What’s wild around you? Turns out, quite a bit. A few weeks ago, we asked you about the interactions you’ve been having with wildlife in your communities, and, wow, I’m jealous. Don’t get me wrong, I’m lucky to live in Rio de Janeiro. I’ve been harassed by sneaky marmosets, shouted at by croaking toucans and […]
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Sunflower sea stars, huge starfish that until recently thrived in waters up and down the west coast of North America, are threatened with extinction and should be protected under the Endangered Species Act, federal officials said Wednesday. The starfish have been devastated by a wasting syndrome that has been linked to the effects of climate […]
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After two decades of planning and talks that culminated in a grueling race over the past few days in New York, a significant majority of nations agreed on language for a historic United Nations treaty that would protect ocean biodiversity. As marine life faces threats from climate change, overfishing, the possibility of seabed mining and […]
Read MoreMeanwhile, the environmental campaign was picking up steam. Days after the ship departed, Turkish officials asked their Brazilian counterparts for a new inventory of hazardous substances. Dissatisfied with the response, Turkish officials canceled import permission. The ship and its tug, which by then had reached Gibraltar, had to turn back. Environmental groups counted it as […]
Read MoreRio de Janeiro is another city that encompasses thriving ecosystems—woods, mountains, mangrove forests, shoals, lagoons, and beaches—within the same urban borders that contain sprawling favelas and a bustling city center. Guilherme Cruz de Mendonca, professor of environmental law at the Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro, says that Rio is a powerful example of how […]
Read MoreRAWA would address some of the gaps in the Endangered Species Act, whose protections don’t generally activate until a species is deemed threatened or endangered; in other words, the negative chain reaction causing species collapse has to start, and then be verified, before protective actions are taken to stop it. “We got this system kind […]
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