How a New Provision in Brazil's Forest Act Could Cost It a Massive Chunk of Protected Rainforest
Researchers warn that an area of Brazilian Amazon rainforest bigger than Ireland is at risk of losing its legal protection.
Deforestation
If Current Deforestation Rates Continue, Haiti May Lose Its Forests Within Two Decades
Haiti's deforestation is largely driven by small-scale farming and charcoal production, which involves harvesting wood and heating it to remove water and volatile compounds.
Tropical Deforestation Is the Third-Biggest Carbon Emitter in the World
According to a new analysis, tropical forest loss currently accounts for 8 percent of the world's annual carbon dioxide emissions.
South American Jaguars Are Losing Critical Habitat Due to Agricultural Deforestation
This has led to over-hunting and persecution by cattle ranchers becoming even bigger threats to the survival of the big cat.
Despite Promises, Major Brands Continue to Obtain Palm Oil From Rainforest Destroyers
A new report from Greenpeace shows that brands and their suppliers are not abiding by their own pledges to only buy from sustainable producers of palm oil.
A New Study Reveals Global Drivers of Deforestation
Commodity-driven deforestation is most responsible, with farming and forestry also playing a major role in the global tree cover loss.
Deforestation Is Happening in Southern Africa Much Faster Than Previously Thought
New research using radar data, as opposed to visual satellite imagery, is a reminder that deforestation and environmental degradation aren't just happening in tropical forests.
In Thailand, Ecology Monks Add a Moral Dimension to the Environmental Movement
Through rituals like tree ordinations some monks in Thailand are integrating Buddhist principles into sustainable ecological practices.
How Furniture Demand in America Thins Forests Across Central Africa
A recent study illustrates the connection between consumer demand in the U.S. and increased furniture production in China, which is, in turn, fueling logging in Central Africa.
Human-Caused Fires Are Destroying the Amazon
A new study using a combination of data sources finds that fire is causing more degradation of forests than logging, the other most significant driver of loss in the Amazon.
To Address a Shortage of Charcoal and Firewood a Kenyan Village Is Repurposing Human Waste
The government has banned logging in the country for three months, driving cooking fuel prices through the roof.
Selective Logging Damages Fish Populations as Much as Clear-Cutting
A recent study out of Malaysia illustrates that even responsible logging practices severely harm local fish populations.
Conserving Forestry in Brazil's Easternmost State Means a Zero Tolerance Policy on Deforestation
Illegal logging continues to be a persistent problem in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, threatening an already fragmented wildlife habitat and forcing indigenous tribes off their land.
Are Big Companies Doing Enough to Combat Deforestation?
Hundreds of companies have pledged to cut commodities grown on deforested land from their supply chains, but few have turned those promises into successful policies.
A Record Surge in New Species Discovery in the Amazon
A new report finds that scientists described 381 new species of wildlife from the Amazon in peer-reviewed scientific journals between January of 2014 and December of 2015. Some, however, are already on the brink of extinction.
The Indonesian Government Is Forcing Private Companies to Pay for Damaging Its Forests
The government hopes to use the collected penalties to fund restoration efforts in the degraded Indonesian land and forests. Without the penalties, no restoration work can start.
The Deforestation Gangs of Colombia
In the country's southeast Guaviare department, harvested wood rots on the ground while gangs and drug traffickers take over the land for illegal mining and agriculture.
In Uganda, Paying People Not to Cut Down Trees Is Working
Researchers say a conservation initiative known as a payments for ecosystem services really paid off in terms of preventing deforestation.
Legislative Loopholes Could Be Helping Norway Fund Deforestation in Congo
A Rainforest Foundation UK briefing highlights very weak governance in the country, which means there is limited ability for the government to control its forest resources and to implement effective planning and management.
Accelerating Beef Production Is Not a Solution to Growing Deforestation in the Amazon
Increasing beef productivity and engaging directly with the supply chain may be a flawed approach when seeking positive conservation outcomes.
Brazilian President Temer's Trip to Norway Marked by Tense Protest
Norwegian government officials are warning Temer that his country risks losing millions in financial aid that Norway pays to Brazil to help rein in deforestation in the Amazon.
Almost Three Quarters of Brazil's Population Lives in Its Shrinking Atlantic Forest
Deforestation increased almost 60 percent last year, with the forest losing over 29,000 hectares, a new report says.
A Snapshot of Brazil's Threatened Land Defenders
Brazil's diverse range of land defenders are holding back against illegal logging simply by living as they do.
Cocaine Traffickers Are Turning Swaths of Central American Rainforest Into Money-Laundering Ranches
Cocaine trafficking—not coca-growing—is responsible for up to 30 percent of the rainforest destruction in Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.