Conservation News
News, views and stories from the front lines of conservation
May 4, 2024
As climate crisis accelerates, who bears the brunt?
By Mary Kate McCoy
‘Changing Planet’ finds hope for climate-weary coral reefs
By Mary Kate McCoy
New film drops beat for ‘climate heroes’
By Vanessa Bauza
New research: Critical 'irrecoverable carbon' at risk
By Mary Kate McCoy
All recent news
As climate crisis accelerates, who bears the brunt?
Around the world, more than 3 billion people have been affected by extreme weather over the past 20 years — but those impacts are very unevenly distributed, according to a new Conservation International study.
May 3, 2024
‘Changing Planet’ finds hope for climate-weary coral reefs
In the third year of the sweeping global PBS series “Changing Planet,” Conservation International CEO M. Sanjayan explores how climate change is affecting some of Earth’s most vulnerable ecosystems — and the groundbreaking science that’s offering hope.
April 22, 2024
New film drops beat for ‘climate heroes’
A new documentary takes viewers on a trip around the world to explore one of nature’s most powerful — yet overlooked — climate allies: blue carbon.
April 18, 2024
Amid a deforestation crisis, two countries plant seeds of hope
Earth lost 3.7 million hectares (9.2 million acres) of tropical forest last year, an area nearly the size of the Netherlands. Yet amid these sobering findings, there are signs of hope.
April 8, 2024
New research: Critical 'irrecoverable carbon' at risk
Earth has lost 2 billion metric tons of “irrecoverable carbon” since 2018 — an amount greater than the United States’ annual greenhouse gas emissions — underscoring the need to halt deforestation and expand protected areas.
March 28, 2024
Planetary scientist wins ‘Nobel for the environment’
A pioneer in the field of sustainability has earned a major honor. Johan Rockström is this year’s winner of the Tyler Prize, recognized for his work developing the planetary boundaries framework, which gauges Earth’s ability to sustain humanity.
February 29, 2024
Study: To restore grasslands, it’s time to get wild
It’s easy to understand why ambitious reforestation campaigns capture public attention. Earth’s forests are absolutely vital to staving off a climate crisis and protecting nature. But what about grasslands?
February 23, 2024
Study: As climate crisis escalates, so too could human-elephant clashes
When humans and elephants come into contact, the results can be deadly — and if climate change and habitat loss continue, a new study finds, things could get even worse.
February 2, 2024
Study: How nature can fight climate change — and how it can't
Not long ago, the idea that nature could be humanity's ally against climate change was not widely known. In recent years that idea has increasingly moved into the mainstream. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that recognition has led to some confusion.
January 23, 2024
‘Climate-smart’ farming boosts forests, food security in Madagascar
In Madagascar, a sustainable agriculture program aims to help farmers adapt to the increasing droughts and intense cyclones of a warming planet. According to a new report, those efforts are paying off.
January 17, 2024
2023 in review: In hottest year on record, nature is a key climate ally
Conservation News is reflecting on some of our most noteworthy stories about how nature helps combat climate change — from fascinating fungal networks that capture staggering amounts of carbon, to new research into the health of forests.
December 18, 2023
Can tree farms save a forest? Brazil is about to find out
In Brazil's s Mato Grosso do Sul, native species are reclaiming thousands of acres once heavily grazed by cattle. A bold initiative aims to protect and restore nature to an area twice the size of Manhattan — and find new ways to pay for it.
November 20, 2023
It’s about TIME: Conservationist recognized as climate leader
TIME has named Conservation International CEO M. Sanjayan to its inaugural list of the 100 most influential people driving climate action in business.
November 16, 2023
Report: Companies that buy carbon credits lead on climate action
Companies that buy carbon credits are doing more to tackle their climate footprints than companies that don’t, a new report finds.
October 10, 2023
New conservation effort seeks $1 billion for Eastern Himalayas
A new initiative in the Eastern Himalayas aims to raise US$1 billion to accelerate — and scale up — local conservation work, providing resources to plant 1 billion trees, and protect and restore 1 million hectares by 2030.
September 20, 2023
World falling well short of climate goals, new report finds
The results are in on the world’s first climate change progress report: Drastic improvement is needed — and fast.
September 9, 2023
What drives deforestation — and how can we stop it?
As dangerous heatwaves shatter records around the world, a new study provides the most comprehensive review yet of how to stop deforestation — a major cause of climate-warming greenhouse gases, second only to fossil fuel emissions.
August 16, 2023
As coffee demand grows, farmers work to deliver a sustainable brew
Every day, billions of cups of coffee are consumed around the world — and experts say demand could triple over the next 30 years. So, how will all those lattes, espressos and cold brews affect the environment?
August 14, 2023
At Amazon summit, a milestone on the road to protecting the rainforest
Eight Amazonian nations have agreed to create an alliance to protect the world’s largest rainforest, following decades of rising deforestation and warnings of a “tipping point” that could alter the ecosystem — and Earth’s climate.
August 9, 2023
3 things our experts loved in July
Conservation International is powered by 1,500 people in more than 30 countries — their interests, like their hometowns, are all over the map. In this monthly feature, our experts share some of their favorite things.
July 31, 2023
New study reveals seaweed’s hidden climate benefits
A new study found that seaweed forests may play a bigger role in fighting climate change than previously thought — absorbing as much climate-warming carbon as the Amazon rainforest. But not all seaweed forests are created equal.
July 18, 2023
News spotlight: Europe passes bill to fix nature and climate
The European Parliament agreed on legally binding targets to protect and restore nature in the European Union — a significant step but short of the “30 by 30” goal that most conservationists and scientists have called for to stem the tide of species extinctions and climate change.
July 13, 2023
Study: Protecting the ocean benefits people and nature
Across the globe, marine protected areas help struggling fish populations and ecosystems recover and flourish. But what impact do they have on the people living nearby? A new study finds big benefits for both biodiversity and coastal communities.
June 22, 2023
Fungi: Our new climate allies?
Underneath the ground, intricate fungal networks are working together with plants to absorb huge amounts of carbon — equivalent to more than a third of the world's annual fossil fuel emissions, according to a new study.
June 13, 2023
On U.S. East Coast, smoky skies latest sign of a changing climate
This week, the East Coast of the United States is grappling with something that other places around the world are all too familiar with: wildfire smoke. But it may not stay a novelty for long, Americans should start expecting more of these episodes thanks to climate change.
June 8, 2023
Study: Protected forests are a climate powerhouse
Protected forests keep significantly more climate-warming carbon out of the atmosphere than unprotected forests, according to a new study. The research illustrates just how important protected areas are in the fight to curb climate change.
June 1, 2023
When protecting nature helps build peace
As climate change accelerates, there's a growing sense of urgency to address how changes to our ecosystems can lead to conflict. For years, Conservation International has worked to bring environmental peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity to its work.
May 25, 2023
New ‘Changing Planet’ season highlights progress, hope amid climate crisis
Conservation International CEO M. Sanjayan embarks on the second year of an ambitious global journey for the PBS series “Changing Planet,” which explores how six of the world’s most iconic biomes — from Africa’s savannas to the icecaps of the Arctic — are adapting to climate change.
April 26, 2023
5 experts share how hope fuels their work
Yes, it’s easy to feel despondent. The planet is overheating and nature is declining at unprecedented rates. But environmental chaos is not inevitable. Conservation International experts share why they have hope for our Earth — and why you should, too.
April 20, 2023
Indonesia protects ‘walking sharks.’ Are other sharks next?
The Indonesian government has granted six species of threatened “walking sharks” the highest level of protection — a move experts hope will lead to the conservation of other sharks, whose numbers have plummeted due largely to the shark fin trade.
April 19, 2023
In ‘The Last of Us,’ a warning for future pandemics
In a recent New York Times op-ed, Conservation International pandemic prevention fellow Neil Vora explains how climate change is raising the risk of new health threats, including fungal pandemics, and argues that governments need to step up their preparations.
April 11, 2023
From tiny nation, a ‘hallmark moment’ for climate justice
A small Pacific island nation is behind a landmark U.N. resolution that could hold carbon-polluting countries to account for failing to act on climate change. Conservation News explains what the resolution means and how it could advance climate justice.
April 6, 2023
3 things our experts loved in March
Conservation International is powered by 1,500 people in more than 30 countries — their interests, like their hometowns, are all over the map. In this monthly feature, we highlight three things that kept our experts busy while off the clock.
March 27, 2023
Experts see hope in gloomy climate report
Humanity is set to blow past 1.5°C of planetary warming by the early 2030s, according to a new report released today by the U.N. But the report also offers hope in the form of actions that could avert the worst impacts of climate change.
March 20, 2023
On carbon offsets, Wirecutter story doesn’t cut it
A recent article claims that buying carbon offsets for your flight doesn't help the climate crisis. This conclusion is bafflingly wrong: Paying to protect an area of forest to offset the climate footprint of your flight does in fact — demonstrably and verifiably — help.
March 1, 2023
The year ahead: Climate change is here. Nature can help
For millions of people around the world who are learning to survive in the face of droughts, floods and more frequent storms, climate change is not a future problem — it’s here now. Nature can be a powerful ally in adapting to these impacts.
February 16, 2023
3 reasons for hope for the Amazon
When U.S. President Joseph Biden meets with Brazil’s newly elected president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in Washington this week, climate change and the fate of the Amazon will be one of the many items of discussion, according to news reports.
February 9, 2023
News spotlight: How does your diet affect the environment?
In case you missed it: Every bite of food we eat comes with an environmental cost. But not every diet is created equal. A new tool illustrates the toll our food system takes on nature — comparing dietary staples like meat, fish, dairy, eggs and grains.
February 6, 2023
News spotlight: Ice sheet warming at highest rate in 1,000 years
In case you missed it: One of the coldest regions of the planet is experiencing its highest temperatures in at least a millennium. While grim, the findings are in line with what’s becoming clearer and clearer — Earth’s frozen regions are steadily warming.
January 30, 2023
The year ahead: Funding critical commitments to nature
The recent United Nations biodiversity and climate summits ended with major commitments for stemming climate change and stopping the loss of biodiversity. As nations now turn to implementing these ambitious goals, there’s one persistent sticking point: funding.
January 26, 2023
News Spotlight: Indigenous land stewardship key to preserving Amazon carbon sinks
In case you missed it: The Amazon is the ecological jewel of the world, home to nearly 400 billion trees and 10,000 species at risk of extinction. It’s also the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sink. Yet a new report shows those climate benefits are not uniformly distributed.
January 23, 2023
News spotlight: Could seaweed be our new big climate ally?
In case you missed it: A recent study reveals that underwater forests are much more prolific than previously thought — and may play a key role in stemming the climate crisis.
January 9, 2023
News spotlight: New satellite offers view into nearly all of Earth’s waters
In case you missed it: As climate change drives sea level rise, and more extreme droughts and floods, understanding the world’s water patterns is increasingly important. Luckily, scientists are coming up with new ways to adapt. The latest: satellites.
January 3, 2023
New science: Protecting even a small area can reap big benefits for people
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts.
December 15, 2022
News spotlight: In the Philippines, a sea turtle sanctuary is threatened by climate change
On a tiny island in the Philippines, fishermen and green sea turtles live side by side in hard-earned harmony. That wasn’t always the case. Slowly and steadily, they have returned, a story of against-the-odds compromise.
November 15, 2022
What on Earth is ‘climate adaptation’?
From “blue carbon” to “ecosystem services,” environmental jargon is everywhere these days. Conservation International looks to make sense of it in an occasional explainer series. In this installment, we explore “climate adaptation.”
November 9, 2022
News spotlight: UN report concludes climate adaptation is ‘too little, too slow’
Climate risks are growing, but global efforts to adapt to them are not keeping pace. That’s the big-picture takeaway from a new United Nations report, which underscores the funding needed by developing nations to reduce their exposure to climate disasters.
November 7, 2022
News spotlight: Report finds striking rise in methane emissions
More methane is being pumped into the atmosphere than ever before, according to a new study from the World Meteorological Organization. The rapid acceleration is threatening to hamper efforts to curb climate change.
October 31, 2022
News spotlight: What happened to Alaska’s snow crabs? Scientists have a few leads.
Deep in the frigid east Bering Sea, snow crabs have historically flourished — supporting Alaska’s $160 million annual crabbing industry. Yet state officials recently sent shockwaves across the industry when they announced there would be no snow crab season this year for the first time.
October 25, 2022
News spotlight: The Arctic is going green — and that’s not a good thing.
In case you missed it: Spruce trees are creeping northward into the arctic tundra — a barren terrain where frigid temperatures have long prevented them from growing. The changing landscape could have huge implications for life on Earth, scientists say.
October 5, 2022
News spotlight: Experts warn, the climate crisis is a health crisis
In case you missed it: Climate change is exacerbating existing ailments and causing people to suffer from new afflictions. Moreover, entire health systems are beginning to recognize that threats from climate change will have a big impact on their operations.
September 27, 2022
News spotlight: Humanity barreling toward ‘irreversible’ climate tipping points
In case you missed it: A new study suggests that the consequences of crossing critical climate thresholds could be more severe than previously thought — including the collapse of polar ice sheets and death of coral reefs.
September 22, 2022
News spotlight: Warming waters spawn salmon famine
In case you missed it: Millions of salmon commute up Alaska’s Yukon River every fall in search of safe places to spawn. But as waters begin to warm, their populations have slumped to all-time lows.
August 22, 2022
News spotlight: Gullah Geechee people look to nature to save their coastlines — and culture
In case you missed it: Communities across the southern coast of the U.S. are now losing their land — and the culture it represents — to sea-level rise. Nature can help.
August 1, 2022
News spotlight: Record deforestation could forever transform the Amazon
In case you missed it: Brazil's rainforests are in serious trouble.
July 18, 2022
News spotlight: Traditional mud buildings could keep a capital cool
In case you missed it: Mudslinging is on the rise in the Senegalese city of Dakar.
July 11, 2022
News spotlight: Climate change is killing pollen
In case you missed it: Rising temperatures are putting the pollen from essential crops — including tomatoes, canola and rice — at risk.
July 6, 2022
New study dives into what's killing the world’s largest fish — and more
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent research published by Conservation International experts.
June 30, 2022
News spotlight: Flooding in Yellowstone could foreshadow future climate disasters
In case you missed it: The unprecedented floods that ripped through Yellowstone National Park in the United States could be a warning of climate impacts to come.
June 22, 2022
Methuselah: Still the world's oldest tree?
In eastern California, a Great Basin bristlecone pine known as Methuselah has long been considered Earth’s oldest living thing. But in Chile, a new challenger has emerged that could be 500 years older than the reigning champ.
June 6, 2022
Study: More than a fifth of reptile species face extinction
A new study, published today in Nature, assesses more than 10,000 reptiles around the world — from turtles, snakes and lizards to crocodiles — and warns that we must conserve them to prevent dramatic changes to Earth’s critical ecosystems.
April 27, 2022
That UN climate report wasn’t all bad news
The recent IPCC climate report was bleak, but there are silver linings. Our expert weighs in.
April 7, 2022
IPCC report: Countries miss the mark on climate action, but nature could help get us back on track
A new UN report highlights a powerful and largely untapped solution to stem the climate crisis: nature.
April 4, 2022
Expert: Amplify voices of women in science to inspire the next generation
We spoke to Conservation International's climate lead Shyla Raghav about her passion for protecting the planet, how she stays optimistic about Earth’s future and her advice for the next generation of women scientists.
March 8, 2022
IPCC report: Climate change could soon outpace humanity’s ability to adapt
The catastrophic impacts of climate breakdown may soon outpace humanity’s ability to adapt to it, according to a new report.
February 28, 2022
Notes from the field: fish-waste fertilizer, fire-resistant trees and more
Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
February 25, 2022
These ecosystems could determine our climate future: study
Nature’s stashes of climate-warming carbon is packed into a small percentage of Earth’s lands, finds a new study that pinpoints the ecosystems humanity must protect to avert a climate disaster.
November 18, 2021
A scientist’s view: Critics of carbon markets miss the mark
According to a Conservation International expert, carbon markets offer two things we need to stop climate breakdown: speed and reach.
November 9, 2021
Notes from the field: Forest drones, gorilla germs and more
Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
October 21, 2021
New map pinpoints where people depend on nature the most
A new study is the first to quantify people’s dependence on nature, and underscores the extent of the threat that climate change and the destruction of nature pose to human life.
October 4, 2021
Meet a scientist: To adapt to climate change, this expert looks to nature
Conservation News spoke with Conservation international's Giacomo Fedele about the ways in which communities are adapting to rising temperatures on their own terms and how he manages to stay optimistic despite an uncertain climate future.
September 29, 2021
Climate Week: Action must match ‘urgency of the crisis’
Here are three key takeaways from Climate Week in New York.
September 28, 2021
Climate, biodiversity fight gets $5B shot in the arm
In an announcement today at New York Climate Week, nine philanthropic organizations pledged US$ 5 billion over the next decade to support the creation and expansion of protected areas, sustainable management of the world’s oceans and Indigenous-led conservation.
September 22, 2021
Study: How years of wildfires have devastated the Amazon
For the first time, scientists have quantified the impact these fires have had on animals and plants in the Amazon over the past two decades. And according to their new study published today in Nature, these species are suffering — but there is still time to protect them.
September 1, 2021
Shifting tuna populations could trigger ‘climate justice issue’: study
Ocean warming will alter the habitats of tuna, which could have catastrophic economic consequences for Pacific Island nations and territories, according to a new study.
July 29, 2021
In new film, top scientists urge action to avoid Earth’s ‘tipping point’
Earth is teetering perilously close to a tipping point — but it’s not too late to bring us back from the edge, says Conservation International’s Chief Scientist Johan Rockström in a new Netflix film.
June 4, 2021
When COVID flattened tourism, carbon credits kept these African hills ‘green’
The pandemic cratered ecotourism in Africa last year, depriving local communities of life-sustaining revenues. However, the people of Chyulu Hills in southeast Kenya were able to tell a different story — and make a number of investments toward their futures. Here's how.
April 13, 2021
As pandemic pounded Peru, one region thrived on coffee, carbon
Across Peru, the COVID-19 pandemic has left millions without jobs. But in the Alto Mayo Protected Forest, where the Amazon meets the Andes, coffee farmers were spared much of the economic devastation that gripped Peru’s cities and towns.
April 9, 2021
New science: protecting high seas hotspots, wildlife and more
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts.
February 25, 2021
New report on carbon markets: What you need to know
The market for carbon offsets must be scaled up globally to make a sufficient dent in climate change, according to a new report that lays out a path toward a high-quality global carbon market.
February 3, 2021
Report: Coffee companies pledge to tackle the bitter consequences of climate change
Freshly brewed, a new report on the future of sustainable coffee offers grounds for optimism.
February 1, 2021
Expert: Ending the global water crisis ‘starts in your back yard’
Conservation News spoke to a Conservation International freshwater scientist about the key differences between the climate crisis and the water crisis — and why we must tap into different solutions for each.
January 29, 2021
New science: restoring forests, coastal protection and more
Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts.
January 14, 2021
How to talk to kids about climate change
Here are five tips to help you talk to your children about climate change.
September 30, 2020
Climate Week: The climate solution in your cup
This year, at New York Climate Week, one conservationist offered a climate-friendly solution to producing one of the world’s favorite crops: coffee.
September 25, 2020
Study maps climate potential of letting forests be
Restoring tropical forest cover might offer an even bigger climate opportunity than previously thought, a new study finds.
September 23, 2020
In Galápagos, novel conservation approach finds ‘sweet spot’ between production, protection
A Conservation International expert explains how an integrated approach to protection and production could help humanity transform how we manage the lands and seas we depend on.
September 2, 2020
Protect the economy by protecting nature, study urges
A new report revealed the benefits of protecting 30 percent of the world’s land and sea outweigh the costs by a ratio of 5 to 1.
July 9, 2020
Expert: COVID, climate change create ‘perfect storm’ for Amazon fires
A year after unprecedented fires ravaged the Amazon, the latest data indicate the world’s largest rainforest faces an even higher risk of fires in 2020.
July 7, 2020
A ‘first aid kit’ for the world’s coral reefs?
In new article for CNN, one of Conservation International's ocean experts offers a survival guide for the world's remaining coral reefs.
June 8, 2020
Study: ‘Green’ recovery proves better for climate, economies
As countries begin to ease COVID-19 restrictions, green stimulus policies could help economies recover while tackling climate change, a new study suggests.
May 5, 2020
Notes from the field: Indigenous peoples protecting nature through tradition
Right now, around the world, the work of protecting nature and the climate is happening in the field — and achieving small triumphs that don’t make the news. Here are three recent conservation success stories you should know about.
April 29, 2020
What does COVID-19 have to do with nature? These 5 articles explain
Protecting nature will be critical to preventing future pandemics, some scientists say. With that in mind, here are five articles that explore the connection between nature and human health.
April 1, 2020
Study: Protect these places — or face climate doom
To stop climate catastrophe, there are certain places on Earth that we simply cannot afford to destroy, according to new research by Conservation International scientists.
March 31, 2020
To stop climate catastrophe, look to soil: study
Conservation News spoke to the co-author of a groundbreaking new study reports that the secret to sustainable agriculture lies in the soil — or more specifically, in the carbon stored in the soil.
March 18, 2020
Despite dire headlines, ‘it would be a mistake to write off tropical forests’
Despite dire headlines, tropical forests are still among our best allies to fight climate change, an expert explains.
March 6, 2020
Study: Protecting tropics could save half of species on brink
Conservation News spoke to the lead author of a groundbreaking new study that offers a solution to save more than half of the world's species that are at risk of extinction, while slowing climate change.
February 26, 2020
Credit where it’s due: Forest-carbon programs a vital tool to fix climate
Conservation International's finance expert extolls the importance of forest carbon credits to tackle the climate crisis.
February 22, 2020
The oceans are on the brink. Here are 3 ways to save them
A look ahead at ocean conservation in 2020 from Conservation International experts.
February 20, 2020
Study: Climate breakdown is moving the farming frontier
A new study finds that as climate change forces agriculture to higher latitude areas such as Russia and Canada, there is potential to release 177 gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — the equivalent of over a century of U.S. carbon emissions.
February 12, 2020