Science

Sciencehttps://www.conservation.org/ScienceOceansFinance and TechBiodiversityClimate ChangeCommunities urn:uuid:50f68971-aab9-440a-a983-cd0038ca0266https://www.conservation.org/blog/conservation-international-expert-earns-global-recognition-on-time100-next ScienceConservation International expert earns global recognition on TIME100 NextConservation International’s Neil Vora was selected for TIME’s Next 100 list — alongside other rising leaders reshaping culture, science and society.Tue, 30 Sep 2025 15:31:40 Z<div><p>A self-described ‘<a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-new-ted-talk-doctor-prescribes-conservation">medical oddity</a>’ has found himself in an exclusive club. </p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Conservation International’s </span> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/experts-list/neil-m.-vora-m.d" target="_blank">Neil Vora</a><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> was selected for </span> <a href="https://time.com/collections/time100-next-2025/7318838/neil-vora/" target="_blank">TIME’s Next 100 list</a><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> — alongside other rising leaders reshaping culture, science and society.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Published annually, TIME’s Next 100 celebrates emerging voices who are redefining what’s possible across their fields — from climate advocates and tech innovators to artists and political changemakers. This year’s list honors those charting bold paths toward a more sustainable and just world.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Vora, a physician and epidemiologist, is in the business of preventing future pandemics. He is at the forefront of a movement to show that human health and the health of nature <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/ahead-of-pandemic-negotiations-epidemiologist-advocates-for-nature" target="_blank">are intrinsically linked</a>. </span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">At Conservation International, he has sought to bring this message to a broader, global audience — connecting the loss and fragmentation of tropical forests and other ecosystems to </span> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/as-planet-warms-pathogens-on-the-march">the emergence of infectious diseases</a> <span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"> and tracking the human health benefits of the organization’s efforts to protect and restore nature. </span></p><img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/neil-time-100-next-1.png?sfvrsn=5522d1e5_1" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" sf-size="100" class="-align-center" width="400" alt="" sf-constrain-proportions="true" /><p><span class="image-credits--overlay">© Julie Stahl</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">“I’ve spent my career as a ‘disease detective,’ chasing outbreaks across the globe, and one lesson stands out: Our health cannot be separated from the health of the planet. Every step we take to protect nature is also a step to protect ourselves,” Vora said. “This recognition is not just about me — it reflects a growing understanding that people are a part of nature, not apart from nature. There is no future for humanity without nature.”</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Watch Vora’s 2023 TED talk <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-new-ted-talk-doctor-prescribes-conservation" target="_blank">here</a>. Read TIME’s profile <a href="https://time.com/collections/time100-next-2025/7318838/neil-vora/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></p><p><em>Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? </em> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe" target="_blank">Sign up for email updates</a><em>. Also,</em>  <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act" target="_blank">please consider supporting our critical work</a><em>.</em><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span></p></div>urn:uuid:0158cdfe-f30c-43e7-b216-8abbb6de98c6https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-things-you-didn-t-know-about-sea-level-rise OceansScience5 things you didn’t know about sea-level riseIt’s indisputable: Around the world, seas are rising at a faster rate than at any time in recorded history. But there’s more to this story than you might realize.Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:40:38 Z<p>It’s indisputable: Around the world, seas are rising at a faster rate than at any time in recorded history. On average, sea levels are <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level" target="_blank">up to 9 inches</a> higher than they were in the late 1800s — and climate change is to blame.</p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">But there’s more to this story than you might realize. Here are a few facts about sea-level rise that you might not know.</span></p><h2><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">1. It’s not just the melting ice.</span></h2><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Most of us know that rising global temperatures are melting glaciers and ice sheets, causing seas to rise. But that’s only part of the picture. There’s another, less visible driver: a process called <a href="https://sealevel.nasa.gov/understanding-sea-level/global-sea-level/thermal-expansion/" target="_blank">thermal expansion</a>. As the ocean absorbs heat, its molecules move faster and spread out, making the ocean swell in size even though no extra water is added.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">This phenomenon was behind nearly <a href="https://earth.org/sea-level-rise/" target="_blank">three-quarters</a> of sea-level rise during the 20th century. And between <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-climate-change-is-accelerating-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank">1993 and 2010</a>, ocean warming caused about a third of the total rise we saw during that time.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">So yes, melting ice matters. But the oceans themselves are also swelling with heat.</span></p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/nature-is-speaking-2/iceberg.jpg?sfvrsn=663e2d1c_10" alt="" sf-size="63992801" /><span class="image-credits--overlay">© Andrew Luyten</span></p><h2><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">2. Seas aren’t rising at the same pace around the world.</span></h2><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">It might seem like all the oceans would rise evenly — after all, they’re connected like one giant bathtub.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Of course, your bathtub probably doesn’t have shifting currents and stormy weather, which influence how ocean water moves — and where it ends up.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">But the biggest factor by far is <a href="https://sealevel.nasa.gov/faq/9/are-sea-levels-rising-the-same-all-over-the-world-as-if-were-filling-a-giant-bathtub/" target="_blank">gravity</a>, which has some unexpected pull:</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Earth’s mass isn’t spread out evenly. Big features — like mountain ranges, dense rock and especially ice sheets — create stronger gravitational pulls. Ice sheets, in particular, are so heavy they actually draw ocean water toward them, raising sea levels in nearby regions.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">But when those ice sheets melt, they lose mass — and their gravitational pull weakens. The water that was once drawn in starts to move away. Ironically, this means places close to melting ice, like Greenland or Antarctica, may see sea levels drop — while places farther away, like the U.S. East Coast, end up with more of that water and higher seas.</span></p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_84781277.jpg?sfvrsn=84097562_2" alt="ci_84781277" sf-size="2259244" /><span class="image-credits--overlay">© robertharding / Alamy Stock Photo</span></p><h2><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">3. Some islands are in trouble — but not for the reason you might think.</span></h2><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">In the western Pacific, sea levels are rising <a href="https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/climate-change-transforms-pacific-islands" target="_blank">two to three times higher</a> than the global average.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">But <a href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/as-seas-rise-tropical-pacific-islands-face-a-perfect-storm" target="_blank">experts say</a> some Pacific islands won’t become unlivable because they’re underwater — they’ll run out of fresh water first.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Water is scarce on many low-lying Pacific islands to begin with. Most rely on a razor-thin “<a href="https://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/monument_features/physical_fresh_water_lens.html" target="_blank">lens</a>” of fresh water trapped underground beneath the island. This freshwater literally floats on top of salty seawater — sometimes it’s just a few inches thick.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">But as seas rise, they push up the salty water beneath the island, squeezing and flooding this fragile lens. Saltwater can seep into wells or break through the surface, making the island’s water too salty to drink.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Scientists believe this will happen long before these islands are actually submerged. A <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aap9741" target="_blank">U.S. military-funded study</a> found that more than 1,000 low-lying islands could become uninhabitable by 2050 — not from flooding, but from thirst.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Pacific Island countries know what’s coming and <a href="https://gem.spc.int/updates/blog/blog-post/2024/02/pacific-island-countries-come-together-to-discuss-water-scarcity-0#:~:text=Water%20is%20essential%20for%20life,(or%20Water%20Scarcity%20project)." target="_blank">are taking actions</a> to prepare themselves and improve their water security. But it’s a race against time.</span></p><h2><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">4. Seas could rise too fast for mangrove forests to keep up.</span></h2><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Mangrove forests are tough. They thrive where few trees can — right at the ocean’s edge, rooted in salty water and soft mud. They buffer coastlines from storms, shelter marine life and store massive amounts of carbon in their tangled roots.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">But even mangroves can’t take everything the sea throws at them.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02242-z" target="_blank">Recent research</a> shows that in some parts of the world, seas may be rising faster than mangroves can adapt. These forests usually survive by trapping sediment in their roots and building themselves upward — or slowly creeping inland. But when the water rises too quickly, or when development blocks their path, mangroves can drown.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Without space to move or time to grow, even these salt-tolerant survivors may be overwhelmed.</span></p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_60738511.jpg?sfvrsn=4b206b94_12" alt="Red mangrove displaying impressive arching root system" sf-size="11311177" /><span class="image-credits--overlay">© Jeff Yonover</span></p> <hr /><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"><strong></strong></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"><strong>Further reading: </strong><a href="https://www.conservation.org/stories/mangroves-facts">11 facts you need to know about mangroves</a></span></p><hr /><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><h2><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;color:#777777;">5. We can’t stop sea-level rise entirely — but we can shape what happens next.</span></h2><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Some sea-level rise is now locked in. Even if we stopped burning fossil fuels tomorrow, the oceans will <a href="https://earth.gov/sealevel/about-sea-level-change/future-sea-level/the-basics" target="_blank">keep rising for centuries</a> due to the heat already stored in the system.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">But what we do today still matters. Cutting emissions, protecting coastal ecosystems like mangroves, and giving communities time and resources to adapt can mean the difference between manageable impacts — and devastating ones.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;"></span><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;white-space:inherit;">Want to support work that protects coastlines and the people who depend on them? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">Here’s one way</a>.</span></p><p><em>Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this?<a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe"> Sign up for email updates.</a> Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.<br /></em></p>urn:uuid:f27fd43a-38a7-427d-96a1-371fdb4d2afchttps://www.conservation.org/blog/report-one-fifth-of-mekong-river-fish-face-extinction BiodiversityScienceReport: One-fifth of Mekong River fish face extinctionUnsustainable development has pushed one-fifth of the fish in the Mekong River — the lifeblood of Southeast Asia — to near extinction, according to a new report.Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:28:59 Z<p>Unsustainable development has pushed one-fifth of the fish in the Mekong River — the lifeblood of Southeast Asia — to near extinction, according to a <a href="https://wwfasia.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/final-mekong-forgotten-fishes-report--web-version-.pdf" target="_blank">new report</a>.</p><p>While the report paints a bleak picture, there is still time to reverse the damage to the river — if countries work together, says Conservation International freshwater scientist Ian Harrison, who contributed to the report.</p><p>“Put bluntly, parts of the Mekong are on the verge of collapse due to human activity,” he said. “But all is not lost. We have tools to protect this river and the livelihoods of the millions of people who rely on it.”</p><p>Conservation News sat down with Harrison to discuss the report’s findings and what it will take to protect the communities and wildlife that depend on the Mekong.</p><p><strong>Conservation News: Let’s start with threats — why is the Mekong in trouble?</strong></p><p><strong>Ian Harrison:</strong> The threats are many. They include <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/plastic-pollution-threatens-mekong-wildlife-wonderland" target="_blank">pollution</a>, the draining of wetlands for agriculture and aquaculture, and the proliferation of invasive species such as Nile tilapia, which outcompete native species for food and habitat.</p><p>But the biggest threats are hydropower dams on the Mekong and its tributaries. These dams can dramatically affect the river in a few fundamental ways: First, they shift the flow of water, which disrupts the migratory patterns of the river’s fish and destroys spawning grounds. This also alters seasonal flooding patterns in Tonle Sap — the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and the world’s largest inland fishery, known as the “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/graphics/GLOBAL-ENVIRONMENT/MEKONG/egpbyyadnvq/index.html" target="_blank">beating heart of the Mekong</a>.”</p><p>Hydropower dams are also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/graphics/GLOBAL-ENVIRONMENT/MEKONG/egpbyyadnvq/index.html" target="_blank">blocking nutrient-rich sediment from traveling down the river to Vietnam</a>, where farmers are watching their land wash away. The delta there is eroding and literally sinking from the lack of sediment. That brings us to another burgeoning threat on the Mekong: <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2022/08/mining-the-mekong-land-and-livelihoods-lost-to-cambodias-thirst-for-sand/" target="_blank">sand mining</a>. Dredging the river for sand has caused significant erosion on the riverbank and is further starving the river and delta of the sediment needed to maintain the ecosystem’s natural balance.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/maps/greatermekong_20170823.jpg?sfvrsn=2096beb2_2" alt="" sf-size="195455" /></p><p class="image__caption">The Mekong River weaves through six countries — what happens in one, has a direct impact on those downstream.</p><p><strong>What impact are these threats having on the fish and people who live there?</strong></p><p><strong>IH:</strong> To understand the impacts, we first have to appreciate just how extraordinary the Mekong is. Stretching nearly 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles) from the Tibetan high plains to the South China Sea, it’s the third most biodiverse river in the world for fish — behind the Amazon and Congo. It’s home to one of the largest migrations on Earth with over <a href="https://phys.org/news/2024-03-giant-fishes-mekong-river-extinction.html" target="_blank">5 billion fish traveling upriver annually to spawn</a>. The Mekong has some of the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/News-spotlight-Record-setting-Mekong-stingray-raises-hope-for-threatened-megafish" target="_blank">largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world</a> — wildlife that’s found nowhere else on the planet. One species, the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15944/5324699" target="_blank">Mekong giant catfish</a> — which can weigh up to 770 pounds — is critically endangered because <a href="https://speciesonthebrink.org/species/mekong-giant-catfish-2/#:~:text=The%20species%27%20migration%20patterns%20are,to%20spawn%20(Hogan%20et%20al." target="_blank">it can no longer migrate upstream</a> from the deep pools of the lower Mekong.</p><p>The report estimates nearly one-fifth of the Mekong basin fishes are nearing extinction. But that number is likely far higher, as more than a third of the species are so poorly understood that their status can’t be measured.</p><p>The livelihoods and culture of the region’s people are also at risk. Two striking statistics from the report illustrate just how alarming it is: In Tonle Sap, fish populations dropped 88 percent between 2003 and 2019. Along with that, the economic value of the Mekong fishery fell by a third between 2015 and 2020.</p><p>The Mekong fishery accounts for more than 15 percent of the world’s inland catch and is a critical source of food for at least 40 million people in the lower Mekong basin. In a nutshell, if this ecosystem were to collapse, the ramifications would be enormous.</p><p><strong>How can we stop that from happening?</strong></p><p><strong>IH:</strong> We must reduce the threat of dams. That is followed closely by stopping sand mining. One of the hardest things about addressing threats to large river systems is the politics. The Mekong weaves through six countries — and what happens in one country has a direct impact on other countries downstream. So, to address threats, we have to work at a basin-wide scale. Bottom line, the Mekong will not be saved by isolated efforts. </p><p>One way we’re tackling this is through the <a href="https://www.freshwaterchallenge.org/" target="_blank">Freshwater Challenge</a>, which is a global initiative to restore the world’s freshwater ecosystems. Addressing transboundary cases, like the Mekong basin, is a high priority. So far, Cambodia has expressed its support for the Freshwater Challenge, and we’re hopeful that other countries in the Mekong region will follow suit and include freshwater restoration in their policy goals.</p><p>While we need big picture action, local efforts matter too. For example, community-led ‘Fish Conservation Zones’ that restrict some or all fishing, particularly in deep pools and floodplain areas, have already shown success. We can continue to build on local knowledge and expertise to find solutions that protect the threatened species. Ultimately, this report is a rallying cry for this iconic river. It’s a needed wakeup call to ensure the Mekong’s fish won’t be forgotten.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_542176576b8cfdf3-4cfb-45f1-bd73-07a26de8343e.jpg?sfvrsn=b2acb0d_1" alt="" sf-size="2024019" /><span class="image-credits--overlay">© JMBAUD74</span></p><p class="image__caption">A view of the mekong in Laos. The river is the lifeblood for 300 million people in southeast Asia.</p><p><em>Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</em></p>urn:uuid:406735a4-96f0-4a73-a2b0-c489d5c8984chttps://www.conservation.org/blog/new-report-without-nature-there-is-no-path-to-a-climate-safe-future ScienceNew report: Without nature, there is no path to a climate-safe futureA first-of-its-kind report lays out how humanity must change its relationship with nature to avert a climate crisis.Mon, 19 Sep 2022 14:08:02 Z<p>A clean energy transition is underway to curb planet-heating emissions, with investments in renewables, electric vehicles and energy efficiency expected to <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-investment-2022/overview-and-key-findings" target="_blank">top $1.4 trillion</a> this year.</p><p>The shift — though unevenly distributed across countries — signals real progress. But there is another solution that receives far less attention, not to mention funding: Nature. We cannot stop a climate crisis without it.</p><p>Even if the world cut fossil fuel emissions immediately, humanity would fail to avert a disastrous climate scenario if we do not also reverse the destruction of forests, peatlands and other ecosystems that are powerful carbon sponges.</p><p>Today, scientists from Conservation International and the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home" target="_blank">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> released the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/priorities/exponential-roadmap-natural-climate-solutions">Exponential Roadmap for Natural Climate Solutions</a>, a first-of-its-kind blueprint for maximizing nature’s role in tackling global warming. It finds that to avoid catastrophic climate change, the land sector — including agriculture and forestry — must reach net zero emissions by 2030, and it offers guidance to get there.</p><p>“Climate change is one of the biggest threats humanity has ever faced, and nature could be our greatest ally,” said Bronson Griscom, who leads Conservation International’s science on natural climate solutions. “Making the most of nature’s potential to avert a climate crisis really boils down to three things: protecting, managing and restoring Earth’s ecosystems.”</p><p>To understand how nature can help avert climate breakdown — and what humanity must do next — Conservation News spoke with Griscom and fellow Conservation International scientists Michael Wolosin and Starry Sprenkle-Hyppolite, all of whom contributed to the roadmap.</p><h3>1. Protect</h3><p>Approximately <a href="https://science.unctv.org/content/reportersblog/earth-protected" target="_blank">15 percent</a> of Earth’s lands are protected — either as national parks, community conservation areas, Indigenous land designations or other types of conservation methods.</p><p>That’s a good start, but the most immediate way to amplify natural climate solutions is by expanding protections in regions that hold <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/these-ecosystems-could-determine-our-climate-future-study">vast stores of climate-warming carbon</a>, such as mangroves, marshlands and old-growth forests and that are at high risk of degradation, according to the new roadmap.</p><p>Strategies to protect these <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protect-these-places-or-face-climate-doom">high-carbon ecosystems</a> include establishing a network of new national and regional protected areas, creating local and community parks, and improving management of existing protected areas by developing climate resilience plans.</p><hr /><p><strong>FURTHER READING:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protect-these-places-or-face-climate-doom">Study: Protect these places — or face climate doom</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/these-ecosystems-could-determine-our-climate-future-study">These ecosystems could determine our climate future: study</a></li></ul><hr /><p>Countries must advance trade laws to halt illegal deforestation and ban commodities produced on illegally deforested land. But protecting forests isn’t just the job of governments.</p><p>“Businesses — particularly in the agricultural sector — must reduce or eliminate deforestation in their supply chains,” said Michael Wolosin, a lead researcher on the roadmap. “That means acting on no-deforestation commitments by transparently reporting deforestation and integrating no-deforestation objectives into their purchasing and trading decisions.”</p><p>Fortunately, many companies are starting to realize that protecting nature is good business. Last year, more than <a href="https://globalcanopy.org/press/thirty-financial-institutions-commit-to-tackle-deforestation/" target="_blank">30 financial institutions</a> pledged to eliminate deforestation driven by agriculture from their portfolios and increase investments in nature-based solutions by 2025. Conservation International and other partners will support these financial institutions as they engage with companies in shifting away from deforestation in their supply chains.</p><p>“With trillions in assets, financial institutions can direct capital toward incentives that protect — rather than destroy — nature,” Wolosin said. “They are critical to changing the way Earth’s ecosystems are valued.”</p><h3>2. Manage</h3><p>Each year, <a href="https://www.sei.org/publications/agriculture-deforestation-emissions/" target="_blank">large swaths of tropical forests</a> are destroyed to make room for palm oil, cattle, soy and other commodities. Agricultural expansion is the <a href="https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/cop26-agricultural-expansion-drives-almost-90-percent-of-global-deforestation/en" target="_blank">largest driver of deforestation</a>. When emissions from fertilizers and farm animals are factored in, food systems emit <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/" target="_blank">more than a quarter</a> of all greenhouse gases from human activity.</p><p>“Changing the food we eat and how we grow it is critical to limiting global warming,” said Sprenkle-Hyppolite. “And everyone can play a role, from farmers to manufacturers to consumers.”</p><p>The main culprit of food-fueled emissions <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/13/meat-greenhouses-gases-food-production-study" target="_blank">is meat</a>. Globally, about <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/ar591e/ar591e.pdf" target="_blank">a third of cropland</a> is used to grow food for animals rather than for people. Grazing cattle, for example, requires large tracts of land, which fuels deforestation. In addition, the cattle themselves produce massive amounts of methane, which is <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/methane-emissions-are-driving-climate-change-heres-how-reduce-them" target="_blank">80 times more potent</a> at warming than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.</p><p>To help address these issues, the report recommends a variety of “climate-smart” techniques, including adding trees along the edges of croplands and pastures to provide carbon-storing benefits, practicing rotational grazing to minimize soil erosion, and seeding pastures with legumes to improve soil fertility and carbon absorption.</p><p>These practices are already seeing promising results in Africa, where Conservation International’s <a href="https://www.peaceparks.org/h4h/" target="_blank">Herding 4 Health program</a> is helping farmers across six countries — and more than 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) of rangeland — implement climate-smart farming techniques to restore the nature that they depend on.</p><p>Through the program, rural communities minimize overgrazing and remove invasive vegetation that hampers the growth of grass and availability of water. In return, they receive support to improve the health of their livestock and access livestock markets. Critically, the project prioritizes the needs of nature-dependent farmers who stand to lose the most if grasslands continue to deteriorate.</p><p>“These solutions aren’t reliant on hypothetical technologies,” Sprenkle-Hyppolite said. “In most cases, it’s about implementing centuries-old practices, many of which incorporate Indigenous knowledge to improve growing conditions, soil fertility and resilience to heat waves and drought.”</p><p>Other agricultural improvements outlined in the roadmap include cover-cropping and reduced tillage, which regulates soil moisture and temperature, limits nutrient runoff and improves soil fertility — while reducing a farm’s carbon footprint.</p><h3>3. Restore</h3><p>Restoring degraded ecosystems could remove <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/114/44/11645" target="_blank">400 gigatons of CO<sub>2</sub></a> — equivalent to emissions released by more than 86 million cars each year — by 2100.</p><p>“Stopping deforestation is critical but it won’t be enough — we must also restore degraded lands and rewild damaged ecosystems so we can reap their carbon-storing benefits for decades to come,” Griscom said.</p><p>Conservation International works with governments to develop policies that prioritize assisted natural regeneration, which is the most cost-effective restoration method for mitigating climate change. This approach allows trees to regrow by eliminating barriers and threats from human activity.</p><p>“It is a relatively low-cost approach to restoration that can be rapidly scaled by simply protecting areas in which forests are regenerating,” Griscom said.</p><p>Along with farmers, some of the most effective partners for restoring nature are those who depend on it the most: Indigenous peoples.</p><p><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-conservation-efforts-can-learn-from-indigenous-communities/" target="_blank">Indigenous-managed lands</a> show less species decline and pollution, and more well-managed natural resources. For example, in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest the Indigenous peoples of the Xingu region are restoring their forests by implementing a traditional farming technique called <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/notes-from-the-field-indigenous-peoples-protecting-nature-through-tradition">muvuca</a>. This involves sowing a large and varied mix of seeds that yield native plants, such as cashew and açaí, while restoring the soil.</p><p>With support from Conservation International, the Xingu peoples helped plant seeds to yield more than <a href="https://fore.yale.edu/FaithActionSDG/Project/Instituto-Socioambiental-ISA/Xingu-Seed-Network" target="_blank">1.8 million trees</a> — with a range of positive impacts, from better water quality to increased agricultural production.</p><p>“Protection is still a top priority, but it must be paired with other strategies,” said Griscom. “For people in industrialized countries, that means healthier diets. For farmers and foresters that means adopting smarter practices, with better financial support. And for Indigenous peoples, it means justice — more rights and resources. These efforts all have one thing in common: preparing for a warmer planet by transforming our relationship with nature.”</p><div contenteditable="false" style="width:100%;height:315px;text-align:center;"><div><iframe style="text-align:center;" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/siXkq4Osugk" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin"></iframe></div></div><p><em>Kiley Price is a former staff writer and news editor at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">here</a>. Donate to Conservation International <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here</a>.</em></p>urn:uuid:97168180-7c85-4acd-ad21-01fc2d3e5b85https://www.conservation.org/blog/that-un-climate-report-wasnt-all-bad-news ScienceClimate ChangeThat UN climate report wasn’t all bad newsThe recent IPCC climate report was bleak, but there are silver linings. Our expert weighs in.Thu, 07 Apr 2022 18:29:19 Z<div><p><strong>So — there was another climate report? </strong></p><p>Yes. Specifically, the “<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/" target="_blank">Working Group III contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC</a>.” Trips right off the tongue, doesn’t it?</p></div><div><p><strong>Not at all. Remind me who the ‘IPCC’ is?</strong></p></div><div><p>The <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a>, a body of the United Nations. Thousands of scientists contribute to their reports. Collectively, the IPCC is the global science nerd authority on climate change. </p></div><div><p><strong>So why are there so many of these reports?</strong></p></div><div><p>Because climate change is a BIG topic. Different groups of scientists contribute their research and expertise on various climate-related topics. This latest report is about how we are performing in mitigating climate change, and what we can do to up our game.</p></div><div><p><strong>OK. I saw <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/ipcc-report-countries-miss-the-mark-on-climate-action-but-nature-could-help-get-us-back-on-track">some news</a> about it. What did it say? </strong></p></div><div><p>It said plenty of things, but the news that you may have seen was that humanity is not on track to keep climate change within the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) “safe zone” — and that to change course to get there, well, we’re just about out of time. </p><hr /></div><div><p><strong>FURTHER READING:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/ipcc-report-countries-miss-the-mark-on-climate-action-but-nature-could-help-get-us-back-on-track">Countries miss the mark on climate action</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/stories/ipcc-reports-on-climate-change">What exactly is an “IPCC report”?</a></li></ul><hr /></div><div><p><strong>What I read makes it sound like we’re all doomed. </strong></p></div><div><p>That’s understandable — the gloom was on full display in the news and social media. One prominent climate activist called the report “<a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateHuman/status/1511005207764738056" target="_blank">absolutely harrowing</a>.” One scientist reported having a “<a href="https://twitter.com/ssteingraber1/status/1511012870548561920" target="_blank">full-blown panic attack</a>” during the IPCC’s press conference. And the UN Secretary General himself — with almost artless candor — took aim at world leaders, calling the report a “<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-un-report-governments-business-lying-efforts/" target="_blank">file of shame</a>” full of “empty promises.”</p></div><div><p><strong><em>Sheesh</em>. That’s really depressing! </strong></p></div><div><p>You’re not alone in feeling that way. </p></div><div><p>“Yeah, it is definitely depressing,” says Bronson Griscom, a climate scientist at Conservation International who contributed to the latest IPCC report. “We have not been anywhere close to the trajectory we needed to be on.” </p></div><div><p>“And guess what? We’re still not. Not only are countries not achieving their commitments to the Paris Agreement — even if they were, those commitments aren’t even sufficient to solve our problem.” </p></div><div><p><strong>Great … now I feel even worse.</strong></p></div><div><p>Sorry. There’s no sense in denying the gravity of the problem, though.</p></div><div><p><strong>I’m not <em>denying</em> it. I accept that climate change is happening. It just makes me sad.</strong></p></div><div><p>Yes, it is saddening. And it’s actually really important to acknowledge our feelings about it. As we wrote a few years back, climate change can elicit “a kind of dread that makes you just want to stop thinking about it.” So, it’s commendable that you’re confronting these feelings. </p></div><div><p>And now that that’s out of the way, we can start talking about more exciting stuff.</p></div><div><p><strong>‘Exciting stuff’?</strong></p></div><div><p>“It’s high time we get past the denial stage of accepting depressing news,” Griscom says. “Once we work through that, that’s where we get to the exciting side of the story.”</p></div><div><p>That — once you get past the legitimately terrible news — is what this new IPCC report gets at.</p></div><div><p><strong>All right, I’m listening. What else does the report say?</strong></p></div><div><p>The report affirms something we’ve long known: that nature remains among the most effective (and cost-effective!) climate solutions. </p></div><div><p>And <a href="https://www.conservation.org/stories/ipcc-reports-on-climate-change">the report</a> also reaches a new level of consensus on the numbers, and the set of actions we can take. </p></div><div><p><strong>Like what?</strong></p></div><div><p>One graph in the report lists 43 different options for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 — options in the energy sector, transport, land use, industry and more. If all the actions are taken to the extent possible, the report indicates, we would reverse the climate crisis — and likely stabilize well below 2C (3.7F) of warming, beyond which life on Earth starts to get ugly. </p></div><div><p>Here’s that graphic, by the way: </p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/graphics.jpg?sfvrsn=1c1a6635_3" alt="" sf-size="219118" /></p></div><div><p>What it shows is that three actions — reducing the destruction of forests and other ecosystems; restoring those ecosystems; and improving the management of working lands, such as farms — are among the top five most effective strategies for cutting carbon pollution. Simply not cutting down forests is the second-most effective action we can take to curb emissions (scaling up solar energy is No. 1, in case you were wondering). </p></div><div><p><strong>That’s good, I guess? </strong></p></div><div><p>Are you kidding? It’s extremely heartening. This says that not only is large-scale protection and restoration of nature an option that we can still take, but if we do it, we will see a major effect on our climate. </p></div><div><p>And the benefits wouldn’t stop there. </p></div><div><p><strong>What do you mean?</strong></p></div><div><p>Because protecting nature comes with a whole host of side effects. Look no further than the Sustainable Development Goals. </p></div><div><p><strong>What are those?</strong></p></div><div><p>The <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals" target="_blank">Sustainable Development Goals</a> (SDGs) are a series of 17 global goals established in 2015 to essentially make the world a better and more just place. They cover things like reducing poverty, hunger and inequality; improving education, health and access to clean water, and so on. </p></div><div><p>As it happens, protecting and restoring nature is necessary to achieve most of the SDGs, a <a href="https://ecoevorxiv.org/593q7/" target="_blank">2021 study by Conservation International found</a>. In other words, nature conservation can directly and materially improve the lives of billions of people around the world.</p></div><div><p>“When we protect and restore nature to stabilize our climate, we’re also supporting <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-map-pinpoints-where-people-depend-on-nature-the-most">communities that rely on nature daily</a>,” Griscom says. “This is critical because those communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change, yet bear the least responsibility for it. So there’s a justice aspect to all this.”</p></div><div><p>“If we do this,” he says, “we are not just solving an emerging problem actually can make the world a lot better than it is.”</p></div><div><p><strong>I didn’t know that. </strong></p></div><div><p>Not surprising — it’s not getting talked about a lot! That is, unless you listen to our scientists, who are pretty excited at the possibilities in spite of the gloomy nature of this work: </p></div><div><p>“It’s just really exciting that scientifically speaking, there are all kinds of these ‘win-win’ alignments between the SDGs, which are about social justice and development, and climate solutions,” Griscom says. “Leaning into climate mitigation will actually deliver a bunch of additional benefits that will help make a healthier and more just world for all. It’s really freaking exciting.” </p></div><div><p>(Can you tell he’s excited?)</p></div><div><p><strong>Indeed. So — how do we do this, then? How do we protect nature on a big enough scale?</strong></p></div><div><p>Whoa. We don’t have time to go too deep into that. But the most effective methods of nature conservation — that is, methods that you can scale up and replicate elsewhere — generally include: </p></div><div><ol><li>Create and expand protected areas (e.g. national parks) — and <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/protected-areas-see-recent-rise-in-legal-rollbacks-study">don’t roll them back</a>.</li><li>Support Indigenous peoples to have their traditional lands legally titled to them — there are no better stewards of healthy high-carbon ecosystems, and <a href="https://www.cifor.org/knowledge/publication/3461/?pub=3461&pub=3461" target="_blank">here’s why</a>. (Oh, also — it’s their land anyway.) </li><li>Support farmers, ranchers and loggers with incentives, training and regulations to better manage their lands. Most of these land stewards want to do the right thing, but they need help doing it.</li><li>Demonstrate the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-on-earth-is-natural-capital" target="_blank">value of the benefits that nature provides</a>, thus encouraging people to take better care of it.</li><li>Make <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-scientists-view-critics-of-carbon-markets-miss-the-mark">carbon markets </a>work better to protect forests, which can reduce carbon that is emitted elsewhere. </li></ol></div><div><p><strong>Carbon markets, as in offsets? I’ve heard about those. </strong></p></div><div><p>Yes, we’ve <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/what-are-carbon-credits" target="_blank">talked </a><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-report-on-carbon-markets-what-you-need-to-know">about</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/forest-carbon-credits-worse-than-nothing-theres-more-to-this-story">those </a><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-scientists-view-critics-of-carbon-markets-miss-the-mark">before</a>. Carbon offsets are one mechanism that can move quickly to reduce — and, ultimately, remove — carbon from the atmosphere, something that the IPCC report says we need to do as soon as possible. </p></div><div><p><strong>I think I know how offsets work, but maybe you can remind me.</strong></p></div><div><p>Sure. Forests absorb climate-warming carbon from the atmosphere — carbon that humans have been dumping into the air at an ever-faster pace. The idea behind offsets is that by paying to protect forests, you can help to balance out carbon emissions made somewhere else. </p></div><div><p><strong>Got it. But not in a way that allows people to just keep polluting, right?</strong></p></div><div><p>Precisely — done right, offsets make emissions reductions this decade much less expensive.  </p></div><div><p>“We’re not going to stop flying airplanes,” Griscom says. “We all know people are still going to fly. We all know that there is not an electric airplane available. So: How do you deal with that? You deploy things that are feasible and that we can actually afford, such as asking folks who fly to pay for restoration of ecosystems to remove more carbon than the airplanes emit.” </p></div><div><p><strong>I read that some people are really against offsets.</strong></p></div><div><p>“People need to get over their puritanical hang-ups with offsetting,” Griscom says. “Are we going to develop some massive machine that sucks carbon out of the air in a way that anyone can afford? I hope so. But guess what? We don’t have one of those right now,” he says. “But we do have trees now. The largest and only mature form of carbon dioxide removal is nature. This is clear in the IPCC report.”</p></div><div><p><strong>So speaking of things we can afford: How much is all this nature protection going to cost? </strong></p></div><div><p>We’re glad you asked: The report finds that protecting nature to help limit global warming to less than 2°C (3.6°F) would cost up to US$ 400 billion a year by 2050.</p></div><div><p><strong>That seems like a lot of money. </strong></p></div><div><p>It’s not, really. </p></div><div><p><strong>But won’t that, like, hurt the economy?</strong></p></div><div><p>On the contrary, it will <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-action-economic-benefit-study-finds/" target="_blank">help the economy</a>, because climate change will cost more if we stand by and do nothing. And besides, as Griscom points out, it’s less than the current subsidies provided to agriculture and forestry — many of which are pushing farmers, ranchers and loggers in the wrong direction. </p></div><div><p>In any case, it’s a case of pay up now, or pay more later: “Overall, the global economic benefits of limiting warming to 2°C likely exceed the mitigation costs,” Griscom says. “And that’s not even factoring in loads of economic benefits of protecting and restoring nature, like clean water, flood control and healthy fisheries.”</p></div><div><p><strong>Wait — you said earlier that the ‘safe zone’ was 1.5C, and now we’re talking about 2C. Does that mean that 1.5C is not going to happen? </strong></p></div><div><p>Let’s bring in the scientist for this one.</p></div><div><p>“In 1968, if you had asked me if we would get to the moon, I would have said, no freaking way,” Griscom says. “And we got to the moon.” </p></div><div><p>“Is it reasonable to predict changing society to get to 1.5 based on the way things are going now? People would say no, it seems kind of crazy. But do I think that societies can transform at the rate required to get there? Yes!” </p></div><div><p><strong>So … can we do this?</strong></p></div><div><p>As a species, our backs are up against the wall, Griscom says: “If we don’t turn the corner in this decade, it will be physically impossible to do later.” </p></div><div><p>“It will require a major transformation of society,” he says. “We’ve reached a critical point in the conversation … this report is not speaking politely — it’s shaking us by the collar. And when a bunch of nerds start shouting, it’s time to listen, take a deep breath and act.” </p></div><div><p>“It’s game time. We need to do everything we can, right now.”</p></div><div><p><em>Bronson Griscom is the senior director of natural climate solutions at Conservation International. Bruno Vander Velde is the managing director of content at Conservation International. </em><em>Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here.</a> Donate to Conservation International <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here</a>.</em></p><p><em></em><em>Cover image: </em><em>Sunrise in Peru</em> <em>(© </em><em></em><em>Benjamin Drummond)</em><em></em></p></div>urn:uuid:112368a3-7140-4186-b50b-4a6719e32a13https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-science-deep-sea-hotspot-indigenous-ocean-conservation-and-more ScienceNew science: deep-sea hotspot, Indigenous ocean conservation and moreProtecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent research published by Conservation International experts.Thu, 02 Dec 2021 17:48:24 Z<div><p>Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent research published by Conservation International experts. </p><h3><strong>1. Scientists uncover trove of coral in remote Pacific waters </strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>Off the coast of Chile, the deep waters surrounding Easter Island are brimming with some of the densest populations of black corals on Earth, according to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.755898/full" target="_blank">new research</a>.</p></div><div><p>A team of scientists sent remotely operated vehicles to depths of up to 330 meters (1082 feet) and discovered more than 7,000 colonies of whip black corals, which are treasured for medicinal purposes by some cultures. </p>“These healthy coral gardens provide critical habitat for a wide variety of fishes and invertebrates, including species that are only found in this part of the world — like the strikingly colorful damselfish,” said Conservation International’s Daniel Wagner, a marine scientist and co-author of the study. “This new discovery highlights the importance of using advanced technologies to survey deeper portions of our ocean, which remain largely unexplored.”   </div><div><br /><div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/copy-of-rapa-nui-in-front-off-vaihu-at-127-148-m---matthias-gorny-oceana-esmoi-(5).jpg?sfvrsn=8c69d9b6_4" alt="Copy of Rapa Nui in front off Vaihu at 127-148 m - Matthias Gorny, Oceana & ESMOI (5)" sf-size="4401562" /></div><h6>Whip black coral, Rapa Nui © Mattias Gorny, Oceana, ESMOI</h6><div><p>Black corals create critical habitat for an abundance of deep-sea life, such as fish and sea stars. However, these corals — and the numerous species that depend on them — face looming threats, Wagner says. </p></div><div><p>“Black corals are some of the longest living and slowest growing animals on Earth, which makes them extremely vulnerable to changes on the seafloor from destructive practices like deep-sea mining and bottom-trawling,” he said. “Our study indicates that similar coral gardens are likely widespread throughout the region and must be protected against these threats.”</p></div><div><h3><strong>2. Effective marine conservation values Indigenous rights </strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>Countries around the world are aiming to ramp up ocean protection to <a href="https://www.popsci.com/story/environment/30-by-30-ocean-conservation-goal/" target="_blank">30 percent by 2030</a>.</p></div><div><p>But a<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.711538/full?utm_source=F-NTF&utm_medium=EMLX&utm_campaign=PRD_FEOPS_20170000_ARTICLE" target="_blank"> recent study</a> argues that effective marine conservation is impossible without the people who depend on oceans the most: Indigenous and local communities. However, conservation efforts often fall short on addressing the rights and priorities of these groups, the study’s authors found. </p></div><div><p>“When done right, ocean conservation can bring many benefits to local communities — from improving food security and livelihoods to protecting coastlines,” says Laure Katz, a Conservation International scientist and co-author of the paper. </p></div><div><p>“However, some initiatives can have unintended consequences. For example, designating large stretches of ocean ‘off-limits’ to try to protect them can harm Indigenous and local peoples who have relied on them for centuries.” </p></div><div><p>By analyzing environmental laws and policies, and using insights from local communities and conservationists around the world, the study’s authors developed a tool for advancing social equity in marine conservation — starting with recognizing Indigenous and local communities’ rights and knowledge. </p></div><div><p>This framework is already being used by the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-coalition-aims-to-help-protect-oceans-on-global-scale">Blue Nature Alliance</a> — a coalition of local governments, philanthropists and international organizations aiming to advance the conservation of 18 million square kilometers (7 million square miles) of ocean over the next five years. </p></div><div><p>“The framework seeks a balance between ocean protection and sustainable production that prioritizes benefits for communities with historical rights to an area,” Katz said. </p></div><div><p>“Countries must take three initial steps: ensure that Indigenous territories are formally recognized, allocate resources for grassroots conservation and secure a seat at the table for local communities in every decision made about their seas.” </p></div><div><p><em>This research was funded by the Blue Nature Alliance. </em></p></div><div><h3><strong>3. Protecting natural lands could help avoid climate catastrophe</strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>Conserving lands and sustainably managing ecosystems like forests and mangroves over the next 30 years could provide up to 30 percent of the greenhouse gas reductions needed to avoid climate catastrophe, according to a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31983330/" target="_blank">new study</a>. </p></div><div><p>By analyzing the most recent data from dozens of scientific models, the study’s authors, including Conservation International’s Bronson Griscom and Jonah Busch, estimated the emission reductions that can be achieved using 20 different types of land-based conservation measures — including protecting a wide range of carbon-absorbing habitats — in more than 200 countries. Then, they factored in countries’ abilities to implement those actions, based on political, economic and social conditions.</p></div><div><p>What they found: Half of the mitigation potential comes from forests and other ecosystems, while 35 percent comes from implementing more sustainable agriculture practices. Demand-driven measures such as reducing food waste and shifting to lower-carbon diets account for the remaining 15 percent of mitigation potential.</p></div><div><p>“This study shows the wide-reaching impact of a range of measures that improve land stewardship to mitigate climate change, heal our ecosystems and support rural economies,” Griscom said. “Nature’s contribution to limiting global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) falls into three categories: protection, restoration and improved management. These are the pillars of natural climate solutions, and they are fundamental for the long-term health of our Earth.”</p></div><div><p>The greatest potential for these types of conservation and sustainable management actions is in developing countries, which often face intense pressure to exploit lands to meet economic needs, says Busch.</p></div><div><p>“This study underscores the importance of mobilizing resources and climate finance to support conservation in developing countries,” he said. “We now know how much potential every country has to mitigate climate change through land-based measures, but countries need to act to make it a reality.”</p></div><div><p><em>This research was supported by Paul M. Angell Foundation, Alan Eustace, and Tom and Currie Barron.</em></p><p> </p><div><p><em>Kiley Price is the staff writer and news editor at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p></div><p><em>Cover image: Whip black coral at Rapa Nui </em><em>(</em><em>© Matthias Gorny, Oceana)</em><em></em></p><hr /><p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protect-these-places-or-face-climate-doom">Study: Protect these places — or face climate doom</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/why-indigenous-rights-matter">Why Indigenous rights matter</a></li></ul></div><div></div></div>urn:uuid:73b81eec-c885-4e10-a3fc-d49fd5bb1a13https://www.conservation.org/blog/these-ecosystems-could-determine-our-climate-future-study ScienceClimate ChangeThese ecosystems could determine our climate future: studyNature’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.Thu, 18 Nov 2021 16:32:05 Z<div><p>Nature’s stashes of climate-warming carbon are 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. </p><p>The study, published today in the<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00803-6" target="_blank"> journal Nature Sustainability</a>, found that half of Earth’s  “irrecoverable carbon” — defined as carbon that, if emitted into the atmosphere, could not be restored by 2050 — is located in just <em>3.3 percent </em>of Earth’s land area. The carbon in these reserves is equivalent to 15 times the global fossil fuel emissions released in 2020.</p><p>Most of this carbon is found in peatlands, mangroves and old-growth forests across six continents, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/irrecoverable-carbon">study found</a>. Were these ecosystems to be degraded or destroyed due to human activity, their carbon would be emitted into the atmosphere, effectively preventing humanity from limiting global warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), the benchmark for a “safe” climate set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. </p></div><div><p>Last year, the study’s authors introduced the concept of irrecoverable carbon in a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0738-8.epdf?author_access_token=poj3Fn4fkhP7_SK-yFKaTNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OGVcM5jAVKvW5GyId6F2q0ve6uY5HlQ2nGzEyTtPTSUIuTOykc5x3bM9HdnsqyTZdAL_YY02dyngC4HUYA6LeqaLA-r26jCXCx1eABw5d_FQ%3D%3D" target="_blank">groundbreaking paper</a>; this new research takes their findings a step further by mapping exactly where this carbon is located around the world — and providing policymakers with the clearest view yet on the areas that most need to be protected. </p></div><div><p>Released just days after the UN climate talks (COP26), the study is well-timed for helping countries ensure that they can meet the climate commitments made in Glasgow.</p></div><div><p>“We are at a pivotal moment for climate action — the science and the solutions are here, and so is the urgency,” said Monica Noon, a scientist at Conservation International and the study’s lead author.</p></div><div><p><strong>Small investments, big returns </strong></p></div><div><p>As world leaders rally around a common goal to<a href="https://www.hacfornatureandpeople.org/home" target="_blank"> protect 30 percent of the planet by 2030</a>, the new irrecoverable carbon map could help governments focus their efforts on the ecosystems that are critical to maintaining a stable climate, Noon says.</p></div><div><p>The good news: Nearly a quarter of the world’s irrecoverable carbon is already located within protected areas.</p></div><div><p>Even better: Increasing the amount of land under protection in key areas by just 5.4 percent would keep a whopping 75 percent of Earth’s irrecoverable carbon from being released into the atmosphere, according to the study.  </p></div><div><p>Many of the world’s irrecoverable carbon reserves overlap with places containing high concentrations of biodiversity, which would also benefit from stronger protections. </p></div><div><p>“Our research shows that protecting a relatively small portion of land can secure the majority of irrecoverable carbon,” Noon said. “Mobilizing resources to conserve these areas can have huge returns for the climate, biodiversity and human well-being. Governments need to be strategic when creating new protected areas, while also strengthening legal protections in existing ones.” </p></div><div><h3><strong>Where is the world’s irrecoverable carbon? </strong><br /></h3></div><div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/ic-map-with-border.jpg?sfvrsn=80c9cd39_2" alt="IC map with border" sf-size="14708499" /><div><p>Scientists used the latest data — including an analysis of more than 10,000 forest carbon samples — to understand how soil and biomass can recover greenhouse gases after changes in land use.</p></div><div><p>They found that irrecoverable carbon spans six of the seven continents, including vast stores in the Amazon, the Congo Basin, the islands of Southeast Asia, Northwestern North America, Southern Chile, Southeastern Australia and New Zealand.</p></div><div><p><strong>THE AMAZON RAINFOREST</strong></p></div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/amazon-map-border.jpg?sfvrsn=e6173f9d_2" alt="Amazon map-border" sf-size="677975" /><div><p>The Amazon is home to 30 million people, including 350 Indigenous and ethnic groups. This rainforest provides habitat for <a href="https://www.conservation.org/places/amazonia">one in 10 known species</a> on the planet and produces nearly a quarter of the world’s freshwater.</p></div><div><p>It also stores more than 20 percent of all irrecoverable carbon within its trees and soil — more than any other region on Earth. </p></div><div><p>“Old-growth forests in the Amazon are an extremely high-carbon ecosystems because they’ve been able to sequester carbon over decades or even centuries — and they grow all year round,” said Juan Carlos Ledezma, a Conservation International technical specialist for the Americas programs and co-author on the study.</p></div><div><p>Some of the Amazon’s largest irrecoverable carbon reserves are located in the Igapó — seasonally flooded forests along the banks of the Amazon River. For up to six months each year, these forests are submerged under several meters of water, which traps carbon in the soil, where it can build up over time. </p></div><div><p>The problem: A surge in deforestation in recent years is pushing the Amazon closer to a<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/05/amazon-near-tipping-point-of-switching-from-rainforest-to-savannah-study" target="_blank"> tipping point</a> after which it will lose the ability to generate rainfall, gradually transforming into a dry savanna. </p></div><div><p>Roughly 15 percent of the Amazon has been deforested so far; the tipping point could occur if a quarter of the forest is lost. At current deforestation rates, that could happen in 10 to 15 years, scientists predict. </p></div><div><p>“Increased deforestation will accelerate climate change, fueling higher temperatures and lower humidity in the Amazon. This could dry up this rainforest — and release the carbon it holds,” Ledezma explained. “Additionally, dry forests are more likely to catch fire, which would release even more carbon. It’s a dangerous feedback loop, which we must avoid.”</p></div><div><p><strong>NIGER DELTA MANGROVES </strong></p></div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/niger_delta.jpg?sfvrsn=a46d47f5_2" alt="Niger_Delta" sf-size="2547429" /><div><p>Africa’s Niger Delta boasts the most contiguous stretch of mangroves in the world, rich with wildlife and marine species. However, the real treasure is buried deep in the soil of these swamps. </p></div><div><p>“A lot of the muck in mangrove forests hasn’t seen the light of day in decades or even centuries. If left undisturbed, the carbon in soil sediments is locked in,” says Conservation International scientist Allie Goldstein, a co-author of the paper. “Mangroves only cover a fraction of Earth’s surface, but what they lack in quantity, they make up for in quality — holding the highest density of irrecoverable carbon of any other ecosystem.” </p></div><div><p>In the Niger Delta alone, 240 million tons of irrecoverable carbon lie within the dense tangle of trees and soil that make up this coastal forest. Along with these climate benefits, mangroves provide crucial habitats for marine species and can act as a buffer for coastal communities, protecting them from storm surges and rising sea levels. </p></div><div><p>Despite their importance, mangroves along the Niger Delta face mounting pressure from the extractive industry, which exports <a href="https://www.cfr.org/blog/primer-nigerias-oil-bunkering" target="_blank">1.41 million barrels of oil</a> from this region each day. In addition to deforestation from the rigs, camps, roads and other infrastructure related to extractive production, oil frequently spills into the mangrove forest, polluting the coastlines and harming the trees.</p></div><div><p><strong>PAPUA NEW GUINEA PEATLANDS</strong></p></div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/papuanewguinea_ic.jpg?sfvrsn=f6cc5ec0_2" alt="PapuaNewGuinea_IC" sf-size="2158198" /><br /><div><p>Located in the southwest Pacific, Papua New Guinea holds 3.9 billion metric tons of irrecoverable carbon — making it a “wall-to-wall carbon reserve,” according to Noon. </p></div><div><p>“The majority of the country’s carbon is stored in its peatlands,” she says. “These wetland ecosystems are made up of decaying waterlogged plants that have accumulated carbon over centuries.” </p></div><div><p>Globally, peatlands contain more than 39 billion metric tons of irrecoverable carbon, which is built up and locked away in soils. However, just like the flooded forests of the Amazon, these wetlands are extremely vulnerable to changes in moisture. </p></div><div><p>“Peatlands are climate superstars, but they face a variety of threats that could release the carbon they have stored,” Noon says. “In most cases, peatlands are either drained to transform the land into fertile farming area for oil palm production or extracted as a source of fuel.” </p></div><div><h3><strong>How do we protect irrecoverable carbon?</strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>At least 4 billion metric tons of irrecoverable carbon have been lost due to disturbances such as agriculture or wildfires over the past decade — and <a href="https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-research/global-tree-cover-loss-data-2020/" target="_blank">deforestation rates continue to rise</a> worldwide. </p></div><div><p>In addition to creating new protected areas, it is essential to recognize the land rights of Indigenous peoples, Noon says. </p></div><div><p>“Globally, Indigenous peoples <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/comments?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0245110" target="_blank">are proven</a> to be some of the best stewards of nature; their lands show less species decline and pollution, and more well-managed resources,” she says. “Strengthening Indigenous land rights is a critical step toward protecting the world’s ecosystems and the carbon they store.”</p></div><div><p>Currently, 47 billion metric tons of irrecoverable carbon — more than a third of the total — are located within government-recognized lands of Indigenous peoples and local communities. The authors say that there is likely even more irrecoverable carbon located on Indigenous and community lands without legal status.</p></div><div><p>However, being located on Indigenous lands does not always guarantee that irrecoverable carbon is conserved, Ledezma says. </p></div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/iplc-map.jpg?sfvrsn=5cd9b51a_2" alt="IPLC map" sf-size="405982" /><div><h6>Map based on Indigenous peoples' and local communities’ lands that are formally recognized by national governments. Areas lacking data do not necessarily indicate the absence of Indigenous peoples and local communities. </h6></div><div><p>“In the Amazon alone, <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/nearly-half-the-amazons-intact-forest-on-indigenous-held-lands-report/" target="_blank">nearly half of intact forests</a> are located within Indigenous territories, making Indigenous peoples crucial partners in the effort to protect irrecoverable carbon,” he says. </p></div><div><p>“However, many communities lack the resources and incentives they need to fend off the pressure to turn forests into farms or mining areas. Governments must provide more support for Indigenous communities, strengthen the legal recognition of their lands and formally recognize the crucial role Indigenous peoples play in helping to fight climate change.” </p></div><div><p>And expanding protection for lands with high concentrations of irrecoverable carbon, as well as supporting Indigenous and community-led conservation measures, is crucial for countries to meet their climate and biodiversity goals, Goldstein adds.</p></div><div><p>“This is a rare scenario in which we have time to prevent environmental disaster before it happens,” she said. </p></div><div><p>“This is our generation’s carbon to save, and how we choose to move forward as a global community will determine our climate fate."</p></div><div><p> </p><div><p><em>Kiley Price is the staff writer and news editor at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p></div><p><em>Cover image: The Amazon (© </em><em>Johnny Lye</em><em></em><em>)</em></p><hr /><p><strong>Further reading:</strong> </p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protect-these-places-or-face-climate-doom">Study: Protect these places — or face climate doom</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/why-indigenous-rights-matter">Why Indigenous rights matter</a></li></ul></div><div></div></div>urn:uuid:f3037daf-88f3-4961-9b1a-c74b1f7cc21dhttps://www.conservation.org/blog/new-map-pinpoints-where-people-depend-on-nature-the-most ScienceClimate ChangeCommunitiesNew map pinpoints where people depend on nature the mostA 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.Mon, 04 Oct 2021 17:10:09 Z<div><p>More than two-thirds of the population of the tropics — about 2.7 billion people — directly depend on nature for at least one of their most basic needs, according to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378021001473" target="_blank">new research</a>. </p><p>The study, published today in the journal Global Environmental Change, 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.</p></div><div><p>Conservation News spoke to the study’s lead author, Conservation International scientist Giacomo Fedele, about the many ways humans are nurtured by nature, the biggest threats tropical ecosystems face and how countries can promote climate justice for the world’s most “nature-dependent” people.</p></div><div><p><strong>Question: Who is considered “nature-dependent,” and where are these communities located?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>Answer: </strong>We define nature-dependent people as those who use natural resources to meet at least one of the four basic human needs: drinking water, housing materials, energy for cooking, or livelihoods. Taking it one step further, we found that 1.2 billion people are “highly nature-dependent,” meaning that they rely on natural resources for at least three out of four of those needs. </p></div><div><p>After analyzing interviews with more than 5 million households in 85 tropical countries, we found that the greatest proportion of highly nature-dependent people in the world is located in the tropics of Africa, making up nearly half of the population — 478 million people — in that region. Concentrated in the Congo Basin and East Africa, most of these people rely on nature for all four of their basic needs, but have a particular reliance on wood and charcoal as fuel for cooking. </p></div><div><p>On the other side of the globe in the Asia-Pacific region, 278 million people —more than a quarter of the population — can be considered highly nature-dependent, with the highest proportion in New Guinea, the lower Mekong basin and the Ganges River basin. In these areas, ecosystems are critical for providing energy and housing materials. </p></div><div><p>In tropical countries throughout the Americas, 9 percent of the population — 48 million people — depend deeply on nature for their livelihoods, practicing agriculture, harvesting forest products or fishing. The majority of nature-dependent people in this region live in the upper Amazon plains, Guyana and Central America. </p></div><div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/ndp_map_ci-style.jpg?sfvrsn=89fa08d9_2" alt="NDP_map_CI style" /></div><div><p><strong>Q: What makes your research unique? </strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>It is well-established that ecosystems — and their ability to store carbon — play a huge part in helping to fight climate change. In fact, research shows that they can provide <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-are-natural-climate-solutions">30 percent</a> of the emissions reductions necessary to stabilize the climate.  </p></div><div><p>However, what we’ve been missing is quantitative data on where the most important places are to protect nature for the climate <em>and</em> for people.</p></div><div><p>This information — which our map can now help provide — is crucial because climate change poses a huge threat for nature-dependent people in the tropics. At its core, this is a climate justice issue: Nature-dependent communities often contribute the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet they often feel the most severe impacts of the climate crisis — from rising sea levels to severe heat waves.  </p></div><div><p><strong>Q: How can this map help inform policies to address this climate justice issue? </strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>Knowing where nature-dependent people live can help governments and decision-makers implement effective conservation and sustainable development strategies based on what resources these communities rely on the most. And it’s not just climate change we have to worry about: Even small changes to the environment can have an enormous impact nature-dependent people. Depending on where you are in the tropics, threats include logging, unsustainable farming practices and mining — all of which can reduce access to food and clean water, building materials and endanger livelihoods.  </p></div><div><p>This is why policies and conservation interventions are going to vary from place to place — and why it is crucial to take into consideration the needs and aspirations of local people when designing and implementing conservation strategies.</p></div><div><p>For example, creating protected areas that limits human activity may be appropriate in some areas in countries like Suriname or Guyana, which have intact ecosystems and fewer nature-dependent people. But that same strategy may be less effective in areas with a high number of nature-dependent people, in countries such as Cambodia or the Democratic Republic of Congo. There, communities could benefit more from implementing sustainable techniques to manage their land, like community-based natural resource management or climate-smart farming.</p></div><div><p>Our study outlines how nature-based strategies that protect, restore or sustainably manage ecosystems can be carefully designed to promote inclusive human development and environmental benefits. </p></div><div><p><strong>Q: Conservation International is implementing a project in southern Africa that addresses some of these issues. Can you tell us a bit about that?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A:</strong> Local and Indigenous communities such as the Mnisi peoples near Kruger National Park in South Africa and communities in the Limpopo National Park of Mozambique have raised cattle for generations, but unsustainable practices such as overgrazing have degraded their grassland ecosystems over time. </p></div><div><p>Conservation International’s Herding 4 Health program is helping farmers across six African countries — and more than 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) of rangeland — implement wildlife-friendly and climate-smart farming techniques to restore the nature that they depend on. Through the program, rural communities are supported by trained herders to voluntarily implement planned grazing of their livestock to minimize overgrazing, remove invasive vegetation that hamper grass growth and water availability, and adopt human-wildlife conflict mitigation practices. In return, they receive support to improve the quality and health of their livestock, reduce animal losses from wildlife predators and access to  livestock markets.</p></div><div><p>One of the most critical components of this project is that it takes into account the priorities and needs of the nature-dependent farmers, who stand to lose the most if grasslands continue to deteriorate. Putting nature at the heart of sustainable development is the best way to benefit the climate, wildlife and people.  </p></div><div><p> </p><p><em>Kiley Price is the staff writer and news editor at Conservation International. </em><em>Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><p><em>Cover image: </em><em>Children play in a tributary of the Volta River near Nabogu, Ghana (© Benjamin Drummond</em><em></em><em>)</em></p><p> </p><hr /><p> </p><p><strong>Further reading: </strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/climate-breakdown-is-here-its-time-to-adapt-but-how">Climate breakdown is here. It's time to adapt. But how?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/climate-week-action-must-match-urgency-of-the-crisis">Climate Week: Action must match 'urgency of the crisis'</a></li></ul></div><div> </div>urn:uuid:583de210-28ec-4b3f-b3e1-5966cfe669b5https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-nature-has-saved-us-from-worst-climate-impacts-for-now ScienceStudy: Nature has saved us from worst climate impacts — for nowA new study finds that without Earth’s complex web of terrestrial and marine ecosystems we would already be seeing far more severe climate impacts than we are now.Thu, 16 Sep 2021 16:58:36 Z<div><p>Nature itself has already saved humanity from a climate cataclysm, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/38/e2115218118" target="_blank">new research</a> finds. </p><p>Published today, the study found that without Earth’s complex web of terrestrial and marine ecosystems — known as the biosphere — we would already be seeing far more severe climate impacts than we are now.</p></div><div><p>Using a state-of-the-art computer model of Earth, the study’s authors — including Conservation International scientists Dave Hole, Johan Rockström, Bronson Griscom and Michael Mascia — simulated how ecosystems, such as mangroves and old-growth forests, absorb and store climate-warming carbon. They then demonstrated how global temperatures would have risen if humanity had gone through the Industrial Age with a biosphere that did not actively absorb carbon pollution. The results were stark. </p></div><div><p>“Without nature’s helping hand, the world would be on track to hit 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming by the end of the century — even if we drastically cut all other carbon emissions across our economies,” Hole said. “This study offers a much clearer understanding of how big a role nature plays in stashing away carbon and stabilizing the climate.” </p></div><div><p>Currently, oceans, forests and other living ecosystems absorb and store about <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/38/e2115218118" target="_blank">half of our annual global carbon emissions</a>. </p></div><div><p>And humanity needs all the help it can get, according to a recent UN report. Global warming will almost certainly surpass 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) within the next 20 years unless countries act more quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect nature on a much larger scale, the report found. </p></div><div><p>“Troublingly, the biosphere’s natural balance is slowly succumbing to human pressures and climate change impacts,” said Rockström, chief scientist at Conservation International and director of the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home" target="_blank">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>. </p></div><div><p>“Humanity needs to act now — as stewards of nature — to restore and protect the vast ecosystems that halve our carbon emissions each year. Otherwise, we will not meet the critical benchmarks for the coming decade, as outlined in the Paris Agreement.” </p></div><div><p><strong>What to do? Protect, manage, restore </strong></p></div><div><p>World leaders are set to convene early next year at a series of environmental negotiations, where they will submit <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs/nationally-determined-contributions-ndcs" target="_blank">new climate goals</a> under the Paris Agreement. But just as important as the goals are the ways in which countries will achieve them, Hole says.  </p></div><div><p>“We already have the tools we need to prevent a climate crisis — and nature provides many of them,” he said. “But governments, businesses and individuals need to act globally to protect and expand these ecosystems, which are absolutely critical to maintaining life as we know it.”</p><hr /></div><div><ul><li><strong>FURTHER READING:</strong> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-are-natural-climate-solutions">What on Earth are ‘natural climate solutions’?</a></li></ul><hr /></div><div><p>The new study found that the large-scale protection, restoration and sustainable management of Earth’s ecosystems could reduce warming by 0.3 degrees Celsius (0.54 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. When it comes to limiting the negative impacts of climate change, even a fraction of a degree matters.</p></div><div><p>So what is it going to take to avoid catastrophic climate change — and for humans to become active stewards of Earth’s biosphere? According to the researchers, there are three key steps:  halving emissions each decade to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, transforming agriculture and forestry so these industries absorb more greenhouse gases than they emit, and restoring and expanding carbon-rich ecosystems such as old-growth forests. </p></div><div><p>Conservation International experts are currently working to create a <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/looking-ahead-after-lost-year-urgency-rises-for-climate-nature-policy">roadmap</a> to help determine “who” — from farmers to foresters to consumers — must be empowered to do “what” and “where” to ensure nature can continue to limit global warming. One key aspect of the roadmap is protecting the world’s “<a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protect-these-places-or-face-climate-doom">irrecoverable carbon</a>” — that is, vast stores of carbon that, if lost, could not be restored by 2050. Mostly locked away in mangroves, peatlands, forests and marshes, this carbon is equivalent to 15 times the global fossil fuel emissions released in 2020.</p><hr /></div><div><ul><li><strong>FURTHER READING:</strong> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protect-these-places-or-face-climate-doom">Study: Protect these places — or face climate doom</a></li></ul><hr /></div><div><p>“We can’t afford to lose the carbon stored in these ecosystems,” Hole said. “To conserve nature effectively, we need all hands on deck — the public and private sectors and the people whose lives are intertwined with nature. We have just a small window of time remaining to take decisive action to protect the biosphere, which has protected us for so long.”</p></div><div><p> </p><p><em>Kiley Price is the staff writer and news editor at Conservation International. </em><em>Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><p><em>Cover image: </em><em>Mount Panie, New Caledonia </em><em>(©</em> <em>Shawn Heinrichs)</em><em></em><em></em></p><em></em><hr /><p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/report-protect-nature-now-or-face-pandemic-era">Report: Protect nature now — or face ‘Pandemic Era’</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-science-protecting-the-planets-biodiversity-from-soil-to-coral">New science: Protecting the planet’s biodiversity — from soil to coral</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-simple-idea-to-ease-conservation-costs-transferring-funds">A simple idea to ease conservation costs: transferring funds</a></li></ul></div><div> </div>urn:uuid:76ab182b-d24c-4bd2-8a8f-74ced807e565https://www.conservation.org/blog/shifting-tuna-populations-could-trigger-climate-justice-issue-study ScienceOceansClimate ChangeShifting tuna populations could trigger ‘climate justice issue’: studyOcean warming will alter the habitats of tuna, which could have catastrophic economic consequences for Pacific Island nations and territories, according to a new study.Thu, 29 Jul 2021 17:03:38 Z<div><p>Despite their small size, Pacific Island nations and territories are a powerhouse in the fishing industry, contributing <a href="https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/102721466580391096-0070022016/original/PACIFICPOSSIBLETunaSummarypaper.pdf" target="_blank">more than a third of the global tuna catch</a>. </p><p>However, the tide could soon turn for these islands — and not for the better.</p></div><div><p>Fueled by greenhouse gas emissions, ocean warming will alter the habitats of tuna, causing these fish to move outside the jurisdictions — or Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) — of many Pacific Islands. Using modelling to predict how tuna stocks could move by 2050, a team of experts — led by Conservation International’s Johann Bell — found that an exodus of tuna could cut the average catch by a staggering 20 percent in 10 Pacific Island states, from Palau in the west to Kiribati in the east. </p></div><div><p>According to the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00745-z" target="_blank">study</a> published today in Nature Sustainability, catch reductions of this magnitude could result in a collective loss of US$ 140 million per year by 2050 and cost some of these island nations and territories up to 17 percent of their annual government revenue. </p></div><div><p>“Currently, many of the tropical areas with warm waters preferred by skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tuna are within the EEZs of Pacific Island states,” says Bell, who leads the tuna fisheries program at Conservation International.</p></div><div><p>“But as the ocean continues to warm, the conditions preferred by tuna will be located further to the east, including in the high seas, which are not governed by any one country.”</p></div><div><ul><li><strong>READ MORE: </strong><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/pacific-islands-face-hardships-as-tuna-follow-warming-waters">Pacific islands face hardships as tuna follow warming waters</a></li></ul></div><div><h3><strong>‘This is a climate justice issue’ </strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>Pacific Island territories are responsible for only a tiny fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet they are already facing some of the most severe impacts of climate change.</p></div><div><p>“This is a climate justice issue,” says Bell. “Pacific Island states charge access fees to other countries that catch tuna in their jurisdictions. But as the tuna move progressively to high-seas areas the revenues will decline because less fishing will occur in their waters — and tuna-dependent economies will suffer.” </p></div><div><p>In contrast, large countries responsible for the majority of global emissions driving ocean warming will benefit from the migration of tuna, according to Bell. </p></div><div><p>“When the tuna are caught in high-seas areas, fishing fleets from wealthier countries can make more money from their catches because they do not currently have to pay fees to fish there,” he says. </p></div><div><p>Tuna fishing in the high seas of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean and in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is regulated by two regional fisheries management organizations. With insight from international lawyers, the study offers recommendations for a more equitable outcome:  Pacific Island states could negotiate within these regional fisheries management organizations to retain the rights to the historical levels of catches made within their EEZs, regardless of the movement of fish to the high seas due to climate change. This would mean that although some tuna would no longer live within the EEZs of Pacific Islands states, their economic value would still belong to those nations and territories. </p></div><div><p>However, the best way to avoid this climate justice issue is to make sure that tuna habitats don’t shift in the first place, Bell says. </p></div><div><h3><strong>Cut carbon, save tuna-dependent economies</strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>Under the Paris Climate Agreement, countries around the world have committed to drastically reducing their emissions to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). </p></div><div><p>If countries are able to meet this goal, the average tuna catch in these 10 Pacific Island nations and territories will decrease by only 3 percent, the study’s authors estimate. </p></div><div><p>And with world leaders set to meet soon at a <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/looking-ahead-after-lost-year-urgency-rises-for-climate-nature-policy">series of global climate negotiations</a>, the onus is on large countries to commit to more ambitious emissions reduction targets and avoid climate injustice, says Bell. </p></div><div><p>“The climate-driven redistribution of tuna has the potential to severely disrupt the economies of developing island states and undermine the sustainable management of tuna resources,” Bell says. “Although we need more robust modeling to reduce uncertainty in the timing and extent of tuna redistribution, we are sounding the alarm on this potential economic disaster while there is still time to avoid it.”</p></div><div><p><em style="font-size:inherit;"> </em></p><p><em style="font-size:inherit;">The late Sue Taei, former Executive Director of Conservation International’s programs in the Pacific Island region and a co-author on the paper, was the first person to call for an investigation into the climate justice implications of tuna redistribution. To honor Taei’s contributions to the region, Conservation International and Nia Tero have established the <a href="https://www.suetaeioceanfellowship.org/" target="_blank">Sue Taei Ocean Fellowship for Indigenous Women of the Pacific</a>. </em><em>The contribution made to the multi-disciplinary study by Johann Bell was supported by the Moccasin Lake Foundation.</em><br /></p></div><div><p><em></em><em>Kiley Price is the staff writer and news editor at Conservation International. </em><em>Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><p><em>Cover image: Yellowfin tuna </em><em>(© </em><em>Marc Taque</em><em>t</em><em>)</em></p><em></em><hr /><p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-first-aid-kit-for-the-worlds-coral-reefs">A 'first aid kit' for the world's coral reefs?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/climate-crisis-pushing-oceans-to-the-brink-report-warns">Climate crisis pushing oceans to the brink, report warns </a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/expert-ending-the-global-water-crisis-starts-in-your-back-yard">Expert: Ending the global water crisis ‘starts in your back yard’</a></li></ul></div><div></div>urn:uuid:019adae3-9a27-4adb-ac68-b14423fb36c4https://www.conservation.org/blog/protect-nature-or-risk-future-pandemics-expert-warns ScienceProtect nature or risk future pandemics, expert warnsConservation International's new pandemic prevention fellow recently discussed how his experience chasing infectious diseases and leading NYC's COVID contact tracing program has shown him why human health depends on the health of the planet.Thu, 27 May 2021 12:34:47 Z<div><p>Humanity’s continued assault on the environment could unleash another pandemic — and soon.</p><p>So says Dr. Neil Vora, Conservation International’s new pandemic prevention fellow. Vora, an epidemiologist, has devoted his career to chasing infectious diseases — from Ebola-stricken villages in West Africa to the deserted streets of New York City as the coronavirus pandemic raged. </p></div><div><p>Though every new infectious disease is unique, <a href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/how_forest_loss_is_leading_to_a_rise_in_human_disease_malaria_zika_climate_change" target="_blank">research shows</a> many share a key feature: They are driven by the destruction of nature.</p></div><div><p>In a recent interview with Conservation News, Vora discussed how his experience as a physician has helped him explore the links between human health and the health of the planet — and why humanity must ‘fix its broken relationship with nature’ to prevent future pandemics.  </p></div><div><p><strong>Question: What started your passion for pandemics — or, more specifically, preventing them? </strong></p></div><div><p><strong>Answer</strong><strong>: </strong>My dad had smallpox as a child. Growing up, I saw the disease's legacy in the scars it left on his face. When I asked him about it, he’d explain that he was lucky to have survived because the virus is extremely deadly; it can kill 1 out of every 3 people it infects. This made me aware at a very young age of the devastating impacts that infectious diseases can have and the importance of finding ways to prevent them. Then, as a teenager, I watched the 1995 movie “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/movies/outbreak-movie-coronavirus.html" target="_blank">Outbreak</a>,” and it was over — I knew I wanted to wear a hazmat suit and chase dangerous diseases around the world for my career. </p></div><div><p><strong>Q: How did you get your start chasing diseases?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>After finishing medical school, I joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate zoonotic diseases, or those that jump from animals to humans. I spent my first two years as a “virus hunter,” tracking pathogens coming from nature. During that time, I <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/05/01/308357520/new-virus-related-to-smallpox-is-found-in-republic-of-georgia" target="_blank">led an investigation</a> of a newly discovered smallpox-like virus in the country of Georgia. When the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/history/2014-2016-outbreak/index.html" target="_blank">West Africa Ebola outbreak</a> hit in 2014 — the largest outbreak of this disease ever — I deployed to Liberia, where I was stationed in a rural community, working with the local health department to perform contact tracing and infection control. </p></div><div><p>More recently, I led New York City’s COVID-19 contact tracing program, which helps stem the spread of the coronavirus by identifying people who may have come into contact with an infected person. Last spring, New York City was one of the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-28/why-was-new-york-hit-so-badly-with-covid-19?sref=9yJg7hIn" target="_blank">epicenters of the pandemic</a>, with more than <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6946a2.htm" target="_blank">203,000 confirmed cases</a> of COVID-19 between March and May of 2020. The contact tracing program was crucial to bringing coronavirus case numbers down and helping the city re-open during the summer of 2020, but it was no easy feat. </p></div><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/specimen-collection-jpg.jpg?sfvrsn=cd92d100_4" alt="specimen collection jpg" sf-size="277514" /><h6>Dr. Neil Vora looks for the new smallpox-like virus in Georgian cattle © CDC </h6><div><p><strong>Q: Wow. What did it take to get NYC’s contact tracing program off the ground? </strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>Last May, my team and I had less than a month to hire and train a team of more than 2,500 contact tracers, deliver supplies, develop safety and operational protocols, and launch a contact tracing program for the largest city in the United States. It was a Herculean effort that required us to work tirelessly, day and night for weeks. </p></div><div><p>I ran the program for nearly a year. We tracked more than half a million people with COVID-19 and worked with the city to offer housing, food, and even dog-walking services to people in isolation or quarantine. Being surrounded by so much death was emotionally draining, but it was also extremely rewarding to help bring the virus under control in the city. In a way, this experience connected me back to my father’s illness because contract tracers, equipped with vaccines, were the heroes that led to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-52812103" target="_blank">eradication of smallpox in the late 1970s</a>. </p></div><div><p><strong>Q: How does a doctor and epidemiologist end up working in conservation?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A:</strong> During medical school, I realized that human health cannot be separated from the health of the planet. If you look back over the past century, <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6502/379" target="_blank">two new animal-borne viruses</a> have emerged from nature every year — and these numbers are expected to rise in the coming decade if we continue to degrade nature. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3734451/" target="_blank">Research shows</a> deforestation is a major driver of emerging infectious diseases. As the global wildlife trade persists and humans continue to encroach deeper into forests, there are more opportunities for diseases to spread from animals to humans — a process known as “virus spillover.” This process can even happen on farms; if livestock are exposed to local wildlife, they can then become infected with new diseases that may also be transmitted to humans. </p><hr /></div><div><p><strong>Further reading: </strong></p></div><div><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/3-ways-to-prevent-the-next-pandemic-with-nature-according-to-science">3 ways to prevent the next pandemic with nature, according to science</a></li><li><span style=""><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-does-covid-19-have-to-do-with-nature-these-5-articles-explain">What does COVID-19 have to do with nature? These 5 articles explain</a></span></li></ul><hr /></div><div><p>Therefore, conservation is critical for public health — and it goes beyond just preventing infectious disease outbreaks.  </p></div><div><p>When we fight climate change, we protect ourselves from extreme weather events, malnutrition and climate-related mass migration. When we conserve the world’s oceans and fish, we protect ourselves <a href="https://www.conservation.org/priorities/doubling-ocean-protection">against starvation</a>. When we protect tropical forests, we also maintain “<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mother-natures-medicine-c/" target="_blank">nature’s medicine cabinet</a>” — in other words, the wildlife and plants that could offer clues to solving illnesses such as <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/08/elephants-rarely-get-cancer-thanks-zombie-gene" target="_blank">cancer</a> and <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-things-you-didnt-know-sharks-do-for-you">cystic fibrosis</a>. We need nature to survive.</p></div><div><p><strong>Q: What have we learned from COVID-19 that could prevent another pandemic? </strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A:</strong> We must fix our broken relationship with nature or we can likely expect another pandemic within a decade. To do this, we need to <a href="https://www.preventingfuturepandemics.org/" target="_blank">stop virus spillover at its source</a>, before new infectious diseases have a chance to trigger an outbreak — or even a full-blown pandemic. </p></div><div><p>Just 10 percent of the world’s tropical forests hold more than half the global risk for zoonotic disease emergence, according to <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/3-ways-to-prevent-the-next-pandemic-with-nature-according-to-science">recent research</a> co-authored by Conservation International experts. While we must focus on protecting these tropical forests, zoonotic diseases can emerge wherever there is wildlife. We should therefore reduce deforestation and forest degradation around the world, restrict the global wildlife trade and reform unsafe livestock farming, to prevent future pandemics. </p><hr /></div><div><ul><li><strong>Further reading: </strong><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-could-the-amazon-become-ground-zero-for-the-worlds-next-pandemic">Could the Amazon become ground zero for the world’s next pandemic?</a></li></ul><hr /></div><div><p>Although some countries are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel due to the increasing availability of COVID-19 vaccines, the coronavirus is still devastating many populations. I’ve spent years responding to one outbreak after another — and almost every one of those outbreaks originated from animals. In my new role at Conservation International, I’m excited to take a proactive rather than reactive role by addressing the drivers of outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. Now is the time to create policies and invest in strategies for prevention — protecting nature will help us save millions of lives and trillions of dollars in the future.</p></div><div><p> </p><p><em>Neil Vora is the pandemic prevention fellow at Conservation International. Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates </em><a href="https://www.conservation.org/act"><em>here.</em></a><em> Donate to Conservation International </em><a href="https://www.conservation.org/act"><em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Cover image: A wind power station near Westerhever, Germany (© Laszlo Novak/Wild Wonders of Europe)</em></p></div><div></div><div></div>urn:uuid:411b03e4-4d80-4f50-b623-2212e263226bhttps://www.conservation.org/blog/new-nasa-maps-will-help-liberia-chart-course-for-a-sustainable-future ScienceNew NASA maps will help Liberia chart course for a sustainable futureIn partnership with Conservation International and NASA, the government of Liberia recently mapped the country’s diverse ecosystems — from lush forests to coastal mangroves — and analyzed how they have changed over time.Wed, 17 Mar 2021 14:10:33 Z<br /><div><p>Within Liberia’s borders lies one of the last strongholds of intact forests in West Africa.</p><p>But as Liberia’s <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-a-country-on-the-edge-of-development-what-is-nature-worth">economy recovers</a> following years of civil war, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/43740258?seq=1" target="_blank">experts fear</a> that these forests — and other ecosystems across the country — could become victims of unsustainable oil palm development, urbanization and logging. </p></div><div><p>To prevent this, the Liberian government must first know where its most valuable ecosystems are located, how much of them is left and what critical services they provide to people. </p></div><div><p>A groundbreaking effort is helping them achieve the first step in charting a course for a more sustainable future. </p></div><div><p>In partnership with Conservation International and NASA, the government of Liberia recently mapped the country’s diverse ecosystems — from lush forests to coastal mangroves — and analyzed how they have changed over time. </p></div><div><p>These “Ecosystem Extent Maps” will help the government quantify the economic benefits of Liberia’s natural resources and the services they provide to people — the country’s “<a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-on-earth-is-natural-capital">natural capital</a>.” They were created using remote-sensing data generated by NASA’s fleet of Earth-observing satellites and field surveys from Conservation International scientists on the ground. </p></div><div><ul><li><strong>FURTHER READING:</strong> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-on-earth-is-natural-capital">What on Earth is ‘natural capital’?</a></li></ul></div><div><p>The next step: For decision-makers to use these maps to promote the value of Liberia’s natural capital when planning its long-term economic growth and development. </p></div><div><p>“The maps enable the government to determine the true extent of Liberia’s forests, mangroves and freshwater ecosystems, each of which provides the economy and communities with services essential for livelihoods and long-term economic resilience,” said Daniel Juhn, vice president of Conservation International’s Moore Center for Science. </p></div><div><p>Working with the Liberian government, Conservation International and NASA will continue to develop even more detailed maps of the country that account for the condition of its ecosystems and quantify the specific services they provide to people at community and regional levels. </p></div><div><p>The mapping initiative in Liberia — which serves as a model for similar, future projects in Gabon and Botswana — supports the goals of the <a href="http://www.gaboronedeclaration.com/" target="_blank">Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa (GDSA)</a>, a commitment made by 18 African countries to invest in a new model of development that takes into account the economic value of the continent’s natural resources. </p></div><div><p>“With this effort, the Liberian government is leading the way regionally in assessing nature’s values, something that is needed to inform planning, sustainable development and conservation efforts in-country and across Africa,” Juhn added.</p></div><div><p>To learn more about how the Liberian government will use these maps to protect the country’s nature <em>and</em> economy watch the video below. </p><p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VCG5sQoVPqs?v=VCG5sQoVPqs&enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservation.org&widgetid=3" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin">&nbsp;</iframe></p><p><em>Video courtesy of NASA.</em></p><p><em>Kiley Price is a staff writer for Conservation International. </em><em>Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><p><em>Cover image: A man looking out at the East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia</em><em> (© Conservation International/photo by Bailey Evans)</em></p><hr /><p><em></em><strong>Further reading: </strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-a-country-on-the-edge-of-development-what-is-nature-worth">To a country on the edge of development, what is nature worth?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/looking-ahead-after-lost-year-urgency-rises-for-climate-nature-policy">Looking ahead: After lost year, urgency rises for climate, nature policy</a></li></ul></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>urn:uuid:44d03aa0-2463-4655-a391-7b1542d39935https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-science-saving-life-on-land-record-breaking-rays-freshwater-action-plan ScienceNew science: saving life on land, record-breaking rays, freshwater action planHere’s a roundup of recent science published by Conservation International experts.Thu, 16 Apr 2020 15:05:44 Z<p>Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent scientific research published by Conservation International experts. </p><h3 style="margin-left:30px;"><strong>1. Reforesting the tropics is essential for protecting life on land </strong><br /></h3><div><p>Reforesting the tropics could be an effective strategy for conserving threatened wildlife while slowing climate change, according to a <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.13478" target="_blank">new study</a>.</p></div><div><p>A <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-new-report-depicts-a-failing-planet-a-new-book-has-solutions">2019 UN report</a> revealed that more than 1 million terrestrial species across the globe are at risk of extinction, driven largely by habitat loss and climate change. In this new study, Conservation International scientists Pamela Collins and David Hole in partnership with Arizona State University explored how reforestation could minimize this species loss. </p></div><div><p>To do this, the scientists compared global maps of degraded forests that have restoration potential to maps of the geographic ranges of threatened species.</p></div><div><p>The results were promising. </p><p>Nearly half of the area on these maps overlapped, meaning that reforestation could help conserve an array of wildlife that is at risk of extinction. Together, the more than 3.69 million square km (more than 1.424 million square miles) — strewn across South America, Africa and Asia — are the size of India and Vietnam combined. </p></div><div><p>“This overlap represents around 15 percent of the total land area that harbors threatened vertebrate species worldwide,” Collins explained. “While reforestation is not a substitute for conserving existing forests, this study shows that, in the right places, forest restoration can be a crucial part of the strategy for protecting Earth’s biodiversity.”</p></div><div><p>In addition to protecting animal species, reforestation across this area of tropical land could absorb nearly half the amount of greenhouse gas emissions currently being released by human activities such as logging, agriculture, mining and urban development. </p></div><div><p>“Deforestation <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/time-for-a-tropical-carbon-tax-experts-say">skyrocketed across the globe in 2019</a>. We need 2020 to be the year that we protect and restore tropical forests,” said Hole, Conservation International’s vice president of global solutions. </p></div><div><h3 style="margin-left:30px;"><strong>2. Reef manta rays break deep-diving record  </strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>A <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0228815" target="_blank">recent study</a> documented the deepest dive by a reef manta ray ever recorded, shattering the previous world record by more than 200 meters (656 feet). During the historic dive, the reef manta ray — which is smaller than the giant oceanic manta ray —  reached a maximum depth of 672 meters (2,204 feet).</p></div><div><p>An elusive and highly mobile species, the reef manta ray’s behavior has never been recorded in the South Pacific islands of New Caledonia — until now. </p></div><div><p>Using satellite tags attached to the backs of the manta rays, a team of researchers, including Conservation International scientist Mark Erdmann, was able to track nine of these aquatic giants in the waters of New Caledonia. This information gives valuable insight into the behavior of reef manta rays — vital for protecting them. </p></div><div><p>“Reef manta ray populations are declining worldwide, largely due to fisheries that target the species for their gills, which are used in traditional Asian medicines,” Erdmann says. “Not only is this bad for the manta rays, this impacts local economies across Indonesia, Australia and the rest of the South Pacific that rely on these charismatic creatures for their ecotourism value.”</p></div><div><p>Although manta rays in New Caledonia are <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0228815" target="_blank">not yet threatened by fishing</a>, the authors of this study hypothesized that the reef manta rays are likely diving deeper due to insufficient food supplies on the water’s surface. </p></div><div><p>The deep-diving behavior of the manta rays reaffirms that countries must ensure that deep waters adjacent to coral reefs are protected to conserve this iconic species, according to François Tron, country director of Conservation International’s New Caledonia program.</p></div><div><p>"Marine protected areas designed to protect manta rays typically focus on coastal and reef areas, and rarely extend into deeper offshore waters,” explained Tron in a <a href="https://www.conservation.org/press-releases">recent statement</a>. “This research shows that reef mantas regularly utilize these deeper waters, where we already know other ocean voyaging species such as whales, sharks and turtles are also present. To ensure we do not lose these emblematic species, this broader habitat needs to be included in ocean conservation efforts.”</p></div><div><h3 style="margin-left:30px;"><strong>3. A new plan to protect rapidly vanishing freshwater ecosystems </strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>A <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/70/4/330/5732594" target="_blank">recent study </a>offers the first global framework to protect Earth’s freshwater ecosystems, some of which are vanishing three times faster than forests.</p></div><div><p>Although they cover less than 1 percent of Earth’s surface, freshwater ecosystems — such as rivers, lakes and wetlands — are home to around 10 percent of the planet’s species. However, populations of freshwater vertebrate species such as <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/10952/152044061" target="_blank">turtles</a> and <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/224/13037056" target="_blank">sturgeons</a> have fallen by more than 80 percent, and nearly one-third of wetland ecosystems have been lost since 1970 due to human activities that destroy habitats and decrease water quality.</p></div><div><p>Informed by global data and successful conservation examples from around the world, Conservation International scientists Robin Abell and Ian Harrison worked with other freshwater experts to provide a plan for reversing the rapid decline of freshwater species and habitats — and the services they provide.</p></div><div><p>“Freshwater ecosystems underpin human society, providing water security, offering flood protection and ensuring food security to vulnerable communities around the world,” said Abell, who leads Conservation International’s freshwater work. “With competing demands for land and water use, we know that freshwater biodiversity conservation isn’t easy — if it were, we wouldn’t be facing such extreme imperilment of fish, invertebrates and other species.”</p></div><div><p>The paper proposes six strategies to protect freshwater biodiversity, including improving water quality by reducing pollution, preventing and controlling invasive species and managing overfishing. </p></div><div><p>“It would be easy to interpret this work as a further message of freshwater doom, but it is in fact the opposite,” said Harrison, Conservation International’s director of freshwater science and policy. “It is a forward-looking plan, with specific areas of action, for <a href="https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-water-input-on-freshwater-biodiversity-linkages-response-to-the-zero-draft-document-from-the-open-ended-working-group-on-the-post-2020-global-biodiversity-framework/" target="_blank">how to address the 21st century challenges</a> that our freshwater ecosystems face. It presents an opportunity for us to change the trajectory of biodiversity decline in turn supporting the health of the planet and the livelihoods of people.”</p><p> </p></div><div><p><em>Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here.</a> Donate to Conservation International <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here</a>.</em><em></em></p></div><div><p><em>Cover image: A reef manta ray in New Caledonia</em><em> </em><em>(© Mark Erdmann)</em></p><p><em>Funding for the reforestation research was provided by Arizona State University; the manta ray satellite tagging research was a collaboration between the University of New Caledonia, Aquarium des Lagons, Manta Trust and Conservation International; support for the freshwater research initiative was provided by </em>WWF-UK<em>. </em></p><hr /><p><em></em><strong>Further reading:</strong></p></div><div><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-science-rare-plants-climate-consequences-marine-movement">New science: rare plants, climate consequences, marine movement</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-a-scientist-a-species-discovering-savant">Meet a scientist: a species-discovering savant</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/key-to-protecting-the-ocean-money-and-manpower-study-finds">Key to protecting the ocean? Money and manpower, study finds</a></li></ul></div><div> </div><div> </div>urn:uuid:c723619d-76a9-43e8-a450-8201a20ae4a4https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protect-these-places-or-face-climate-doom ScienceClimate ChangeStudy: Protect these places — or face climate doomTo stop climate catastrophe, there are certain places on Earth that we simply cannot afford to destroy, according to new research by Conservation International scientists.Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:10:40 Z<p>To stop climate catastrophe, there are certain places on Earth that we simply cannot afford to destroy, according to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0738-8" target="_blank">new research</a> by Conservation International scientists.</p><p>Compiling carbon data from forests, grasslands and wetlands, the scientists determined how much carbon is stored in ecosystems across the globe and measured how long it would take to get it back if it is lost — and what that loss would mean for humanity.</p><p>The result: A blueprint for where — and how — to focus efforts to protect Earth’s living carbon reserves.</p><h3><strong>‘A generation’s worth of carbon’</strong><br /></h3><p>The scientists identified pockets of “irrecoverable carbon” — vast stores of carbon that are potentially vulnerable to release from human activity and, if lost, could not be restored by 2050. (Why 2050? It’s the year by which humans need to reach net-zero emissions to avoid a climate catastrophe.)</p><p>Irrecoverable carbon spans six of the seven continents, including vast stores in the Amazon, the Congo Basin, Indonesia, Northwestern North America, Southern Chile, Southeastern Australia and New Zealand. These ecosystems contain more than 260 billion tons of irrecoverable carbon, most of which is stored in mangroves, peatlands, old-growth forests and marshes. This amount of carbon is equivalent to 26 years of fossil fuel emissions at current rates.</p><p>“We are talking about a generation’s worth of carbon contained in these critical ecosystems,” explained Allie Goldstein, a climate scientist at Conservation International and the paper’s lead author. “The good news is that we now know where this irrecoverable carbon can be found — and it is largely within our control to protect it.”</p><p>Carbon is constantly flowing in and out of ecosystems, added Conservation International scientist Will Turner, also an author on the paper.</p><p>But as humans destroy city-size swaths of forests at an increasing rate, the scale is tipping heavily toward “out.”</p><p>“We already know that fossil fuels release massive amounts of emissions and that we need to keep them in the ground,” Turner said. “We now know that when particular ecosystems are destroyed or degraded, they release massive amounts of carbon that we simply can’t get back in time to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change. We have to make protecting these places a top priority of this decade.”</p><h3><strong>Defining ‘irrecoverable’</strong><br /></h3><p>In the paper, scientists analyzed the carbon stocks stored across the world’s major ecosystems through three dimensions: whether humans can influence that stock of carbon, the amount of carbon likely to be released if the ecosystem was disturbed or converted, and how quickly the stock could be recovered if lost.</p><p>With these criteria, the researchers were able to pinpoint which ecosystems are most crucial to prioritize for climate action — and where humans can actually have an impact.</p><p>“There are some carbon stocks in ecosystems such as tundra, where permafrost will release carbon as it thaws due to global warming itself,” Turner said. “Unfortunately, at this point there is little we can do directly in those places to keep the carbon from releasing. But other carbon stocks that we studied are being released due to human activities such as clearing forests — which means that humans can also make a difference by protecting them.”</p><p>Driven by agriculture and logging, tropical deforestation rates have soared across the globe. In the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, forest destruction has surged a staggering 85 percent since 2018. Mangroves continue to be destroyed, with more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) lost from 2000 to 2012. Peatlands are suffering a similar fate, drained and cleared, mostly to make room for oil palm plantations.</p><h3><strong>We’ve still got time</strong><br /></h3><p>According to Goldstein, however, there is still time to protect these critical ecosystems.</p><p>“We are right in the sweet spot of where the carbon stocks in most of these ecosystems are still manageable,” Goldstein said. “Our land-use decisions still matter right now. If temperatures increase by more than 2 degrees Celsius, then there will be more ecosystems that are going to shift into that unmanageable category.”</p><p>Although not every ecosystem that stores irrecoverable carbon is under threat at the moment, past does not always equal future when it comes to risk, Turner says.</p><p>Take Borneo: A few decades ago, the island was filled with peatlands and forests teeming with wildlife, he explained. Now, Borneo has a staggeringly high rate of deforestation, with <a href="https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2019/11/asia/borneo-climate-bomb-intl-hnk/" target="_blank">more than a quarter million hectares of old-growth forests and peat destroyed every year</a>, much of it converted to oil palm plantations.</p><p>As agricultural production and development intensify across the globe, countries must act both reactively and proactively to protect these crucial ecosystems, Turner advised.</p><p>“Preventing deforestation only in places where it is happening right now is like having a health-care system made up only of emergency rooms. We need to be proactive about protecting these living carbon reserves while we still can.”</p><h3><strong>Protect nature, protect carbon</strong><br /></h3><p>The bad news: If we lose a third of this irrecoverable carbon, that alone would put us over our carbon budget to stay within a 1.5-degree Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature rise —the limit that scientists say is necessary to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.</p><p>The good news: There are a number of activities that humans can do to protect it, says Bronson Griscom, who leads Conservation International’s work on natural climate solutions and was also a co-author of the new study.</p><p>To stop climate breakdown, he explained, we need to do two things: emit less carbon and remove excess carbon from the atmosphere.</p><p>“Irrecoverable carbon stocks are an essential piece of the natural climate solutions story,” Griscom said.“We need to start designing the next generation of protected area networks that span across a number of these critical ecosystems with high irrecoverable carbon stocks, and prioritize protection for the ones that are most at risk. These ecosystems are not only critical for our climate, they are also hotspots for other essential ecosystem services like flood control, water filtration and biodiversity.”</p><h3><strong>Next step: a ‘treasure map’</strong><br /></h3><p>Now that these scientists know which ecosystems hold the most irrecoverable carbon, they are determining where exactly they can be found.</p><p>“By locating irrecoverable carbon stocks at a global scale, we can provide countries with a treasure map of the places we can least afford to lose and the places where we have to halt deforestation the fastest,” explained Goldstein.</p><p>“This will help us actually plan irrecoverable carbon protection and where to allocate funding at the local, national and global scale.”<br /></p><p>What sets this map apart: It will show how much irrecoverable carbon is in existing protected areas and under indigenous management, and where — as well as the pockets that are currently unprotected.</p><p>Conservation International is also using this research to undertake an ambitious initiative to protect tens of millions of hectares of ecosystems high in irrecoverable carbon.</p><p>But to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change, protecting irrecoverable carbon must be a priority across industries and stakeholders — from the private sector to governments.</p><p>“We have growing evidence that the final battle ground whether we fail or succeed in delivering the Paris Climate Agreement of holding the 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming line, is not only whether we are able to get off fossil fuels, it is also whether we are able to safeguard the carbon sinks in nature,” said Johan Rockström, Conservation International’s chief scientist. “Here, we provide the first global assessment of the ecosystems that hold our future in their hands.”</p><p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2n615S145xI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture">&nbsp;</iframe></p><p><em>Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><p><em>Cover image: Mangroves in Guyana (© Pete Oxford/iCLP)</em></p><hr /><p><strong>Further reading:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protecting-tropics-could-save-half-of-species-on-brink">Study: Protecting tropics could save half of species on brink</a></li></ul>urn:uuid:ae77065f-441f-44bb-a56a-00c039fa6954https://www.conservation.org/blog/expert-to-prevent-pandemics-like-COVID-19-take-care-of-nature ScienceBiodiversityExpert: To prevent pandemics like COVID-19, ‘take care of nature’Conservation News spoke to renowned ecologist and Conservation International scientist Lee Hannah about how giving nature space could help curb future disease outbreaks.Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:05:34 Z<p><em>This post was updated on May 13, 2020.</em></p><p>Likely sourced to a live animal and fish market in China, COVID-19 has spread around the world at lightning speed, <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/" target="_blank">infecting more than 4.2 million people and killing nearly 300,000 people</a> to date.</p><p>Many countries are taking severe measures to stem the virus’s spread, from locking down cities to temporarily shuttering local businesses.</p><p>But how will countries prevent future outbreaks?</p><p>The first step: Protect nature, says Lee Hannah, Conservation International senior climate change scientist and a world-renowned expert in ecology, the study of how humans interact with nature.</p><p>Conservation News spoke to Hannah about how giving nature space could help curb future disease outbreaks.</p><p><strong>Question: What does nature have to do with the spread of disease?</strong></p><p><strong>Answer:</strong> <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/domestication/" target="_blank">Humans have traded diseases with wildlife for as long as people have domesticated animals from nature</a> (which is a very long time). In fact, many of humanity’s existing diseases originated from animals: <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/virus-transmission/" target="_blank">the flu comes from pigs and birds</a>, <a href="https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Media_Center/docs/pdf/Disease_cards/BOVINE-TB-EN.pdf" target="_blank">tuberculosis originated in cattle</a>, and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ebola/about/" target="_blank">Ebola comes from chimpanzees or bats</a>.</p><p>Ecosystems in nature function similarly to the human body: When they are robust and healthy — which means they have diverse species and space for healthy animal populations — they are more resistant to disease. Thriving ecosystems also provide a variety of benefits to surrounding humanity, from fresh water to food to fertile soil. However, when human activities such as logging and mining disrupt and degrade these ecosystems, animals are forced closer together and are <a href="https://www.axios.com/2020/03/27/coronavirus-pandemics-climate-change-wildlife" target="_blank">more likely to be stressed or sick</a>, as well as more likely to come into contact with people. In these conditions, diseases bounce back and forth between wildlife populations and humans.</p><p>Disturbingly, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18288193" target="_blank">research projects that animal-borne illnesses are going to become more frequent</a> due to the rapid destruction of nature.</p><p><strong>Q: How does humanity’s relationship with nature impact pandemics?</strong></p><p><strong>A: </strong>The most wide-reaching and straightforward issue is the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/29/science/coronavirus-disrupts-illegal-wildlife-trafficking-for-now.html" target="_blank">global wildlife trade</a>. This trade puts species in contact with other species — and other diseases — that they likely would have never encountered naturally in the wild.</p><p>For example, <a href="https://www.vox.com/videos/2020/3/6/21168006/coronavirus-covid19-china-pandemic" target="_blank">the COVID-19 strain likely passed from a bat or a pangolin</a> and may have jumped to another species before it was able to infect a human, which is why wild animal markets that sell an array of exotic species in one place are the perfect breeding ground for rare zoonotic diseases. Tropical diseases tend to have animal reservoirs more often than temperate diseases, so taking tropical species and putting them in close contact with people at wild animal markets is flirting with disaster. This exchange of wildlife and wildlife parts is also <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-08/want-to-stop-the-next-pandemic-start-protecting-wildlife-habitats?srnd=green" target="_blank">devastating to nature</a> because it decimates species populations such as elephants and rhinos, which are critical to the health of their respective ecosystems.</p><p>On top of this, deforestation rates have soared across the globe, driven largely by agriculture and logging. Not only does this put stress on wildlife habitats, it could accelerate climate change — which could also impact the spread of disease.</p><p><strong>Q: What kind of impact?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> From <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/millions-of-birds-are-migrating-earlier-because-of-warming/" target="_blank">shifting bird migrations</a> to your morning cup of coffee, climate change complicates just about everything. From a public health perspective, the climate crisis is increasing the spread of certain diseases and complicating efforts to combat others. Seasonality and weather are two of the major factors that control the rate at which viruses such as the flu infect humans. Although scientists are <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/news/coronavirus-climate-change-and-the-environment/" target="_blank">currently uncertain how climate breakdown will impact the spread of COVID-19</a>, research predicts that <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-could-warming-mean-for-pathogens-like-coronavirus/" target="_blank">rising global temperatures will alter the timing, distribution and severity of disease outbreaks</a>.</p><p>For example, my research shows that <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protecting-tropics-could-save-half-of-species-on-brink">animal species are moving toward the north and south poles and up mountains to escape the heat</a> as the climate warms. Just as we don’t want people going into natural habitats and becoming exposed to animal viruses, we don’t want animal habitats moving into closer contact with humans and development projects. To prevent this, we must work to stop climate breakdown and give nature the space it needs to adapt naturally to the impacts that we can no longer prevent.</p><p><strong>Q: So countries can help curb future disease outbreaks by protecting nature?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> That’s right. Later in 2020, world leaders will convene at the <a href="https://www.cbd.int/cop/" target="_blank">UN Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity</a> to develop a roadmap that will guide nature conservation efforts for the next 10 years — the period in which we must slow global warming, protect our ecosystems and save species under threat. Under current conditions, more than <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-new-report-depicts-a-failing-planet-a-new-book-has-solutions">1 million species are at risk of extinction</a> due to human activities, so ambitious but fair targets to conserve the planet’s wildlife by protecting nature are critical to preventing a mass extinction.</p><p><strong>Q: What are some of these targets?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> Our research shows that <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protecting-tropics-could-save-half-of-species-on-brink">protecting 30 percent of tropical lands could help cut species extinction risk in half</a>, while slowing climate breakdown. There is a whole suite of possible conservation tools that governments can implement to protect biodiversity while benefiting from the land, including protected areas, national parks, community conservancies and indigenous-managed conservation areas. We must take care of nature to take care of ourselves</p><p>However, establishing these areas is just the beginning, keeping them intact and supporting them is crucial to conserving nature and preventing human-wildlife contact. Another measure that countries must take to protect nature and stem zoonotic disease outbreaks is permanently ending the global wildlife trade. Due to its <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/01/china-bans-wildlife-trade-after-coronavirus-outbreak/" target="_blank">cultural implications</a> in parts of the world, this will not be easy — but it is absolutely necessary.</p><p>Fundamentally, we need to reimagine our relationship with nature. For a long time, nature was robust and resilient, so humans often assumed we could do anything we wanted to it and it would bounce back. Due to population growth and overexploitation, we’ve reached a point where what we do to nature can permanently impact it. </p><p>Nature does a lot to support us and one of the things we must do in exchange for the benefits it provides is to make sure we protect it.</p><hr /><h2>Further reading:</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protecting-tropics-could-save-half-of-species-on-brink">Study: Protecting tropics could save half of species on brink</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-does-covid-19-have-to-do-with-nature-these-5-articles-explain">What does COVID-19 have to do with nature? These 5 articles explain</a></li></ul><hr /><p><em>Lee Hannah is a senior climate change scientist at Conservation International. Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</em></p>urn:uuid:5cae2330-02e6-411b-9268-4f5d9b4d04e4https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-stop-climate-catastrophe-look-to-soil-study ScienceClimate ChangeTo stop climate catastrophe, look to soil: studyConservation 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.Wed, 18 Mar 2020 12:54:19 Z<p>In 2019, a <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-un-climate-report-is-bleak-but-theres-a-solution">UN report</a> laid out a bitter truth: The current food system is fueling the destruction of Earth’s forests — and humanity must overhaul how we grow and ship food to stop climate breakdown.</p><p>But countries are struggling to keep farming sustainable while meeting the mounting demand for production — which must increase by between <a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/12/how-sustainably-feed-10-billion-people-2050-21-charts" target="_blank">25 percent and 70 percent by 2050 to feed growing populations</a>.</p><p>A groundbreaking <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0491-z" target="_blank">new study</a> reports that the secret to making this possible lies in the soil — or more specifically, in the carbon stored in the soil.</p><p>Conservation News spoke with Conservation International scientist Bronson Griscom, a co-author on the study, about the vast potential of soil to help halt climate change and why protecting soil carbon is a “win-win for farmers and the planet.”</p><p><strong>Question: Let’s start at the beginning. How exactly does soil store carbon?</strong></p><p><strong>Answer:</strong> Trees and plants suck up carbon from the air and use it to store energy and build their stems, leaves and roots. It’s prehistoric magic: Plants eat our carbon pollution and turn it in to all sorts of useful things, including food, wood and soil carbon. Plants add carbon to the soil both by leaking it in gradually while they live, or all at once when they die. As a result, soils hold three times more carbon globally than the atmosphere. This is not only good for our climate, but also good for the health and productivity of our soils.</p><p>These processes have been known about for a long time, but what we discovered is just how much more carbon we can store in the soil if we follow a specific set of practices, especially sustainable farming practices.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0491-z" target="_blank">our analysis</a>, protecting or restoring carbon in soil can provide 3 billion tons of cost-effective climate mitigation per year.</p><p><strong>Q: What do you mean “cost-effective climate mitigation”? </strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> Economists tell us that climate change is likely to cost us more than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/oct/01/new-study-finds-incredibly-high-carbon-pollution-costs-especially-for-the-us-and-india" target="_blank">US$ 100 for every ton of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere</a> to compensate for the scope of devastating impacts that the climate crisis will have on humanity. This means that anything we can do to avoid emitting massive amounts of carbon dioxide, or to remove massive amounts of carbon from the atmosphere — that also costs less than US$ 100 — is a “cost-effective” climate change solution. The good news is that many of the actions we take to increase soil carbon also make economic sense for other reasons, such as improving fertility in agricultural soils.</p><p><strong>Q: So should we just leave soil alone?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> It depends. For example, it makes sense for wetland ecosystems, which store huge amounts of carbon for every acre. In wetland ecosystems, such as cypress swamps and mangroves, the carbon stored in the trees is just the tip of the iceberg. Mangrove trees can store <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/6-things-you-need-to-know-about-mangroves-but-never-thought-to-ask">10 times more carbon per unit area</a> than a terrestrial forest. Every acre of these wetland ecosystems is <a href="https://www.conservation.org/priorities/mangroves">extremely valuable carbon storage, as well as flood control, water filtration and wildlife protection</a>. In most cases, these ecosystems are the most valuable to society if they are left alone.</p><p>In agricultural systems, such as crop or livestock farms, carbon can actually increase the fertility of the soil, which can improve crop growth, increase water storage and enhance the health of the entire farm. This research does not suggest that agricultural systems should be abandoned, but rather that they are better managed to improve carbon storage, soil health and sustainable food production.</p><p><strong>Q: Sounds like keeping and increasing carbon in the soil is a win-win.</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> Absolutely — it’s the perfect example of a win-win for farmers and for the planet. Sustainable farming practices that protect and restore carbon in the soil can enhance agricultural production and help reduce soil erosion.</p><p><strong>Q: So what’s stealing all the carbon from soils?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> To keep up with consumer demand, many farmers and businesses have taken measures to ensure higher crop yields by applying more fertilizers and pesticides to the soil, and relying less on the inherent fertility of the soil. As soil health and soil carbon declines, farmers are forced to use more fertilizers that increasingly run off into streams and rivers, harming humans and wildlife. One example is the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/noaa-forecasts-very-large-dead-zone-for-gulf-of-mexico" target="_blank">dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico</a> — a 22,729-square km (8,776-square mile) of ocean that can no longer support marine life because it has little to no oxygen due to excess nutrient run-off from human activities.</p><p>Many farms reach the point where the soil becomes so degraded that it can no longer support plant growth without huge fertilizer inputs. Degraded soil not only stores less carbon, contributing to climate change, but it also is less drought tolerant — therefore it is more vulnerable to climate change.</p><p>Fortunately, there are many ways to break this downward spiral by restoring and increasing soil carbon, which improves soil’s inherent fertility and absorption of water to get crops through droughts.</p><p>In developing countries, where many farmers cannot afford more fertilizers to offset soil degradation, they are too often forced to clear forests to access their more fertile soils. Agriculture, both large- and small-scale farming, is responsible for the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-un-climate-report-is-bleak-but-theres-a-solution">majority of tropical deforestation</a>. </p><p>However, it is not just agriculture that is driving deforestation and releasing soil carbon across these critical ecosystems. Mangrove forests, for example, are often destroyed during coastal development projects or converted into shrimp farms, releasing massive amounts of carbon from both the trees and the soil.</p><p><strong>Q: How do we keep carbon in the soil?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> Protecting and restoring soil carbon is an example of a natural climate solution — any action that protects ecosystems or restores them to more natural conditions while increasing carbon storage or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. Cost-effective <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-are-natural-climate-solutions">natural climate solutions</a> across forests, agricultural systems and wetlands can deliver about <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-are-natural-climate-solutions">30 percent of the climate mitigation needed by 2030</a> to prevent climate catastrophe — and soil carbon projects could represent a quarter of that climate mitigation opportunity.</p><p>One example of a soil carbon project in agriculture is planting <a href="https://www.thespruce.com/definition-of-cover-crop-3016953" target="_blank">cover crops</a>. When a farmer plants their crop, the standard practice is to harvest the plant, then wait until the next spring to plant new seeds. Between these harvests, farmers could actually increase productivity by planting a “cover crop” such as clover, which helps restore nutrients in the soil. At the end of the season, these cover crops can be plowed and mixed into the soil — increasing both fertility and carbon storage, while reducing the loss of topsoil through erosion.</p><p>A crucial method for helping to keep carbon in soil is the protection and restoration of mangroves and peatlands. Because these ecosystems hold such a high density of carbon, we should not be converting them for farming or development at all. </p><p><strong>Q: Why aren’t more people taking these steps already?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> Although projects to help protect and restore soil carbon are cost-effective in the long-term, they do require upfront investments and funding. It’s similar to investing in your retirement fund to improve your quality of life in the future. For farmers, it’s smart to invest in the quality and health of their soil because it improves the long-term productivity of their farms — and could lead to higher profits later on.</p><p>From increasing food security to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the benefits of these projects go well beyond any one farm or any one year, so we need to invest as a society to help farmers make these changes.</p><p>With only a decade left to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we can no longer afford to wait. One way to incentivize farmers to protect soil carbon right away is by putting a price on it. By including soil carbon projects into established carbon markets — like <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-is-the-tropical-forest-standard-an-expert-explains">California’s cap-and-trade system</a> — governments can give farmers an immediate investment to do something that will increase food production and help cut carbon emissions.</p><p>There is also an incredible need to drive financing toward peatland and mangrove restoration and protection. Through the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/the-oceans-are-on-the-brink-here-are-3-ways-to-save-them">Restoration Insurance Service Company (RISCO) for Coastal Risk Reduction</a>, for example, Conservation International will work with insurance companies to incorporate the value of mangroves into insurance products through fees and carbon credits that support community-based wetland restoration and conservation efforts.</p><p><strong>Q: How else can countries help protect soil carbon?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> This is one of the first studies to link a wide variety of specific actions with positive soil carbon outcomes. Agriculture is one of the highest-emitting industries across the globe — and protecting soil carbon could help change that without sacrificing profits. Other ways to protect soil carbon include reducing deforestation, making coastal development projects more sustainable and creating conservation areas around mangroves and peatlands.</p><p>2020 must be the beginning of a decade of climate action and this research shows the cost-effective — and mutually beneficial — steps that we can take right away.</p><hr /><h2>Further reading:</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-are-natural-climate-solutions">What on Earth are ‘natural climate solutions’?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protecting-tropics-could-save-half-of-species-on-brink">Study: Protecting tropics could save half of species on brink</a></li></ul><hr /><p><em>Bronson Griscom is the senior director of natural climate solutions at Conservation International. Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</em></p><p><em>This research was supported by the Craig and Susan McCaw Foundation.</em></p><p><em>Cover image: An agricultural plot in Rwanda (© Benjamin Drummond)</em></p>urn:uuid:653578d9-0cc5-47d0-adca-b630f6eccaa2https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protecting-tropics-could-save-half-of-species-on-brink ScienceBiodiversityClimate ChangeStudy: Protecting tropics could save half of species on brinkConservation 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.Wed, 26 Feb 2020 13:03:15 Z<p>In 2019, a <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-new-report-depicts-a-failing-planet-a-new-book-has-solutions">landmark UN report</a> revealed that nearly 1 million species face extinction due to human activities and climate change.</p><p>A groundbreaking <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ecog.05166" target="_blank">new study</a> offers a solution to save more than half of these doomed species, while slowing climate breakdown: Conserve just 30 percent of tropical lands.</p><p>The study, published today in the journal Ecography, is the first to offer a comprehensive map of the most important natural areas to protect to reduce extinction risk, highlighting the immense value of tropical regions in Latin America, Africa and southeast Asia.</p><p>Conservation News spoke with the study’s lead author and senior climate change scientist at Conservation International, Lee Hannah, about the political and economic implications of this research — and what it could mean for the future of the planet’s wild animals.</p><p><strong>Question: Why is climate change making species disappear?</strong></p><p><strong>Answer:</strong> Every species has its own unique climatic tolerances and environments — which is why we can’t grow palm trees in New York City, for example. These tolerances were formed over hundreds of thousands or millions of years, so it is unlikely that they are going to change overnight. Therefore, when human activities accelerate climate change, species are going to try to follow those climates that are suitable for them rather than adapting to new ones. For many species, this requires moving upslope — but at a certain point, there will be nowhere left to go, which is what we call the “<a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/47/11871" target="_blank">escalator to extinction</a>.”</p><p><strong>Q: Where does your new research fit in?</strong></p><p><strong>A: </strong>In this new study, we were looking to understand how species movements in response to climate change might affect our ability to conserve them. To do this, we modeled the potential movements of hundreds of thousands of species under different climate scenarios. Then, we combined those models with the known locations of several hundreds of thousands more species. This combination allowed us to determine the best regions to protect species both where they are now and where they might be in the future.</p><p>Our results showed us that if we limit temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius while conserving just 30 percent of tropical land area, then we can cut species extinction risk in half.</p><p><strong>Q: Thirty percent doesn’t seem that high.</strong></p><p><strong>A: </strong>Exactly! This study is the first to analyze extinction rates in the context of conservation and climate change, so we were shocked to find out that we could get such high levels of extinction reduction in such a small area, even as the climate changes. Part of the reason for that is because many of the world’s species are packed into tropical mountains — from the Amazon to East African montane forests. As these species move upslope in response to climate change, we will be able to conserve them in relatively compact areas by expanding or creating new conservation areas.</p><p>Through these findings, we created a map of the most important tropical areas to protect across Latin America, Africa and southeast Asia to conserve biodiversity. Moving forward, countries can now use the tool we developed to zoom in on individual conservation areas or mountains to do a more detailed analysis and get an idea of the best conservation plan for different species that are on the move.</p><p><strong>Q: Why is it so important to protect all of these species?</strong></p><p><strong>A: </strong>One reason is that the wealth of species living in these tropical areas — what we call biological diversity, or biodiversity for short — holds critical genetic information, which could help us cure diseases, create new drugs, design climate-resilient crops and more. Every time we lose one of these species, we also lose some of that crucial information. Additionally, all of these species help to build thriving ecosystems, which provide a host of benefits to humans — from fresh water to food to fertile soil. Ecosystems weakened by the loss of biodiversity are less likely to deliver those services, especially given the ever-growing human population.</p><p>Biodiversity is also an essential part of tackling the climate crisis. Tropical forests around the world store about 25 percent of the world’s carbon but are vulnerable to deforestation if countries do not protect them. This research illustrates that part of the equation of protecting biodiversity is also part of the equation for getting climate change under control.</p><p><strong>Q: So how do countries protect these critical places?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> It’s really important to note that “conserving 30 percent of tropical land” isn’t just about creating national parks or protected areas (although that’s a good start for many places). There is a whole suite of possible conservation tools that a government can implement to protect biodiversity while benefiting from the land, including community conservancies, indigenous-managed conservation areas and land-use zoning.</p><p>For example, in western Angola in Southern Africa, some of the priority areas for avoiding extinctions due to climate change fall into areas used by local farmers. In those areas, we need to figure out how to keep rare birds and plants in landscapes used by small-scale farmers. That’s a great conservation idea, but it’s not a national park.</p><p>The most important thing to do is figure out which conservation system is the best option for a local setting based on social environments, land uses, development needs, the species you are trying to protect and more.</p><p><strong>Q: Why aren’t governments already doing this?</strong></p><p><strong>A: </strong>Up until our results, we haven’t known the places most important to conserve to avoid extinctions due to climate change. But now we know, so we can act. Governments can build their own plans on our results, we’ve built online tools and are doing trainings to facilitate this. </p><p>Throughout many parts of the world, the pace of development is intensifying, and unsustainable agricultural plantations are on the uptick. As species move in response to climate change, they may run into these areas, which is why it is so important to expand protected areas and prevent development from spreading into the critical tropical lands highlighted in our map. I don’t see this as a roadblock, but rather an opportunity to get conservation in the right places for a changing climate — and fast.</p><p><strong>Q: What happens next?</strong></p><p><strong>A: </strong>Many scientists are referring to 2020 as the “Super Year for Nature” and existing research shows we are on the verge of a sixth mass extinction if we do not commit to increased conservation efforts.</p><p>These findings come at a critical time as world leaders convene in Rome, Italy this week to continue negotiations to protect plant and wildlife species ahead of the UN Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity coming up in October in Kunming, China. The goals and targets to be set ahead of the COP will serve as an important road map guiding conservation efforts for the next 10 years – the period in which we must slow global warming, protect our ecosystems and put biodiversity first. </p><p>The good news is that we now have science to guide actionable solutions to this crisis. If we collectively prioritize key areas for conservation, we can preserve biodiversity hotspots and slow global warming at the same time. Although it will take careful land planning, reaching this goal is extremely achievable — and crucial for the future of all life on Earth.</p><hr /><h2>Further reading:</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-new-report-depicts-a-failing-planet-a-new-book-has-solutions">A new report depicts a failing planet. A new book has solutions</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/the-oceans-are-on-the-brink-here-are-3-ways-to-save-them">The oceans are on the brink. Here are 3 ways to save them</a></li></ul><hr /><p><em>Lee Hannah is the senior climate change scientist at Conservation International. Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</em></p><p><em>Cover image: Jaguar (species Onca pintada) resting on a tree stump in Pantanal, Brazil. (© Conservation International/photo by Haroldo Palo Jr.)</em></p><p><em>This work was generously supported by the Global Environment Facility. For more information on the GEF, please visit https://www.thegef.org.</em></p>urn:uuid:a31d23d5-ae57-4300-ad2d-c3fc51e088bdhttps://www.conservation.org/blog/new-science-rare-plants-climate-consequences-marine-movement ScienceOceansNew science: rare plants, climate consequences, marine movementHere’s a roundup of recent science published by Conservation International experts.Thu, 05 Dec 2019 21:06:26 Z<div><p>Protecting nature starts with science. Here’s a roundup of recent science published by Conservation International experts. </p><h3><strong>1. Close to 40 percent of plant species are at risk of extinction</strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>Nearly 40 percent of global plant species are categorized as “very rare” — observed less than five times ever — and are most at risk for extinction as climate change accelerates, according to a <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/11/eaaz0414" target="_blank">recent report</a>.</p></div><div><p>Conservation International scientist Patrick Roehrdanz and other researchers worked for a decade to compile and assess more than 20 million observational records of land-based plants in the world’s largest collection of data of this kind ever assembled. </p></div><div><p>What they found: Out of the 435,000 known land plant species found on Earth, a staggering 158,000 of those are at risk of extinction. The researchers pointed to climate change and habitat loss for the lion’s share of plant loss in recent years — which may soon lead to a mass extinction of rare plants that could significantly reduce plant diversity around the world, <a href="https://phys.org/news/2016-04-rare-species-important-believed.html" target="_blank">negatively impacting</a> wildlife survival and soil health. </p></div><div><p>“By mapping where these rare species occur, we are better able to highlight the dual threats of climate change and human impact on the regions that harbor much of the world’s rare plant species,” said Roehrdanz. “This research emphasizes the need for strategic conservation to protect these cradles of biodiversity.”</p></div><div><h3><strong>2. Plant species on New Guinea face an uncertain future </strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>Climate change is threatening plant species on one of the world’s unique wildlife hotspots, according to a <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/11/eaaz1455" target="_blank">new study</a>.</p></div><div><p>A biologically diverse tropical island, New Guinea is home to more than 9,000 plant species that exist only in this South Pacific region. In this study, scientists developed a system to understand the current ranges of where these unique species are found — and predict what their future ranges could look like depending on various scenarios of climate change, such as longer winters or hotter summers. The results were concerning.</p></div><div><p>According to the study, approximately 63 percent of these plant species are expected to have a smaller geographic range by 2070, resulting in an average loss of 30 to 110 species across different regions.</p></div><div><p>“The shifting ranges of these plant species will have serious consequences on the environment and human well-being in New Guinea,” said Roehrdanz, a co-author on this paper. “Indigenous peoples in this area rely on these plants for food, medicine and construction.”</p></div><div><p>These plant species are also woven into the cultural heritage of many indigenous communities across New Guinea and are often used for clothing and rituals. Understanding the potential consequences of climate change on New Guinea’s plant species could help protect the nature communities depend on and identify the areas where conservation initiatives and forest restoration projects would have the greatest impact.</p></div><div><h3><strong>3. As marine life moves, ocean conservation must adapt</strong><br /></h3></div><div><p>A <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/11/eaay9969" target="_blank">recent report</a> recommends new ways for ocean conservation efforts to respond to the impacts of climate change.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.conservation.org/priorities/protecting-the-ocean">Marine protected areas (MPAs) </a>— areas of the ocean where human activities are limited — are the cornerstone of ocean conservation, but the impacts of the climate crisis could undermine their effectiveness. <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/climate-crisis-pushing-oceans-to-the-brink-report-warns">Warming waters and ocean acidification</a> are causing fish species to move to different regions of the ocean, which poses unique challenges to sustainably managed fisheries.  </p></div><div><p>“The report emphasizes the need for new tools that are constantly updating fishers as marine species move,” said Lee Hannah, senior scientist for climate change biology at Conservation International and co-author of the study. “It’s not just Nemo and Dory that are riding shifting currents,” he said, referring to the popular Disney characters, “it’s the entire marine food chain. High-tech satellite and navigation techniques can help fishing boats steer away from whales, dolphins and seabirds that are caught in their path."</p></div><div><p>The report outlines eight guidelines for countries to create a global network of MPAs that can actively respond to the impacts of the climate crisis, such as creating a global database of new ocean management techniques to ensuring that all MPAs are climate-resilient through <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/key-to-protecting-the-ocean-money-and-manpower-study-finds">adequate staffing and funding</a>.  </p></div><div><p>“This research can help countries develop climate-smart MPAs that will protect the ocean, while conserving the fish that millions of people around the world depend on for food and jobs,” Hannah said. “Marine life is moving all over the world, and we have to be ready to manage change as it comes.”  </p></div><div> </div><div><p><em>Patrick Roehrdanz is a managing scientist at Conservation International. Lee Hannah is the senior scientist for climate change biology at Conservation International. Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here.</a> Donate to Conservation International <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here</a>.</em><em></em></p></div><div><p><em>Cover image: Fish in Kiribati, near Australia.</em><em> </em><em>(© Cat Holloway)</em></p><p><em>This work was generously supported WWF-UK and the Arizona State University and Conservation International Partnership. </em><em></em></p><p><em> </em></p><hr /><p><em></em><strong>Further reading:</strong></p></div><div><ul><li>Meet a scientist: the species-discovering savant</li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/key-to-protecting-the-ocean-money-and-manpower-study-finds">Key to protecting the ocean? Money and manpower, study finds</a></li></ul></div><div><hr /> </div>urn:uuid:65be620e-cfdb-4496-ac24-3201768da3b4https://www.conservation.org/blog/key-to-protecting-the-ocean-money-and-manpower-study-finds OceansScienceCommunitiesKey to protecting the ocean? Money and manpower, study findsThere are two keys to protecting our oceans: funding and staff. Without these elements, we’re putting our oceans at risk.Mon, 25 Nov 2019 19:48:00 Z<p><em><strong>Editor’s note:</strong> You can draw lines on a map to “protect” an area of ocean, but does that mean that local communities and wildlife will be better off? According to new research, the answer is “not necessarily.”</em></p><p><em>A new paper published in the journal Nature offers data to back up something conservationists have argued for a long time: <a href="https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature21708.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marine protected areas (MPAs) need adequate money and staff</a> to reach their full potential (as a recent groundbreaking initiative in Indonesia illustrates).</em></p><p><em>Two of the study’s authors — lead researcher and visiting scholar at Conservation International (CI) David Gill, and CI Senior Director of Social Science Mike Mascia — recently sat down to discuss the three questions their research sought to answer and what their conclusions mean for MPAs around the world.</em></p><p><strong>Mike Mascia (MM): David, the research team set out to understand how well MPAs are performing and why some perform better than others. You sifted through data from over 4,000 management assessments and over 16,000 fish survey sites around the world, and boiled that down to 433 MPAs in 70 countries with management data, and 218 MPAs in 38 countries with fish survey data (62 MPAs with both), which is just incredible. Can you explain how you split up your research and what you found?</strong></p><p><strong>David Gill (DG):</strong> We set out to answer three main questions: How are MPAs being managed? What impacts do MPAs have on fish populations? And, lastly, what are the links between MPA management and impacts?</p><p>In terms of how MPAs are being managed, we found that not only are a disappointingly low number of MPAs being effectively and equitably managed, but there are two key components that they’re lacking: adequate funding and staffing. While overall most MPAs have the legislation in place and have rules governing use, in terms of capacity, we found that things were not so good. This is where we found that only 35 percent said they had an acceptable budget to manage the protected area, and only 9 percent said they had adequate staff to carry out critical management activities.</p><p><img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/vault-images-s3/ci_63252229.jpg?sfvrsn=f9b11139_16" alt="ci_63252229" sf-size="1390751" /><span class="image-credits--overlay">© Jeff Litton/Marine Photobank</span></p><p class="image__caption">The Galápagos Marine Reserve, home to large populations of hammerhead sharks, pictured, and whale sharks, is considered one of the most well-managed marine protected areas in the world.</p><p><strong>MM: Can you go into more detail about the second and third questions in the paper, which cover fish recovery and the relationship with management?</strong></p><p><strong>DG:</strong> We found that, on average, around 71 percent of MPAs saw increases in fish population relative to non-MPA locations. Perhaps not surprisingly, that effect was stronger where fishing is prohibited (no-take areas). However, even MPAs that allow some fishing show positive effects because they have regulations that reduce human pressure on fish populations.</p><p>When we looked at all of the indicators on the management side, staff capacity and budget were by far the strongest predictors of fish population outcomes. That’s even accounting for other factors like the size of the MPA, the age of the MPA, whether it allowed fishing or not, etc. Most MPAs deliver some kind of ecological benefit, but the magnitude of benefit that protection provided was strongly linked to available staffing and budget. MPAs with adequate staffing and budget had fish recoveries three times as large as those without adequate capacity.</p><p><strong>MM: Was there a specific benefit to staffing or resources that we can point to for the increase in fish populations? Such as more people to monitor for illegal fishers?</strong></p><p><strong>DG:</strong> We assumed there would be, but interestingly, it’s not as simple as more bodies equals more enforcement. There’s no one factor that we can point to: MPAs reporting shortfalls in staffing highlighted enforcement needs, yes, but also staffing shortfalls in administration, tourism management, community engagement, and other various components of management.</p><p>What makes this even more interesting for me is that these management needs were highlighted by managers and MPA stakeholders, and these needs correlated directly to what’s going on in the water. So there’s this direct link between the qualitative and quantitative data, which is fascinating and really points to the value of people’s perceptions in management.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_79413498.jpg?sfvrsn=2efe2fb9_2" alt="ci_79413498" sf-size="10279122" /><span class="image-credits--overlay">© Greg McFall/NOAA’s National Ocean Service/Flickr Creative Commons</span></p><p class="image__caption">Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawai‘i, pictured, was expanded in 2016. When protected areas are established or expanded, there is both opportunity and risk.</p><p><strong>MM: In terms of what we can do with this information, we’ve got opportunity and we’ve got risk. As we continue to expand the number and size of MPAs globally, while focusing on international conservation goals, we must be cognizant of available staff and budget capacity, and of devoting adequate resources to ensure that existing and future resources reach their full potential.</strong></p><p><strong>DG:</strong> Exactly. We’ve got the opportunity to make investments in staffing and budget to allow people to do their jobs effectively, to manage these protected sites well, and get the recoveries that are possible. The risk, however, is that as MPAs proliferate, if there isn’t a corresponding increase in capacity, you may wind up spreading your resources thin. This could result in both the old and new MPAs underperforming because they’re not fully resourced. It’s wonderful that we’re in this period of rapid growth with MPAs globally, but while the opportunity is clear, so is the risk if we are not cognizant of capacity needs.</p><p><strong>MM: Returning to the equity component of management, can you expand on your findings and how that leads in to your current research?</strong></p><p><strong>DG:</strong> With regard to equity in management processes, only 51 percent of the 433 MPAs stated that stakeholders are directly involved in decision-making. Involving those affected by an MPA is the right thing to do. But also from a pragmatic or policy standpoint: You get better ideas from people on how to manage, how they are being affected by management, and then you get better support and compliance as a result.</p><p>But data on the social impacts of MPAs, as well as issues surrounding equity in terms of MPA outcomes, were a big part of what we <em>couldn’t</em> find in our research. Thus, my current post-doctoral research here at CI is looking how coastal communities are affected by MPAs. I am also interested in finding out whether certain groups are benefiting more from MPAs — for example, in certain parts of the world, some tourism stakeholders benefit greatly from MPA establishment, but then others involved in fishing are disadvantaged.</p><p>We therefore need to explore the questions of synergies and tradeoffs, between ecological and social impacts, and between different social groups. In the end, we hope to better understand the conditions that lead to positive and equitable social and ecological benefits. I think that’s something we should be heading toward.</p><p><strong>MM: I agree. This research is a real illustration of the power of science to inform decisions. Not only in terms of understanding where to work and priority-setting around the planet, but also how to work and why. This is one example of really good science, cutting-edge methods, that helps us understand why things happen the way they do and that’s the kind of thing we need in order to be smarter about the choices that we make.</strong></p><p><em>David Gill is a visiting scholar at CI. Mike Mascia is the senior director of social science at CI. Sophie Bertazzo is a staff writer for CI. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</em></p><p><em>Top photo: A man uses a traditional fishing spear in the Ayau Marine Protected Area in Raja Ampat, Indonesia instead of illegal fishing methods such as using explosives or cyanide. The protected area’s fish population has rebounded due to effective management, including adequate staffing and budget. (© CI/Janny “Heintje” Rotinsulu)</em></p>urn:uuid:2cb49f8a-5c37-49e9-880d-dad2b9f65e1ahttps://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-a-scientist-to-study-conservation-she-studies-people ScienceCommunitiesMeet a scientist: To study conservation, she studies peopleA social scientist at Conservation International explains the complex link between humans and nature in a Q&A with Conservation News.Thu, 21 Nov 2019 19:45:59 Z<p><em>Editor’s note: A 2017 survey found that 81 percent of Americans could not name a living scientist. No, not a single one. At Conservation International, we have lots of scientists you should know. Here’s one</em></p><p>Studying nature is the work of environmental scientists. But studying the conservation of nature — how it works, and how it doesn’t — is as much about people as it about nature. </p><div><p>Rachel Golden Kroner knows this well. A social scientist at Conservation International, she studies how societies manage and protect nature. Unsurprisingly, nature conservation is as complex as humans are, as she explained recently to Conservation News.  </p></div><div><p><strong>Question: </strong><strong>Why did you become a scientist?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>Answer:</strong> I have always been interested in the STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — fields. As an undergraduate student, I spent a semester abroad in Ecuador, which sparked my interests in conservation and fieldwork. Through this program, I was able to visit the some of the most biodiverse places in the world, from the Amazon rainforest to the Galápagos Islands. I then went on to pursue a master’s in sustainable development and conservation biology, and then a Ph.D. in environmental science and policy.</p></div><div><p>The more I learned about environmental science and conservation, the more interested I became in understanding the Earth and how we interact with it. </p></div><div><p>As humans, we are shaping the planet and rapidly depleting our natural resources. Science is a tool that enables us to learn from what we have done in the past, make predictions about the future and point to a better way forward — so I have dedicated my career to helping protect the planet.</p></div><div><p><strong>Q: </strong><strong>So what does a social scientist like yourself have to do with environmental science?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>At the end of the day, conservation is all about people. We are changing the land, using natural resources and even altering the climate through our behaviors.</p></div><div><p>Social science research is so important because humans and our interactions with the natural world are so complex. It takes a lot of different fields of study to understand these interactions, like geography, political science, anthropology and economics — just to name a few. Bringing together methods from different disciplines in the social and natural sciences can help us understand the world better.   </p></div><div><p>Most of my research focuses on effectiveness of environmental governance systems, such as protected areas — stretches of land or water set aside to limit human activity. Think national parks, wildlife refuges, indigenous and community-run reserves. </p></div><div><p>For example, after the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/the-amazon-is-on-fire-5-things-you-need-to-know">Amazon fires</a> [in August 2019] we learned from the data that most of the fires were burning outside protected areas and indigenous lands. These two types of environmental governance systems are completely different, but they were both effective at reducing fires in certain areas. My job is to understand the ebb and flow of these areas, providing foundational research to figure out what works, where and why in conservation.</p></div><div><p>If we can understand how humans manage and interact with nature, we have a better chance at improving our efforts to protect the planet in the long term.</p></div><div><p><strong>Q</strong><strong>: What are you working on now?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>At the moment, I am developing a Conservation Governance Atlas along with colleagues at Conservation International and partners. This is a tool with fascinating implications that will illustrate the unique types of conservation areas and how they have changed over time. The Atlas will include public and private protected areas, indigenous lands and market-based mechanisms and other lands and waters that contribute to conservation. Data on these systems are currently scattered around the world – but will soon be compiled in one place. This will help us answer key questions about the scale, types and impacts of different conservation systems, informing future decisions about how and where we protect nature.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/paddd-protected-area-downgrading-downsizing-and-degazettement">Protected areas</a> are the cornerstone of humanity’s efforts to conserve plants and wildlife. They are really important for all life on Earth, including humans. For example, in the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/adapting-to-a-changing-climate-in-colombia">Chingaza-Sumapaz-Guerrero corrido region</a> of Colombia, a focus area for Conservation International, protected areas help provide fresh water to the city of Bogotá’s 8 million residents.</p></div><div><p><strong>Q:</strong><strong> How is your research being used?</strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>I am really proud of our work to elevate the topic of legal reductions to protected areas, a phenomenon known as <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/protected-areas-see-recent-rise-in-legal-rollbacks-study">PADDD</a> (protected area downgrading, downsizing and degazettement). Protected areas are essential to conserving nature, and establishing them is just the beginning — keeping them intact is a crucial process that requires time, effort and funding. </p></div><div><p>My <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/364/6443/881" target="_blank">recent paper </a>found that governments have removed more than 50,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles) from protected areas and downgraded protections for an additional 1.65 million square kilometers (637,000 square miles). By monitoring protected areas in the long term, including tracking PADDD events and securing better protections, we can help ensure that protected areas fulfill their promise to conserve nature in the long term. </p></div><div><p>At Conservation International, we have great partners all around the world and a global network that helps us connect these findings with the people who need to know about it. By learning from past PADDD events, governments and communities can make smarter decisions about forest protection in the future, especially as we approach 2020 — a crucial year for climate and biodiversity action.</p></div><div><p><strong>Q: </strong><strong>Do you have any advice for young women interested in pursuing a career in STEM? </strong></p></div><div><p><strong>A: </strong>Women often face particular professional challenges, especially in the STEM fields, from confidence issues to equal pay. It’s crucial to find the intersection between what the world needs, what you like to do, what you are good at, and what you can get paid for. </p></div><div><p>Every scientist should have a growth mindset. Instead of thinking “I am good at this” and “I am not good at that,” a growth mindset is all about being open to learning and adapting. In the sciences, this means giving yourself space to grow and reflect is really important because there is always so much to learn – new research, methods and even disciplines. I just finished my Ph.D. but I am not done with learning — in fact, I am taking a course this week to master a new statistical technique! </p><div><div><p><em>Rachel Golden Kroner is a social scientist at Conservation International. Kiley Price is a staff writer at Conservation International. </em><em>Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here.</a> Donate to Conservation International <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">here</a>.</em><em></em></p></div><div><p><em>Cover image: </em><em>Rachel Golden Kroner with a ceiba tree in the buffer zone of Tambopata reserve in Peru. (</em><em>© Conservation International/Rachel Golden Kroner)</em><em> </em><em></em></p><hr /><p><em></em><strong>Further reading:</strong></p></div><div><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/protected-areas-see-recent-rise-in-legal-rollbacks-study">Protected areas see recent rise in legal rollbacks: study</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/ashes-to-action-3-things-we-know-about-the-amazon-fires">Ashes to action: 3 things we know about the Amazon fires</a></li></ul></div></div></div>urn:uuid:5ab7fd04-724c-4bdf-8306-1329a6b5c9ebhttps://www.conservation.org/blog/new-tech-could-transform-science-of-wildlife-selfies ScienceFinance and TechBiodiversityNew tech could transform science of wildlife ‘selfies’A new research database called "Wildlife Insights" will help researchers share data and guide wildlife conservation.Thu, 19 Sep 2019 16:42:11 Z<p>A groundbreaking new effort could greatly expand our knowledge of where the wild things are. </p><div><p>Placed by researchers in forests and natural areas around the world, motion-detector cameras — known as “camera traps” — snap thousands of photos a day of animals rarely seen by human eyes. These unwitting selfies have provided scientists an unequaled view into the homes (and habits) of wildlife. </p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_85865095.jpg?sfvrsn=c2f7be25_5" sf-size="100" /><h6><strong>A researcher setting up a camera trap in Udzungwa National Park. ( © Benjamin Drummond)</strong></h6><p>This data is critical to crafting smart policies for wildlife conservation, according to Jorge Ahumada, a scientist at Conservation International. </p><p>But there’s a downside to having all this data, he says: It’s not being shared.</p><p>“Technology has made it very easy to collect this data, but we don’t have access to it,” Ahumada said. “There are camera traps everywhere and millions of camera-trap images out there. But most of those images are sitting in people’s computers and databases. It’s a major lost opportunity for conservation.” </p><p>That is all about to change, thanks to <a href="https://www.wildlifeinsights.org" target="_blank">Wildlife Insights</a>, a cloud-based platform operated in partnership by Conservation International, the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Wildlife Conservation Society, The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, World Wide Fund for Nature, the Zoological Society of London, Map of Life and Google and implemented by Vizzuality. The new platform will enable researchers — and literally anyone else — to view, share and analyze camera-trap data and images. </p><h3><strong>Close encounters</strong><br /></h3><p>Camera traps have already revolutionized conservation, says Ahumada, who knows a thing or two about tracking species from his early days as a field biologist studying spider monkeys in Colombia.</p><p>“Everyone who has studied monkeys in tropical areas knows that this involves long hours of walking, encountering every possible imaginable creature except the monkeys you are studying,” he said. </p><p>One day out in the forest, he saw something he’d never seen before. </p><p>“There were two of them — they looked like small dogs, with short ears, short tails and a flattened snout,” he said. “They ran off as soon as they smelled me.” He returned to camp excitedly, telling colleagues what he had seen.</p><p>“Nobody believed me,” he said, laughing.</p><p>Thirty years later, Ahumada was reviewing camera trap data from a site in the Peruvian Amazon when an image caught his eye. </p><p>“Guess what I see? These two dogs,” he said. </p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_78792901.jpg?sfvrsn=26d2c2c2_3" sf-size="100" /><h6><strong>Two rarely-seen bush dogs are captured on camera for the first time in Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park, Peru, by TEAM camera traps. (© Courtesy of TEAM Network and Missouri Botanical Garden)</strong> </h6><p>What Ahumada had seen three decades earlier was extremely rare.</p><p>These small animals are called bush dogs (Speothos venaticus). About the size of a medium dog, they are known to hunt in small packs, and although their geographic range is very large (Panama to southern Brazil), they are rarely seen — of 700,000 camera-trap images taken within bush dogs’ range, only 260 of them are of this species, Ahumada says.</p><p>Even these relatively few documented sightings — equal to 3 in every 10,000 identified images — provide just enough data to study these animals. </p><p>“Data is critical,” Ahumada said. “Otherwise we are relying on anecdotes.”</p><h3><strong>More data, more problems</strong><br /></h3><p>Knowing whether a particular species is at a particular place at a particular time — and not going back later to see if it is still there — doesn’t tell you anything about what’s happening to the species, Ahumada says. By tirelessly monitoring patches of forest, he says, camera traps help to solve this problem. </p><p>But their ability to create data is only as useful as humans’ ability to sift through it.  </p><p>“This is one of the main reasons people don’t share data — it’s very difficult to process it,” Ahumada said. “You end up with thousands of images, and you have to look through each one, manually. It’s very tedious.”  </p><p>Furthermore, while many camera-trap projects are designed to study one or a few specific species, camera traps don’t discriminate, mindlessly snapping candid shots of any critter that comes into view. Much of the data on this “by-catch” are never shared, depriving other scientists of the opportunity to see or analyze it.</p><p>Wildlife Insights offers a crucial incentive for persuading scientists to share their photos: unrivaled processing power. Working with Google, the platform has developed machine learning algorithms to automatically identify and tag species — even repeat images of the same animal, in some cases — far faster than any researcher can. </p><p>“Analysis that used to take months now takes minutes,” Ahumada said.</p><p>The new platform’s culture of sharing extends beyond just data: any tools and other add-ons will be shared, Ahumada says, as well as the camera-trap photos themselves, under Creative Commons licenses. </p><p>There are some notable exceptions, however. Users will be able to place their data under embargo for a limited time if that data is being used for yet-to-be-published research. Additionally, the exact locations of commercially hunted and endangered species will be obscured to prevent digitally savvy poachers from using the data for illegal purposes, which is discussed in <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-conservation/article/wildlife-insights-a-platform-to-maximize-the-potential-of-camera-trap-and-other-passive-sensor-wildlife-data-for-the-planet/98295387F86A977F2ECD96CCC5705CCC" target="_blank">Ahumada's recently published research</a>.</p><h3><strong>The next generation</strong><br /></h3><p>Wildlife Insights can be useful for just about anyone, Ahumada says.</p><p>Indigenous communities that depend directly on wildlife — and the “ecosystem services” that those wildlife provide, such as pest control and pollination — can monitor animals in a new way. Managers of protected areas or anti-poaching programs can gauge the health of specific species. Governments can use wildlife data to inform regulations or legislation. Businesses can use the data to assure that they are responsibly managing the impacts of their activities on local environments. </p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_92267314.jpg?sfvrsn=880ec9a5_5" alt="ci_92267314" sf-size="265470" /><h6><strong>One of TEAM's camera traps in the Republic of Congo caught a photo of a chimpanzee. (Courtesy of the TEAM Network)</strong></h6><p>But for Ahumada, the fact that the public can use Wildlife Insights is especially important. </p><p>“We want citizen scientists, teachers and children to use this platform,” he said. “These are the future generations who will benefit from wildlife conservation.” </p><h3><strong>A ‘TEAM’ effort</strong><br /></h3><p>The platform is the next evolutionary phase of the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/team-network">Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network</a>, a partnership formerly led by Conservation International that placed camera traps throughout tropical forests. TEAM will continue to generate data, Ahumada says, that will now live on the Wildlife Insights platform.</p><p>“TEAM used to be the largest public camera-trap database in the world,” he said. “Now it’s a small part of something much bigger.”</p><p>The goal is the same, he says, but the ambitions — and opportunities — are larger. </p><p>“The ultimate goal of this effort is to help stabilize and recover global wildlife populations,” Ahumada said. “Once we have it, we can use it for conservation and on a scale that is relevant — not just at the scale of a protected area, but at the scale of a country or a region.” </p><p><em>To coincide with the launch of Wildlife Insights, Google released a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPF43giT5Y8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsiTx5qjn7c" target="_blank">short documentary film</a> that tells the story of a camera trapper at Colombia’s Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute who is using Wildlife Insights to document and preserve the biological diversity in Caño Cristales, the country’s remote upper Amazon region. Watch the film <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPF43giT5Y8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsiTx5qjn7c" target="_blank">here</a>. </em></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zsiTx5qjn7c?v=zsiTx5qjn7c&enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservation.org&widgetid=1">&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;</iframe></p><p><em>Google has also released a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKgRbkCkRFY&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">background video</a> on how Wildlife Insights was developed. Watch the video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKgRbkCkRFY&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qKgRbkCkRFY?v=qKgRbkCkRFY&feature=youtu.be&enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservation.org&widgetid=2">&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;</iframe></p><p><em>Jorge Ahumada is a senior wildlife conservation scientist and the executive director of Wildlife Insights at Conservation International. Bruno Vander Velde is senior communications director at Conservation International.</em></p><p><em>Cover Image: </em><em>A jaguar (Panthera onca), photographed deep inside the Nouragues Natural Reserve, French Guiana. (©Emmanuel Rondeau / WWF France)</em></p><p> </p><hr /><p><strong>Further Reading:</strong><strong></strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/protected-areas-do-save-wildlife-just-ask-these-5-species">Protected areas DO save wildlife: Just ask these 5 species</a></li></ul></div><div><hr /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>urn:uuid:55e6902f-afc7-49eb-9044-25cb30f2bd74https://www.conservation.org/blog/update-what-were-learning-about-the-worlds-largest-fish BiodiversityOceansScienceUpdate: What we’re learning about the world’s largest fishTwo years into a whale shark tracking program, scientists are learning new facts about the world’s largest fish.Fri, 16 Aug 2019 15:33:53 Z<p><em><strong>Editor’s note:</strong> Indonesia’s Bird’s Head Seascape is home to a large population of whale sharks, the world’s largest fish and, until recently, largely a mystery to science. In 2015, Conservation International (CI) scientists made headlines by launching the world’s first successful fin-mounted satellite tagging program for whale sharks. By directly attaching a satellite tag to the creatures’ dorsal fins, researchers have been able to receive <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/whale-shark-tracker" rel="noopener" target="_blank">near-real-time updates on the position of the sharks.</a></em></p><p><em>Here, CI’s vice president for Asia-Pacific marine programs, Mark Erdmann, reflects on the most interesting satellite tracks the team has recorded in the past two years.</em></p><p>It has been just over two years since we successfully deployed five fin-mounted satellite tags on whale sharks in in the Bird’s Head Seascape in West Papua, Indonesia. Since that initial expedition, we’ve managed to deploy the custom-made satellite tags on 27 whale sharks in West Papua’s Cendrawasih and Triton bays.</p><p>Perhaps the most surprising finding has been just how differently each of these sharks behaves. While we expected to see some “generalized tracks” of migrations of the sharks out of the Bird’s Head region, in reality every shark has largely acted independently. Some have remained close to home, while one traveled more than 5,100 kilometers (3,169 miles) from West Papua — and each satellite track has revealed unique behaviors.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/closeup-of-tag-768x512.jpg?sfvrsn=aa2a3824_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>One of the custom fin-mounted satellite tags designed by Wildlife Computers to track Bird’s Head whale sharks for up to two years. Each time the shark’s fin breaks the surface of the water, the tag’s antenna is able to communicate with the ARGOS satellite network and send data on the shark’s position and its recent diving behavior. (© Conservation International/photo by Mark Erdmann)</em></p><p><strong>The homebody</strong></p><p>The 4.5-meter-long (about 15 feet) whale shark “Sharky McSharkface” (who incidentally was named in a CI online naming contest) is now a world-record-holder for the longest satellite tag data series from a whale shark. His tag has been transmitting now for 25 months continuously, all the more impressive given that the satellite tags’ battery packs are designed to provide up to a maximum of two years of transmissions. During this period, Sharky has been largely a homebody in Cendrawasih Bay, venturing out of the bay only for a short time in late December 2016. He has recorded some impressive dives of up to 1,288 meters (4,226 feet) deep during this time, however. To put that into perspective: Scuba-diving humans generally go to a maximum 30-40-meter (98-131 feet) depth; a human that dove to 1,288 meters without the aid of a submersible would be crushed to death.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/144883-sharky-mcsharkface-large-768x419.png?sfvrsn=801da9c5_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Map showing the satellite track of Sharky McSharkface, with dots clustered around Cendrawasih Bay, West Papua. Green dots indicate position data from the beginning of the deployment (from June 2015), while the increasingly darker dots show position fixes from later. The red dot with the white outline indicates the shark’s most recent position in July 2017. (© Conservation International)</em></p><p><strong>The deep diver</strong></p><p>Speaking of deep diving, 6-meter-long (20-foot) “Moby” recorded one of the deepest known dives for whale sharks (1,856 meters, or 6,089 feet!) during his impressive travels north from Cendrawasih Bay to the southern Mariana Trench. Interestingly, he made this northerly loop between March and June 2016, then did a short jaunt westward to Raja Ampat, Indonesia, before returning to Cendrawasih Bay for about eight months. That’s a huge distance to cover — and in only three months! In March 2017, he looked to be repeating his northern migration, but has unfortunately not sent any further position data since then.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/153665-moby-768x478.png?sfvrsn=8f091b83_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Moby made numerous dives below 1,500 meters during his travels up to Palau and Yap at the southern end of the Mariana Trench. His total track length reached 6,270 km before he stopped transmitting position data in March 2017. (© Conservation International)</em></p><p><strong>The coastline hugger</strong></p><p>“Wally,” a 6-meter (about 20-foot) male, laid down a very unusual track during the 15 months his tag was active. During this time, he left Cendrawasih Bay and closely hugged the coastline of New Guinea, stopping for weeks at a time at the large river outlets he encountered along the way. From what we can surmise, he was likely targeting the baitfish schools that tend to be abundant in the coastal waters off these big estuaries. He made it nearly as far as Wewak and the Sepik River outlet in Papua New Guinea, but then moved back and forth along the coastline repeatedly. He returned to Cendrawasih Bay for a short time and then back down the coast — clocking 3,800 kilometers (2,361 miles) during his 15 months of travel.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/153664-wally-768x413.png?sfvrsn=e4fa3112_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Wally showed a unique behavior of hugging the New Guinea coastline for his entire track, stopping only at the mouths of large river outlets (apparently to feed). He covered 3,800 km during his travels. (© Conservation International)</em></p><p><strong>The Triton Bay original </strong></p><p>“Kaimana,” a 4.5-meter (about 15-foot) male, was the first whale shark we tagged in the Triton Bay area in the southern portion of Bird’s Head Seascape in December 2016. In the eight short months since he was tagged, Kaimana has traveled an impressive 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) while making first a southwesterly loop (tracing the outer Banda Sea island arc down to southern Timor-Leste, then back to Triton Bay), and then a northern arc along the FakFak coast up to southern Raja Ampat. Along the way he’s dived to 1,250 meters (just over 4,100 feet) in depth.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/165318-kaimana-768x433.png?sfvrsn=cfbd6148_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Kaimana was initially tagged in December 2016 in Triton Bay in the southern part of the Bird’s Head Seascape, and since that time he has made a large crescent-shaped track along the outer Banda Sea volcanic island arc. (© Conservation International)</em></p><p><strong>The international man of mystery</strong></p><p>“Kodo” has won the contest for West Papuan whale shark with the most stamps in his passport: The 4-meter-long (14 feet) male swam northwest from Cendrawasih Bay into the waters of Palau, then visited Mindanao in the Philippines, then back down to Indonesia, into Australia’s Gulf of Carpentaria, then back to southern Papua, Indonesia. He has covered more than 8,400 kilometers (about 5,220 miles) since being tagged in March 2016, and has spent the majority of the past 9 months in the vicinity of Merauke in southern Papua. This is particularly “mysterious” given that this is a mangrove swamp and mud-flat region — not the type of habitat we usually think of for whale sharks. We’re not exactly sure why he has spent so much time in these shallow muddy waters, but presumably he has found a food source that keeps him happy.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/158580-kodo-768x456.png?sfvrsn=cc9d37ac_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Kodo has hit four countries in his 16-month deployment (Indonesia, Palau, Philippines and Australia) and has spent an unusually long amount of time in the mud-flat and mangrove swamp region of Merauke in southern Papua (red dots). (© Conservation International)</em></p><p><strong>The surface swimmer</strong></p><p>“Cheggers” was tagged in November 2016, and after spending a few months in Cendrawasih Bay, decided to take a long trek to the northeast. What makes him interesting to whale shark researchers? The 5.6-meter-long (more than 18 feet) male has stayed mostly on the surface of the water during his 2,915 kilometer (1,811 miles) swim over to Yap and Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia (though he did occasionally dive as deep as 1,375 meters [4,511 feet]).</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/158695-cheggers-768x455.png?sfvrsn=66e32ab9_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Cheggers has spent an unusual amount of time swimming predominantly along the surface while crossing very deep water up to Yap and Chuuk island groups in Micronesia. (© Conservation International)</em></p><p><strong>The long-distance champion</strong></p><p>Interestingly, the whale shark with the longest track length is also one of the smallest sharks we tagged. “Fijubeca” was only 3 meters (about 10 feet) in length when we tagged him in October 2015, but since that time he has traveled more than 9,000 kilometers (5,592 miles) on a track which led him north into Palauan waters, then east into Papua New Guinea, then over to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, and then back to southern Raja Ampat and the FakFak coastline in West Papua, where he has spent most of the past year. The little shark has dived as deep as 880 meters during his 21-month tag deployment, impressive given his size! Equally as remarkable, Fijubeca has visited eight of the marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Bird’s Head Seascape during his travels. This makes us particularly happy as it indicates we’ve done a good job of designating these MPAs in areas that are important to marine megafauna migratory routes.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/151097-fijubeca-tracklines-768x460.png?sfvrsn=ef35ee06_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Fijubeca has travelled over 9000 km during his 21-month deployment, diving as deep as 880 meters while visiting eight of the MPAs in the Bird’s Head Seascape network. (© Conservation International)</em></p><p><strong>The chairman of the board</strong></p><p>Peter is a a 5-meter-long (16 feet) male named in honor of CI’s founder and chairman of the board, Peter Seligmann. We tagged Peter in April 2017 to commemorate Peter’s retirement after 30 years as our CEO — but Peter’s shark avatar has shown no signs of slowing down. To the contrary, after spending a month relaxing in Cendrawasih Bay, he shot north into Palauan waters, covering more than1,400 kilometers (about 870 miles) in the past two months.</p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/168180-peter-768x400.png?sfvrsn=a5c4c98c_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" alt="" /><em>Peter has clocked an impressive 1400-km journey since leaving Cendrawasih Bay in mid-May 2017, only a month after he was tagged. (© Conservation International).</em></p><p><strong>A look to the future</strong></p><p>CI’s whale shark satellite tagging program has provided a wealth of insights into the secret lives of the world’s largest fish, and we are now using this information to improve the management of whale shark tourism in the Bird’s Head region. Importantly, the satellite tracks we’ve recorded have also highlighted several regions of West Papua that are frequented by migrating whale sharks that are now being considered for development of additional marine parks. In the near future, we are planning a major expedition in collaboration with the Georgia Aquarium and the Indonesian government to assess the health of Cendrawasih Bay’s whale shark population and specifically investigate whether current tourism practices are sufficiently “whale shark friendly,” or if they are causing undue stress to the sharks and requiring of additional management interventions.</p><p>Stay tuned for more details.</p><p><strong><em>Acknowledgements</em></strong></p><p><em>This work was made possible in part by guests of the <a href="http://www.northstarcruises.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">True North</a> expedition vessel; CI donors including Matt Brooks, Pam Rorke Levy, the Wong family, Daniel Roozen, Marie-Elizabeth Mali, Enki Tan and the Sunbridge Foundation; Nexus International School; <a href="https://propspeed.com/" target="_blank">Oceanmax/Propspeed</a>; and the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Applied Conservation Science.</em></p><p><em>Mark Erdmann is vice president for Asia Pacific Marine Programs at Conservation International.</em></p><p><em>Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><p><em>Cover image: A snorkeler swims with a whale shark in Cendrawasih Bay in the Bird’s Head Seascape, eastern Indonesia. Conservation International scientists have been satellite tracking the movements of Cendrawasih’s whale sharks since June 2015. (© Conservation International/photo by Mark Erdmann)</em></p><hr /><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/stories/virtual-reality/valens-reef" rel="noopener" target="_blank">See these whale sharks’ habitat for yourself in ‘Valen’s Reef</a>’</li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/whale-shark-watch-4-things-weve-learned-from-tracking-the-worlds-largest-fish" target="_blank">Whale shark watch: 4 things we’ve learned from tracking the world’s largest fish</a></li></ul><hr />urn:uuid:cea91b3b-af53-433e-9d48-42b4a9616e25https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-to-make-conservation-go-viral-keep-it-simple-social ScienceStudy: To make conservation go ‘viral,’ keep it simple, socialFunny YouTube videos, the newest smartphones … and conservation? A new study looks at ways we can make conservation go “viral.”Wed, 24 Jul 2019 20:19:20 Z<p>What makes a video go “viral”? What makes people stand in line for hours to buy a new smartphone or eat at a hip restaurant?</p><p>And what does any of that have to do with conservation?</p><p>A <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12442" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new study</a> suggests that some of the same features that make a new gadget popular, such as simplicity, visibility and utility, also affect the rate at which conservation initiatives are adopted and spread.</p><p>The research, published today in the journal Conservation Letters, suggests that studying how and why conservation efforts are adopted — a concept called “diffusion of innovation theory” — can help them have more rapid and longer-lasting impacts at less cost.</p><p>Human Nature spoke with Mike Mascia, senior social scientist at Conservation International and the study’s lead author.</p><p><strong>Question: Virality isn’t something we necessarily associate with the environment —</strong><strong> usually it’s in the context of a video on social media. </strong><strong>How did you come up with the idea to pair the two?</strong></p><p><strong>Answer: </strong>In the last decade alone, billions of dollars have been invested in conservation around the world, to varying degrees of success. But occasionally, an approach to helping the environment will “go viral,” meaning it achieves widespread adoption rapidly, having a major impact on both people and the environment across a large area. So we wondered: Why those projects? If we can understand what combination of factors drive conservation at scale, we have a better shot of replicating this process in the future.</p><p><strong>Q: What factors did you look at to determine if an approach had “gone viral”? </strong></p><p><strong>A: </strong>We looked at conservation efforts in Tanzania and the Pacific through the lens of “diffusion of innovation” theory and research, which has found that adoption of innovative ideas, tools and approaches is heavily influenced by three things: the characteristics of the innovation itself, the characteristics of prospective adopters of that innovation, and the broader social and environmental context. And when we looked at community-based approaches to conservation in Tanzania and the Pacific, these same factors made the difference between approaches that went viral and those that fizzled out early or just limped along.</p><p><a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12442" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our research</a> is in its early stages, but it suggests that widespread, rapid adoption of new approaches to conservation is more likely where the “innovation” is simple, superior to the status quo, observable to others, consistent with societal beliefs and values, and can be tried and tweaked to fit the local context. Moreover, diffusion is more likely where the initial adopters have high social status, are well-connected to the outside world and to each other, have the ability to innovate without interference and are competing with others. Lastly, diffusion is most likely in supportive geographic, cultural and policy contexts — or where policies are created to support the conservation intervention, if these policies aren’t already present.</p><p><strong>Q: If we know this, isn’t it possible to make every conservation effort go viral?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> There are too many variables to ensure everything goes viral, but certainly we can do a better job of advancing rapid, widespread adoption of new (and old) approaches to conservation.</p><p>For example, thoughtful monitoring and communication efforts can play a critical role: Measuring the benefits of a new approach, relative to the status quo, and raising awareness of these benefits among prospective adopters, would provide critical information and would help to spur adoption. Working with well-connected and highly respected leaders might overcome other barriers. And, perhaps most importantly, working with government officials to create the supportive policy environment is critical to widespread, rapid uptake. We sometimes take these steps through luck or trial-and-error, but we can be far more intentional about our approach to implementation and scaling.</p><p><strong>Q: Can this concept be applied to existing projects or just new projects?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> It’s easier to imagine integrating these insights into the design of a new program, as one is developing and implementing a strategy for rolling out and scaling a new approach to conservation. But it’s possible to tweak — or even overhaul — an existing strategy to accelerate uptake and expand our reach. This research is the first step in understanding exactly how to do that.</p><p><strong>Q: What does this mean for the state of conservation efforts worldwide?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> We have been treating the implementation and scaling of our interventions as a non-scientific arena, solely the domain of professional experience and judgment, which has led to costly and sometimes ineffective trial-and-error strategies. If we embrace the massive scientific evidence on the diffusion of innovations, we have the potential to dramatically reshape the practice of conservation — and to deliver more rapid and longer-lasting impacts at less cost.</p><p><em>Mike Mascia is Conservation International’s senior director of social science. Sophie Bertazzo is a senior editor at Conservation International.</em></p><p><em>Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><hr /><p><strong>Further reading</strong></p><ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/deforested-areas-in-the-amazon-vulnerable-to-loss-of-legal-protections-study-finds">Deforested areas in the Amazon vulnerable to loss of legal protection, study finds</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/why-national-monument-protection-matters">Why national monument protection matters</a></li></ul><hr />urn:uuid:d6330eba-5bfd-4f04-a1ae-7b73c9a5956dhttps://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-a-scientist-the-sustainable-seafood-guru ScienceOceansMeet a scientist: the sustainable-seafood guruConservation News spoke with Jack Kittinger about his passion for protecting the animals — and people — in the seafood sector.Sat, 13 Jul 2019 02:26:22 Z<p><em><strong>Editor’s note:</strong> A recent survey found that 81 percent of Americans could not name a living scientist. No, not a single one. At Conservation International (CI), we have lots of scientists you should know. Here’s one.</em></p><p>Jack Kittinger is senior director of the global fisheries and aquaculture program for Conservation International’s Center for Oceans, focusing on sustainability in the seafood sector.</p><p>Human Nature spoke with Kittinger about his aquatic upbringing, and the uncertain future of the seafood we eat.</p><p><strong>Question: What made you want to work in the seafood industry?</strong></p><p><strong>Answer:</strong> I grew up in the coastal Carolinas on the East coast of the U.S. and I was very lucky that I had a highly “aquatic” upbringing. I actually learned how to drive a boat before a car, and grew up surfing, swimming, diving and fishing on the coast. So you could say the ocean has always been in my blood. I went to school for marine biology and found that a lot of colleagues also connected to the ocean because of their proximity to it growing up. People work to protect the places <a href="https://sustainability.asu.edu/news/archive/you-will-return-home/" target="_blank">they care about</a>.</p><p>My mission is to protect special places like the one where I grew up, so I joined Conservation International eight years ago to do just that. It’s incredible to work at an organization where everyone treats their work as a vocation rather than merely a profession. I firmly believe we need healthy oceans to survive, and every day I’m becoming more excited about the progress we are making in this sector.</p><p><strong>Q: What does that progress look like?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> The vast majority of major buyers in the American and European markets have made commitments to sustainability in their purchasing of seafood. The sector is getting serious about social responsibility and human rights. And where we have invested in better governance, fisheries are recovering.</p><p><strong>Q: What are the top 3 issues in the seafood world at the moment?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> Seafood is the last thing on Earth that we still hunt on a global level — everything else we cultivate or grow — so we must manage wild populations sustainably, or we simply won’t have enough food. Three billion people rely on fish for their primary animal protein source, so that puts the responsibility on everyone in the conservation sector to ensure we sustainably manage it. But we are <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12363" target="_blank">overfishing about half of all fisheries</a> in the world.</p><p>Another environmental concern is unsustainable aquaculture, which you might know as fish farming. In a lot of developing countries, people are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/surf-and-turf-can-have-carbon-footprint-of-cross-country-road-trip-study">destroying mangroves</a> — which absorb massive amounts of carbon and are vital to fighting climate change — to grow shrimp or other seafood species. We have to ensure both wild-caught and farmed seafood is sustainably produced. </p><p>While the environmental concern is major, what’s increasingly come to light over the past five years is how <em>people</em> are treated in the seafood sector. Because of the pioneering work of journalists and researchers, we now know that the seafood sector has a poor track record when it comes to human rights — it’s even worse than mining. We have to ensure that there are social safeguards put in place that keep fishers free from abuse and ensure they can support themselves and their families.</p><p><strong>Q: How do you make sure you’re eating seafood that is sustainably and responsibly sourced?</strong> </p><p><strong>A:</strong> The easiest way is to ask the restaurant or grocery store where it sources its fish from and whether it is certified sustainable. All consumers are part of the solution and doing this gives us the opportunity to vote with our money. If we choose to only buy things that are produced with people and the planet in mind — meaning sustainably and responsibly sourced — we can shift market demand. You can also research different retailers’ commitments to sustainability on the internet — there are quite a few that have made commitments and are working to sell seafood that is produced in the right ways. Lastly, purchase as close as you can to the source — meaning local fish and seafood from local fishers. </p><p><strong>Q: How is climate change impacting seafood?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> As the oceans heat up and become more acidic and the currents change, the fish are moving. Seafood is much different than our other food sources such as livestock, because it’s mobile and always shifting. Climate change is causing this shift to happen more often and permanently. This has a major impact not just on the local fishing communities who can’t catch enough fish to eat or support their families, but on the economies of countries as well, particularly small island nations. For example, the Pacific Islands produce most of the world’s tuna, and their economies rely on the revenue that the tuna fisheries bring in. But, because of climate change, the tuna populations are shifting to the east — and outside the waters of the Pacific Islands — so the Pacific Islands are going to start losing the backbone of their economies. Climate change is a social justice issue for these countries, who depend on it fully but have contributed almost nothing to the problem of global warming.</p><p>Because of the climate crisis, we are going to deal with new realities in terms of who owns fish, how they reproduce and where they live. We’ve already seen adaptations to climate change among the aquaculture community — for example, in the Pacific Northwest, oyster farmers have had to change how they are growing and harvesting oysters in response to more acidic waters.</p><p>This isn’t a future threat. Climate change is happening now, and countries are witnessing these changes in real time — and it’s going to have a huge impact on how we feed ourselves.</p><p><em>Jack Kittinger is senior director of the blue production program for Conservation International’s Center for Oceans. Olivia DeSmit is a former staff writer for Conservation International.</em></p><p><em>Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> <a href="https://www.conservation.org/donate">Donate to Conservation International.</a></em></p><p><em>Human rights abuses in the seafood industry occur every day. To learn about some of the heroes fighting to bring justice and freedom to enslaved fishers, <a href="https://www.vulcanproductions.com/ghostfleet/TheFilm" target="_blank">check out the new film “Ghost Fleet” here</a>.</em></p><hr /><p><strong>Further reading</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/pacific-islands-face-hardships-as-tuna-follow-warming-waters">Pacific islands face hardships as tuna follow warming waters</a> </li></ul>urn:uuid:82170b44-e402-43f6-bbee-06089d891910https://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-a-scientist-the-whale-whisperer BiodiversityOceansScienceMeet a scientist: the whale whispererWe spoke with Olive Andrews about what whales can teach us about the health of the oceans — and her longtime friendship with a humpback named “Nala.”Sat, 09 Mar 2019 20:20:11 Z<p><em>Editor’s note: A recent survey found that 81 percent of Americans could not name a living scientist. No, not a single one. At Conservation International (CI), we have  lots of scientists you should know. Here’s one.</em></p><p>Olive Andrews is a marine program manager for Conservation International, where she works with Pacific Island nations to protect the ocean — and the resources coastal communities rely on — in the face of climate change, pollution and overfishing.</p><p>We spoke with her about what whales can teach us about the health of the oceans — and her longtime friendship with a humpback named “Nala.”</p><p><strong>Question: What is it about the ocean and marine life that interests you?</strong></p><p><strong>Answer:</strong> Whales are my favorite.</p><p>I participated in a youth marine education program when I was a teenager in Australia, which culminated in a voyage at sea on a tall ship researching humpback whales — and from that moment I was inspired to work in marine conservation and science. Primarily I work on marine migratory species: whales, turtles and sharks. My passion is still very much around whale research and learning about how whales are recovering from past exploitation in our region here in the Pacific. <span style="font-size:16px;"></span></p><p><strong>Q: How did you go from participating in that program as a teenager to doing what you do now?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> I got my boat captain’s license when I was about 19 and started working on whale research expeditions in Hervey Bay, Australia. From there, I traveled the world volunteering and interning for various projects and expeditions in Canada and in the Pacific researching <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog">humpback whales</a>.</p><p>While I got my marine science degree, I became involved with the <a href="https://mmi.oregonstate.edu/ccgl/research-projects/south-pacific-whale-research-consortium" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Pacific Whale Research Consortium</a>, a group of scientists working across ten countries in the Pacific Islands that study stock structure, abundance and distribution of Oceania humpback whales. Other populations of whales around the world have been recovering, but in our region the population is growing slowly. So, I’ve been working to increase the conservation of these animals that are still endangered.</p><p><strong>Q: Do you have any interesting stories about your interactions with whales? </strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> I have a special relationship with a whale called “Nala” — she is a humpback whale. If you could have an auntie in the whale world, she would be mine. I have known her since I was 18, when I met her in Hervey Bay. She comes back to Hervey Bay every two years with a newborn calf. She knows all the boats very well by the sound of their engines. So, she knows our research boat, and over the years, Nala would present her new calf to us by putting it on her nose and pushing it towards the side of the boat as if to introduce us. She is an incredible animal, and a mature breeding female. She takes the other juvenile females under her wing — so to speak — and teaches them behaviors. Every time I see her, I’m reminded of our incredible journey together. Each year, she travels more than 10,000 kilometers (6,000 miles) through the Southern Ocean across huge seas and icebergs, and she manages to come back to the same place. So, when we meet, it’s quite an emotional meeting, and it’s special to see her on the occasions that we do.</p><p><strong style="font-size:inherit;">Q: What advice would you give to a young scientist that wants to do what you do?</strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> I am very lucky to work at Conservation International. Now, of course, I don’t work just on whales — I work mostly on large-scale marine protected areas and their management. The advice I would give is that if you’re very passionate about anything in particular — any kind of science or any kind of creature — to volunteer for a research program and get some experience learning about that animal or topic. If you are persistent, as I was, eventually you work yourself into an organization or into a field by becoming good at it. I was a volunteer for many years before I started having my airfares paid to go to various research projects. So, follow your passion, whether it be bugs or whales or anything in between — and just be persistent with those people in your field that you want to mentor you. They will eventually say yes.</p><p><strong>Q: How do you stay optimistic in the face of so much negative news about oceans? </strong></p><p><strong>A:</strong> It’s easy to be disheartened when you read the news about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog">plastics</a> killing our whales, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-spawns-new-method-to-curb-overfishing">overfishing</a> and how climate change is impacting our oceans. What keeps me going is the connection that I have to the sea. I make sure that I spend a few weeks out at sea on a boat doing research every year to reconnect with the environment. It inspires me every time. </p><p>I’m also inspired by the people that I work with — and by the good news stories that come out. I think humans like to focus on the things that are going wrong, but what I see in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/places/pacific-ocean-and-islands">my work</a> every day are things that make me hopeful about the future.</p><hr /><h2>Further reading</h2><ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog">On the trail of the South Pacific’s great humpbacks</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-a-scientist-an-optimist-in-the-face-of-climate-change">Meet a scientist: An optimist in the face of climate change</a></li></ul><hr /><p><em>Morgan Lynch is a staff writer for Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</em></p>