Indonesia provides a roadmap for halting deforestation
Deforestation continues to be one of the biggest environmental crises facing our world but looking at countries with effective deforestation mitigation policies can help us map out what saving the earth’s forests looks like on a global scale. One country that serves as a case study for turning Read More...
UK to ban products sourced from illegally logged areas
Whether you know it or not, your shopping habits can inadvertently play a role in environmental crimes such as illegal logging. In a quest to stop metaphorically “importing” the problem of deforestation, the government of the UK has passed new laws that should help prevent consumers from buying Read More...
Why more farms should feed maggots to chickens rather than soy
Watching chickens peck around for insects should be an utterly normal experience, but in this day and age, most hens are kept indoors where they are forced to eat a grain and soy-rich diet. These chickens might never see an insect in their life. The reason farmers opt for soy is rather simple: Read More...
Mud stoves are helping Ugandans solve their country’s deforestation crisis
With only 10 percent of Uganda’s rural population connected to the power grid, people have no other choice but to use firewood as the main source of fuel to cook, leading to one of the worst deforestation rates in the world. In fact, every year, 2.6 percent of the country’s forests are cut Read More...
Giving cash to poor families in Indonesia can help reduce deforestation
Indonesia has the third-largest area of rainforest in the world, but it also bears one of the highest deforestation rates on the globe, especially of primary forests – undisturbed, mature tropical forests that are important for biodiversity and carbon storage, among other benefits. Over the Read More...
New data shows efforts to reverse deforestation worldwide might be working
Last year, the world lost trees covering more than 29 million acres, an area roughly the size of the entire state of Pennsylvania. It’s a painful statistic to read, but fortunately, there are also early signs that some efforts to stop business practices that drive deforestation might be working. Read More...
Brazil is now taking swift action to protect Amazon rainforest from loggers
Brazil is home to the largest swath of the mesmerizing Amazon rainforest, but unfortunately, its government has allowed mass deforestation to occur under its watch. The good news—we say with an air of caution—is that the Brazilian government seems to be finally taking the issue seriously after Read More...
This software allows anyone to monitor deforestation
Satellites are an excellent tool for monitoring forests. Those who work in the areas of forest management, policy development, and environmental conservation are increasingly making use of these eyes in the sky to track logging, deforestation, and other forest disturbance events. However, it takes Read More...
The EU steps up its efforts to protect and restore the world’s forests
Deforestation is responsible for 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, half of which are the result of internationally traded agriculture products. On its own, the EU accounts for as much as 36 percent of all global imports of crop and livestock products associated with Read More...
Costa Rica has doubled its forest cover in the past 30 years
Long committed to the environment, Costa Rica has often been praised for its successful efforts in sustainability, biodiversity, and other protections. More recently, the nation has made headlines by pledging to go entirely fossil-free by 2050. In an interview with The New York Times, the Read More...