Why do we need COP anyway?

With COP26 to get underway in Glasgow in a few weeks, let's assess what has been achieved — and what hasn't — over the past quarter of a century of climate conferences. It's the 26th time the Conference of the Parties (COP), the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention ... Read full article »

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Prince William awards debut Earthshot Prize

The environmental award winners, including Costa Rica's government and the city of Milan, will be given a million pounds each to deliver projects aimed at alleviating climate change. Projects from Costa Rica, Italy, the Bahamas and India were the first winners of the Earthshot Prize on Sunday. The ... Read full article »

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What's at stake at COP26?

A UN climate summit in Glasgow will pressure world leaders to stop burning fossil fuels, stabilize global temperatures and share money to adapt to increasingly extreme weather. World leaders will meet in the UK in early November for the COP26 climate summit in a last-ditch effort to keep global warming ... Read full article »

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China: Over 100 nations to adopt 'Kunming Declaration' to boost biodiversity

Amid an unprecedented extinction event, scientists have warned that protecting biodiversity is essential to protecting human life. However, experts are unsure whether China has the experience to lead a global effort. As of Wednesday, more than 100 countries have signed on to the so-called Kunming Declaration ... Read full article »

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Degrees of danger: What will the world look like if we miss our climate targets?

With the plans currently on the table, we are gearing up for an increase of 2.7 degrees Celsius. That would be much worse for the planet than adhering to the agreed-upon Paris goal of 1.5 C. Time is running out. The scale of action we need to protect the climate is huge, it has to happen fast, and the ... Read full article »

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The case for passive rewilding: 'If you love it, let it free'

When farmers abandon their land, should we just let nature take its course? As ecologists meet to discuss the threat to global biodiversity, some believe that accepting chaos is the best approach. Henrique Miguel Pereira likes to tell the story of a grandmother in the northern mountains of Portugal who ... Read full article »

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Conflict being driven by ecological damage, report finds 

Countries hit by ecological damage and conflict are trapped in a vicious cycle where one problem reinforces the other. And climate change is expected to make things worse. Ecological threats will lead to widespread conflict and mass migration unless significant efforts are made to limit the damage, a ... Read full article »

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Building: What's the big deal for the environment?

The world's cities are growing — and the billions who inhabit them need places to live and work. But how does all that construction affect the planet? Ear-splitting jackhammers and whining saws, unexpected delays and clouds of dust and debris — building sites are notoriously disruptive. But, unless ... Read full article »

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Making traditional Chinese medicine from lab-grown meat

Could synthetic tiger claw and bear bile counteract the illegal market for animal products and help protect endangered species? Each month, Hong Kong school teacher Kala Wan simmers a bundle of herbs, donkey-hide gelatin and velvet deer antler for 75 minutes, until she has a dark murky soup. Pinching ... Read full article »

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Aviation: Germany opens world's first plant for clean jet fuel

Sustainable fuels are seen as key to making carbon-neutral flying possible. But there are some major hurdles preventing these cleaner alternatives from getting off the ground. On the day that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a commitment to reach "net zero" CO2 emissions ... Read full article »

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