provisional measures will require companies to prevent spills, implement risk management, and report losses — but reliance on self-reporting may limit accountability, environmental groups argue.
- Campaigners have welcomed the deal but criticized loopholes, delays for maritime transport, and lighter rules for small businesses, warning these could undermine the regulation’s impact.
Meet the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners
- Each year, the Goldman Environmental Prize honors grassroots activists from each of the six inhabited continental regions.
- The 2025 prize winners are Semia Gharbi from Tunisia, Batmunkh Luvsandash from Mongolia, Besjana Guri and Olsi Nika from Albania, Carlos Mallo Molina from the Canary Islands, Laurene Allen from the United States and Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari from Peru.
Indonesia raises concerns over EU deforestation law’s impact on smallholders
- The Indonesian government has raised concerns over the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), citing unclear due diligence rules, unrealistic expectations for smallholders, and contradictions in geolocation data requirements.
- Deputy Foreign Minister Arief Havas Oegroseno questioned the fairness of demanding geolocation data from Global South producers while EU privacy laws restrict similar data sharing within Europe.
- Arief also highlighted the EU’s inconsistent enforcement of past trade agreements like the FLEGT deal on timber, casting doubt on whether the EUDR will be applied fairly across member states.
- An EU envoy acknowledged some ambiguities but defended the EUDR’s goals, stressing that cooperation with Indonesia remains a priority despite stalled talks over data discrepancies.
AI uncovers how birds remix their songs over time
- A new study has confirmed the belief that birdsongs evolve as a result of age, population dynamics and movement of the birds.
- Researchers gathered thousands of hours of audio of great tits (Parus major) and used artificial intelligence to analyze songs in the data.
- They found that birds that move around a lot tended to know the popular songs, while the ones that didn’t had pockets with unique songs.
- While older birds were found to act as repositories of old songs, mixed-age bird communities were found to have more song diversity.
Icelandic whaling company calls off fin whale hunt this summer
Iceland’s largest commercial whaling company, Hvalur hf., has said it will not hunt any fin whales in the summer of 2025. In December 2024, Iceland’s government granted Hvalur hf., run by billionaire Kristján Loftsson, a five-year license to hunt 209 fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) each year between 2025 and 2029. Another whaling company, Tjaldtangi ehf., […]
Coexistence with Europe’s carnivores is possible (commentary)
- The return of bears, wolverines, lynx and wolves to European landscapes from where they have been absent for decades, or even centuries, is a conservation success.
- But while this has also led to a resurgence of age-old conflicts, such as livestock depredation and fears for personal safety, the author of a new op-ed who leads a research project aimed at coexistence is optimistic.
- “The Co-creating Coexistence Project [will] provide valuable knowledge to guide policy as the focus shifts from ‘how do we prevent large carnivores from going extinct?’ to ‘how to live with a conservation success?’” he writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
Eurasian pygmy owl confirmed in Spain for the first time
Europe’s smallest bird of prey, the Eurasian pygmy owl, has now been confirmed in Spain for the first time, marking a westward expansion from the bird’s usual range. Researchers first captured the sounds of the Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum) in early 2023 in Val d’Aran inside the Catalonia region of eastern Spain, using automated […]
The price for Europe’s packing paper boom
The rapid rise of e-commerce and food delivery services has transformed consumption patterns worldwide. In an effort to reduce plastic waste, the European Union introduced policies such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, aimed at a shift from single-use plastics to single-use paper products. While these initiatives aim to address the environmental crisis, they […]
UK delays to environment law have led to massive deforestation, report says
- U.K. lawmakers have spent the last four years delaying the implementation of “forest risk” regulations on imported commodities like beef, soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee and rubber.
- A law passed in 2021 needs secondary legislation to implement the regulations, which would establish what supply chain information needs to be collected by businesses and how it should be reported to the government.
- As the country waits for the law’s implementation, U.K. imports have resulted in more than 39,300 hectares (97,100 acres) of deforestation, according to a report from NGO Global Witness.
Netherlands’ largest forest biomass plant canceled, forest advocates elated
- Vattenfall, the Netherlands’ third-largest energy producer, has announced it is abandoning plans to build the country’s largest wood pellet burning power plant.
- Forest advocates, who launched a campaign to derail Vattenfall’s plans in 2019, declared victory. They note that burning wood pellets to make energy produces more carbon emissions per unit of energy than coal, despite industry claims that the technology is carbon neutral.
- Increasing scientific evidence shows that burning forest biomass for energy is a false climate solution that increases deforestation and biodiversity loss, while releasing significant carbon emissions at the smokestack — worsening climate change.
- In a recent pivot, EU officials now seem more willing to admit the error of past carbon neutrality claims for wood pellet burning power plants, though they now say those emissions can be eliminated by installing Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BCCS) at the facilities — an untested, unready technology, scientists say.
With Europe’s forests, we can’t manage what we can’t measure (commentary)
- A group of European policymakers are currently trying to derail a law that would harmonize data used to monitor the European Union’s forests.
- The Forest Monitoring Law (FML) was proposed by the European Commission in November 2023, but conservative and far-right members of the European Parliament recently moved to scrap it.
- “We cannot manage what we cannot measure. By ensuring cost efficiency, enhancing competitiveness, transformation to a true bio-economy and responding to the growing demand for forest information, the law positions Europe as a leader in forestry data and management. Let us seize this opportunity,” a new op-ed argues.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily Mongabay.
Why are the British flooding parts of their coast?
SOMERSET, England — Steart Marshes, in southwest England, may not be the most picturesque nature reserve in the British Isles, but it is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating. Just over a decade ago, this landscape was farmland, but its precarious position, wedged between the River Parrett and the Bristol Channel, made it highly vulnerable […]
EUDR compliance costs to be minimal, report finds — but industry disagrees
- A recent report from the Dutch NGO Profundo suggests that complying with the EUDR, the regulation designed to root out deforestation in the supply chains of products entering the European Union, will add little cost to companies’ bottom lines.
- Researchers from Profundo used available customs data for 12 small, medium and large companies that import one or more of the seven commodities regulated by the EUDR.
- On average, it will cost companies about 0.1% of their annual revenues, though the cost will likely be higher for smaller companies, according to the report. The impact on the prices consumers pay will be even smaller.
- Industry sources told Mongabay that the report’s methodology was “flawed,” however, and said the authors did not take into account the full suite of accommodations companies must make.
Indigenous leaders optimistic after resumed U.N. biodiversity conference in Rome
- With nature finance always difficult to raise and sustain, Indigenous peoples and local communities may be the recipients of the most tangible progress to emerge from the resumed U.N. biodiversity conference, or COP16, in Rome in late February.
- In perhaps the most significant development from COP16, the creation of the Cali Fund and its launch last month could provide a steady flow of funds to communities worth hundreds of millions annually for programs and projects of their choosing.
- The Cali Fund aims to collect a small percentage of profits or revenue from corporations around the world that use digital sequence information (DSI) from nature’s genetics to develop commercial products.
- Indigenous peoples have been on a “path to unprecedented progress” after the first talks in Cali adopted a new program of work on traditional knowledge and their direct participation in negotiations, say sources.
Sweden to kill 87 Eurasian lynx despite complaints to EU Commission
Sweden has issued licenses to hunters to kill 87 Eurasian lynx between March 1 and Apr. 15. Conservation organizations say the annual hunts of the medium-sized wildcat violate environmental legislation of the European Union, of which Sweden is a part. The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is categorized as vulnerable on Sweden’s red list, but the […]
Timber trade watchdog urges Poland to halt imports of Myanmar ‘blood timber’
- Environmental law watchdog ClientEarth is demanding immediate action from authorities in Poland to crack down on imports of sanctioned Myanmar teak into the country.
- Imports of the highly coveted timber into Poland persist, the group says, despite EU sanctions imposed on Myanmar’s state-controlled timber monopoly following the 2021 military coup and brutal crackdown on citizens.
- The imports also flout EU Timber Regulations, as well as risk exacerbating high rates of deforestation in the conflict-torn country.
- The continued imports come as Poland assumes a new leadership role on the European Council and delays to the implementation of the EU’s new antideforestation regulations.
Camera trap films two rare black wolves in Poland
A camera trap placed inside a forest in Poland has filmed two rare black wolves crossing a stream, SAVE Wildlife Conservation Fund Poland announced recently. Originally set up to record beavers that were building a dam in the water, the camera ended up capturing the black wolves on film twice: once in the summer of […]
Lawsuit is latest push to curb bottom trawling in protected European waters
- The fishing practice of bottom trawling continues in European marine protected areas (MPAs) despite conservation concerns over its destruction of seabed habitats and indiscriminate catches.
- Four NGOs have sued the Netherlands to stop bottom trawling in the Dutch section of Dogger Bank, an MPA in the North Sea, citing its ecological importance.
- Advocacy efforts across Europe, including other lawsuits, have led to some restrictions on the practice, such as the closure of the U.K. section of Dogger Bank to bottom trawling, but most European MPAs remain insufficiently protected, a 2024 study indicates.
- Fishing interests often disagree with the NGOs’ position on bottom trawling in MPAs, saying that regulated bottom trawling can coexist with conservation goals and support communities socioeconomically, and that blanket restrictions risk marginalizing fishing communities without addressing broader environmental challenges like pollution or climate change.
Researchers find two individuals of UK’s ‘loneliest bat’ species
For more than two decades, researchers knew of just a single, male individual of the greater mouse-eared bat that would repeatedly hibernate in an unused railway tunnel in Sussex, U.K. This male bat became known as the “loneliest soul in Britain” since he was without a companion. But researchers have now found that he isn’t […]
Mass salmon deaths hit Scottish farms as government investigates
- Hundreds of thousands of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) died on fish farms in Scottish waters in the final months of 2024.
- Poisonous jellyfish, disease and parasites were behind the mass mortality events, despite major investments by the salmon industry to combat these threats.
- In January, a parliamentary committee concluded an inquiry into the industry, saying it was “disappointed” by the lack of progress on environmental pollution and animal welfare issues.
Study finds population crash for critically endangered European eel in Spain’s Ebro Delta
The critically endangered European eel population is facing collapse in Spain’s Ebro Delta, where populations have plummeted by more than 80% in recent years, according to a new study. The study’s authors warn this decline may be as severe, or worse, than the crash of the late 1970s and early 1980s when overfishing pushed the […]
EU legislators urge IMF to protect Madagascar forests against road projects
Thirty-five members of the European Parliament are calling on the International Monetary Fund to renegotiate its funding to Madagascar that could support two highway projects expected to cut across the nation’s vital forests. The IMF in June 2024 announced $321 million to Madagascar through its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). It aims to aid the […]
Researchers find microplastics for the first time in the Finnish Sámi waters
- Scientists and Indigenous Skolt Sámi knowledge holders have detected microplastics in the lakes and rivers that the Indigenous Sámi communities have used for generations.
- The concentration of microplastics was small, researchers found, but it was still higher than the quantity expected, given that the area is thought to be pristine.
- The average size of the microplastics was 100 micrometers and concentrations ranged from 45 to 423 microplastic particles per cubic meter.
- While the source of the microplastics is unknown, researchers say one of the sources could be from the transboundary pollution accumulated in fish that come from the ocean to the freshwaters for spawning.
Underwater volcano in Barents Sea reveals diverse marine life, study finds
What’s new: Following the discovery of the underwater Borealis Mud Volcano on the Arctic seabed in 2023, researchers have now confirmed that the methane-spewing volcano is home to a diverse array of marine life thriving in the unique habitat. What the study says: In 2023, scientists from UiT The Arctic University of Norway discovered the […]
Climate researcher fired for refusing air travel wins compensation
A climate researcher who was fired from his job for refusing to take a flight back from a work trip has been awarded compensation in court for unfair dismissal. Gianluca Grimalda has been reducing his air travel since 2010. But in 2023, his employer, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) in Germany, terminated […]
Explosive ‘bomb cyclone’ pummels Europe, hitting UK hardest
Back-to-back storms have ravaged the U.K. and neighboring Ireland and France, causing torrential rains, power outages and flooding the past several days and overall “wild weather,” the Associated Press reported. Storm Éowyn first struck the Britain and Ireland on Jan. 23, bringing with it heavy rains and strong winds, followed by Storm Herminia soon after. […]
Pilot-turned-climate activist Todd Smith finds other ways to fly
Todd Smith says he fell in love with planes after watching an air show at age 5. “And I just thought, well, they look like they’re having fun, and that’s what I want to do,” he tells host Rachel Donald on an episode of the Mongabay Newscast, a weekly podcast by Mongabay. Smith says he […]
1 lynx dead, 3 quarantined after suspected illegal release in Scotland
What started out as a reported sighting of a pair of Eurasian lynx in the Scottish Highlands has turned out to be an alleged case of “guerrilla rewilding” or, at the very least, illegal release of four individuals of a species long extinct in the area, media reports say. A pair of Eurasian lynx (Lynx […]
Smart tags reveal migratory bats are storm-front surfers
What’s new: Some bats, like birds, migrate long distances. But these long-distance bat migrations have been somewhat of a mystery to researchers, especially since only a few species embark on them. Now, in a new study, researchers have mapped the odyssey of common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) using innovative tiny trackers. And the results have […]
Atlantic puffins are perilously attracted to artificial light, new study shows
- When they make their first journey into the ocean, fledgling Atlantic puffins are prone to being stranded on land, imperiling them. For years, scientists have wondered what leads to these strandings.
- A new study provides experimental evidence to show that artificial light lures young puffins toward land, contributing to strandings.
- The study found pufflings don’t have a strong preference for any particular light source or color. However, once stranded, they move more under darkness and high-pressure sodium lights than under LED lights.
- Reducing artificial lights along the coast and offshore could save puffin lives, say conservationists, as Atlantic puffin populations are decreasing in parts of Europe. It can also save other threatened seabirds, such as Leach’s storm petrel found off Canada’s coast.
Sweden’s wolf hunt starts, aims to halve population
Sweden has started its 2025 wolf hunt, with an aim to kill 30 wolves between Jan. 2 and Feb. 15. By the end of Jan. 2, hunters had shot 10 wolves (Canis lupus), according to Sweden Herald. Most recent estimates put wolf numbers in Sweden at roughly 375 by late 2023, a decline of nearly […]
European Commission to review Greek oil activity permits in whale habitat
The European Commission will reportedly “seek clarification” from Greece about its recent approvals for offshore oil and gas activities in areas critical for threatened whales and sea turtles. That’s according to the NGO ClientEarth, which, alongside WWF Greece and Greenpeace Greece, filed a formal complaint with the European executive body in 2023 alleging that the […]
Shipbreaking pollutes Türkiye’s coast despite European cleanup efforts
- Over the past decade, more than 2,000 ships have been dismantled at shipyards in Türkiye’s coastal town of Aliağa, one of the world’s main destinations for decommissioned vessels.
- Locals and environmentalists alike complain of rampant water and air pollution linked to shipbreaking, among other industrial activities.
- Workers’ unions and activists have also called out substandard working conditions at the yards, recording 11 deadly accidents between 2018 and 2024.
- Efforts by the European Union to promote better practices in some yards by allowing them to dismantle European ships have had a mixed effect, according to workers and experts Mongabay interviewed, encouraging some yards to improve practices without solving the pollution problem.
Spain adopts paid ‘climate leave’ policy following deadly floods
Spain has introduced a paid four-day “climate leave” policy to protect workers during extreme weather events, one month after the deadliest storm in Spain’s recent history. The Valencia storm claimed at least 225 lives in October and November, and many people were impacted during their work commutes. On Nov. 28, the Spanish labor ministry updated […]
Battering in U.K. & Ireland, deaths in Thailand & Malaysia as storms keep coming
Hundreds of thousands of people were left without electricity across the U.K. and Ireland after the onslaught of Storm Darragh this past weekend, local media reported. Darragh, which brought wind gusts of 154 kilometers per hour (96 miles per hour), is the fourth named storm of the 2024-25 European windstorm season, which runs from Sept. […]
Maker of Jeff Bezos’s yacht fined for using Myanmar ‘blood timber’
Dutch prosecutors have fined the makers of Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos’s superyacht for its use of dubious Myanmar teak, in the latest instance of authorities cracking down on “blood timber” from the Southeast Asian country. Yacht builder Oceanco will pay a 150,000 euro ($159,000) fine under a settlement reached with the Dutch Public Prosecution Service […]
EU votes to weaken protection for European wolves
Wolves across Europe are set to lose their “strictly protected” status. The move is seen as a win for farmers concerned about loss of livestock, but conservationists warn that removing protections will jeopardize stable wolf populations. At a recent meeting of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, EU countries […]
Yacht maker Sunseeker fined in landmark Myanmar ‘blood timber’ case
Yacht builder Sunseeker International has become the first company fined by a U.K. court for using illegally imported timber from military-controlled Myanmar on some of its vessels. The U.K.-based company, which claims to be “the world’s leading brand for luxury motor yachts,” pleaded guilty to three charges of violating the U.K. Timber Regulation (UKTR). The […]
Norway kills first round of Arctic deep-sea mining permits amid opposition
Norway has cancelled the first licensing round for deep-sea mining in the Arctic after pressure from activists and a small environmentalist political party. Plans to mine Norway’s seabed minerals were largely expected to sail through with little opposition, as the government eyed the start of commercial mining in 2030. But the country’s Socialist Left Party […]
India, U.K. deal with storms that are ‘symptom of our changing climate’
India is bracing for intense rainfall over the next few days as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into what will be called Cyclone Fengal by Nov. 29, according to local media reports. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone is likely to pass near the coast of […]
Leaders fail to address overfishing near Europe at ‘fraught’ international meeting
- The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) held its annual meeting in London Nov. 12-15.
- NEAFC is a regional fisheries management organization, a multilateral body that controls fishing in international waters; its remit includes certain fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic, near Europe.
- Among these, mackerel and herring have been overfished for years, yet NEAFC member countries did nothing to address the issue at the meeting.
- NGO observers have criticized NEAFC and its members for failing to address governance issues they say led to the overexploitation.
Slender-billed curlew, a bird last photographed in 1995, is likely extinct
For decades, the slender-billed curlew, a grayish-brown migratory wetland bird with a long, arched bill, has evaded detection, prompting speculation about whether the species is still out there. Now, a new study has confirmed that the species is indeed most likely extinct. “Speaking personally it’s a source of deep sadness,” Geoff Hilton, conservation scientist at […]
Scottish salmon farms seek growth despite mounting fish deaths and environmental concerns
- Scotland is the world’s third-largest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), after Norway and Chile.
- The industry is seeking to significantly increase production in Scotland, driven by growing export demand.
- However, it faces ethical concerns over mounting fish mortality, as well as environmental concerns about pollution, the proliferation of sea lice affecting wild salmon, and opposition from several local communities.
- Industry members acknowledge the challenge of growing salmon amid rising sea temperatures, but say Scottish salmon farms have made progress in managing sea lice and other health challenges.
As nations develop circular economy plans, Finland’s top expert shares how they lead the way
In 2016, Finland became the first nation to design a circular economy roadmap, and has set specific goals to reach “maximum circularity” by 2035. While the nation has made great progress, significant challenges remain. For this second episode of a new series of the Mongabay Explores podcast all about the circular economy — the effort […]
Parties gutting EUDR received donations from companies tied to illegal deforestation: Report
- The EU Parliament has voted to postpone the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year after strong opposition to the law from EU member states, export countries, traders, and operators.
- It has also approved a series of amendments put forward by the large center-right European People’s Party (EPP), which called for less stringent requirements.
- In a new report, the NGO Earthsight linked donors linked to illegal deforestation and likely benefits from this amendment to EPP member parties in Germany and Austria, which have called for the revision of the law.
- Supply chain analysts and environmentalists said the changes will open up loopholes undermining forest conservation and facilitating the laundering of illegally sourced commodities in the EU.
Brazil to adopt full beef traceability by 2032 amid China, EU pressure
Brazil will soon begin tracing individual cattle from birth to slaughter, aiming to make the sector 100% traceable by 2032, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Carlos Fávaro has indicated. The announcement in late October comes amid growing international demand for transparency, especially as the EUDR, a new European Union regulation requiring proof that certain imported commodities […]
EU delays and weakens anti-deforestation law, adding ‘no-risk’ loophole
The European Parliament approved a move to postpone a watered-down version of its anti-deforestation law, with implementation pushed back 12 months to the end of 2025. The Nov. 14 vote to delay the European Union Deforestation Regulation, or the EUDR, by a year was approved with a clear majority of 58%, with 371 votes in […]
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