CONSERVATION NEWS

This week, the United Nations holds its first global freshwater conference in nearly 50 years. In the years since, the global population has doubled — yet the challenges facing the health of, and access to, freshwater resources have been largely overshadowed by the climate and biodiversity crises.

From roaring rivers to seasonal springs, freshwater is essential to life on Earth. Yet these ecosystems — and the species within them — tend to be overlooked, receiving only a fraction of the attention and funding dedicated to nature conservation.

In a once-in-a-decade opportunity, policymakers from 196 countries are gathering in Montreal to tackle Earth’s “silent crisis” — the massive collapse of biodiversity.

After weeks of negotiations, the United Nations climate talks, known as COP27, wrapped up nearly two days past deadline — striking a last-minute, historic agreement on this session’s most anticipated issue: payments for climate change damages to developing countries.

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.