Six of the world’s most outstanding environmental changemakers will be recognized today with a Champions of the Earth Award, the UN’s highest environmental honor. This years’ laureates are recognized for a combination of bold, innovative, and tireless efforts to tackle some of the most urgent environmental issues of our times. The winners of the 2018…
On August 1 humanity used nature’s resource budget for the entire year, according to Global Footprint Network, an international research organization. This date is called Earth Overshoot Day—the date when humanity’s annual demand on nature exceeds what Earth’s ecosystems can renew in that year. In other words, humanity is currently using nature 1.7 times faster…
A new study suggests that Earth’s ongoing mass extinction episode is more severe than generally perceived. Rather than focusing on the complete extinction of entire species, researchers analysed the losses and declines of populations in a sample of 27 600 vertebrate species. Population declines and losses are often a prelude to species extinctions. Researchers also…
As floods and droughts ravage communities and countries worldwide, a WWF report published today highlights the capacity of healthy rivers to help mitigate these natural disasters but warns that all these ‘hidden’ benefits of rivers could be lost if they continue to be undervalued and overlooked. The Valuing Rivers report, released on the opening day…
Major declines in populations of bees in North America and beyond is a big problem for farmers who depend on this free natural pollinator to help fertilize their crops that end up as food on our tables. According to the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), $15 billion a year in U.S. crops—including apples, berries,…
Environmental leaders, activists and advocates gathered at the Vatican on July 5 with Pope Francis to kick off a two-day Vatican-organized conference with a sense of urgency and unity. Together they hope to emerge with a momentum for greater action and a shared vision for protecting our planet. Inspired by the third anniversary of the…
While some gadget-makers are already prioritizing greener sourcing and operations, others have a long way to go. The international environmental advocacy group Greenpeace has been keeping track of the tech industry’s progress on sustainability for more than a decade, and its advocacy over the years has helped pushed several leading players to take stock of…
A new study finds that when Antarctica’s massive ice shelves lack a protective buffer of sea ice, ocean swells from the north flex the shelves and can weaken their stabilizing seaward edge. Regular inundation by summer meltwater as the seaward edge breaks away can also contribute to rapid ice shelf disintegration. Because ice shelves slow…
World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5th. • India is the global host of WED 2018, with celebrations across the country and events scheduled around the world. • This year’s theme is “Beat Plastic Pollution: If you can’t reuse it, refuse it”. With World Environment Day 2018 just over 10 days away, communities…
New report finds most schemes failing to achieve any protection for the environment. Many certification schemes which supposedly help consumers make environmentally friendly decisions are actually standing in the way of greater sustainability and should undergo serious reform, according to a new report. The findings come in new research from the Changing Markets Foundation, which…
