Forests
Colombia banks on forest economy to deliver climate ambition leap
Since the end of a 50-year civil war, Colombia has seen a spike in forest clearance, that the government now hopes to reverse with agroforestry initiatives
France and UK lead push for climate finance to restore nature
Campaigners welcomed commitments to ramp up funding for biodiversity but raised concerns it came at the expense of other climate and aid spending
The net tightens around illegal logging operations in Pará, Bolsonaro’s stronghold
Uruará voted for Brazil’s rightwing president hoping for a more relaxed approach to illegal logging, but enforcement agencies are cracking down
Brazil sets ‘indicative’ goal of carbon neutrality by 2060
Brazil is seeking to join the net zero club, but campaigners denounced its pledge as meaningless while deforestation rises under President Bolsonaro
Brazil must reverse deforestation trends before EU finalises Mercosur trade deal
Imazon study finds indigenous people’s territories at greatest risk from forest clearance as a result of growing agricultural activity under the agreement
Bolsonaro’s attack on the Amazon breaches Brazil’s constitution, climate lawyers argue
Brazilian campaigners are fighting in the Supreme Court to reinstate anti-deforestation policies and resources slashed by the Bolsonaro administration
Landless Brazilians are invading more and more protected areas of the Amazon
Emboldened by President Bolsonaro, landless people are settling in environmental reserves and indigenous territories
Mark Carney oversees blueprint for scaling up carbon market as offset demand soars
With more and more businesses setting net zero emissions targets, the voluntary carbon market needs stronger quality control to scale up, says UN special envoy
Mangrove revival: How tree-planting is financing women’s businesses in Kenya
Kenyan women are planting mangroves in Lamu County and using the revenue from selling “blue carbon” credits for microloans to start small businesses
Mayan communities are suing the Mexican government over a million solar panel megaproject
Indigenous communities say they did not give consent for a Total-backed solar megaproject on their land
Brazil’s military operations are not halting deforestation in the Amazon
Jair Bolsonaro has transferred the command of anti-deforestation operations in the Amazon to the military. But the army presence is making little difference
Despite socialist scepticism, Cuba shows interest in carbon trading
In its national climate plan, Cuba indicated it would like to sell carbon credits on an international market, a concept previously opposed by socialist allies
Encouraged by Bolsonaro, land grabbers advance on Amazon indigenous territory
Illegal settlements are springing up on indigenous territories in the Brazilian Amazon, driving deforestation
‘Solidarity economy’: Indigenous women run WhatsApp food swap in Costa Rica
The Cabécar community is combining traditional customs and modern technology to cope with pandemic and climate change pressures on food security
UN fund pays Indonesia for forest protection as deforestation rises
Campaigners accuse the Green Climate Fund of letting governments game the UN’s Redd+ forest protection scheme, as Indonesia is awarded $103 million
Forest destruction spiked in Indonesia during coronavirus lockdown
Travel restrictions allowed illegal deforestation to flourish in Indonesia – and government plans to cut environmental protections raise fears for the future
Green shift urged to revive Brazil’s economy and shield Amazon forests
President Bolsonaro could rebuild the economy faster after Covid-19 by making low-carbon growth a pillar of recovery, international study says
Amazon land grabbers are destroying brazil nut groves for cattle pasture
Emboldened by a promised amnesty on land seizures, cattle ranchers are felling brazil nut trees, edging out families who have harvested them for generations
The Amazon home of Bolsonaro’s mineral fantasy
Indigenous inhabitants of the region with the largest deposits of niobium in the world claim the right to decide what is done with the metal
Jamaica becomes first Caribbean nation to submit tougher climate plan to UN
Jamaica adds forestry and land use to updated climate plan and toughens goals for energy. UK, due to host UN talks, hails “greater climate ambition”