CONSERVATION NEWS

Roughly two-thirds of the world’s oceans lie beyond national boundaries in an area known as the “high seas” — yet only about 1 percent of that largely unexplored expanse has been protected. Now, nearly 200 countries have agreed on the first-ever United Nations treaty to protect the high seas.

In case you missed it: U.S. regulators are preparing to strike back against greenwashing, negotiations to protect international waters are at a stalemate, and allergy season will only grow longer and stronger on a warming planet.

On the surface, the international waters off the coasts of Peru and Chile are a seemingly barren expanse. But beneath the waves, two underwater mountain chains — known as the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges — are bursting with life, according to a new study.

Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts.

This month, Conservation News is revisiting some of the most interesting and significant stories and issues we covered in 2020.