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TOP STORY
European seas in trouble as 2.5C global temperature rise forecast
Rising global temperatures are compounding existing challenges facing European seas including overuse, pollution, habitat destruction, and invasive species, a group of research organisations said on Friday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Indonesia, non-profit explore biodiversity credits in North Sulawesi
Indonesia and a US-headquartered non-profit are looking into developing biodiversity credits in the northernmost province of Sulawesi island, according to a government statement shared on Friday.
AMERICAS
End of Amazon Soy Moratorium to cause 1.4 mln ha of deforestation over next decade -study
The end of the Amazon Soy Moratorium is expected to cause at least 1.4 million hectares of additional deforestation in Brazil over the next decade, according to new research.
Virginia targets new compliance pathway for nutrient water market
Virginia’s water authority is advancing new rules for industrial sector participation in the state’s water market.
Major barriers in agricultural nitrogen tracking influencing carbon credit potential -report
Accurate nitrogen data lags behind carbon and methane research, leaving the vital fertiliser compound and polluter under-researched, and the potential profitability of its emissions reduction unreached, according to two US nonprofits.
US ranchers’ trust deficit, not economics, is biggest barrier to carbon market participation -study
US ranchers’ willingness to participate in voluntary soil carbon markets is driven more by trust, social acceptance, and previous conservation experience than by income or management objectives, according to new research that found widespread scepticism continues to constrain uptake despite growing interest in carbon farming.
EMEA
EU consults on applying its ‘do no significant harm’ environmental principle under next budget
The European Commission has opened a consultation seeking input on how it might apply the ‘do no significant harm’ (DNSH) to the environment principle under the bloc’s next long-term budget.
UAE sets out host country rules for Article 6.4 carbon credit projects
The United Arab Emirates has published its host party requirements for the Paris Agreement’s Article 6.4 crediting mechanism, listing types of carbon projects the Gulf state is prepared to approve.
INTERNATIONAL
How 10 Gt/year became climate policy’s default carbon removal target – and why one researcher says it’s wrong
A widely cited benchmark calling for around 10 billion tonnes of durable CO2 removal (CDR) annually by 2050 has become detached from the scientific evidence on which it is purportedly based, according to a new study that argues climate policy should place greater emphasis on emissions reductions and present CDR requirements alongside the mitigation pathways that generate them.
BRICS cooperation key to position NbS in global agenda -report
Greater cooperation among BRICS countries is essential to unlock the bloc’s potential as a global leader in nature-based solutions (NbS), a think tank has said in a new report.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AMERICAS
Conservation rollbacks – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has opened a 14-day comment period for the proposed revocation of over 130,000 ha of public lands in the Greater Chaco Canyon region of New Mexico. The revocation of these protected lands would open the area up to oil and gas drilling consideration. The area under threat currently surrounded the Chaco Canyon National Historic Park, a park that preserves ancient Native American ruins and artefacts.
Bee rights in Mexico – Mexico’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear a landmark case to potentially recognise the rights of bees, a development Indigenous communities argue is critical to protecting biodiversity and cultural survival. A group of Maya communities are asking the courts to grant legal standing to stingless honeybees, and to recognise Indigenous beekeepers as the guardians of the insects in order to protect the species from the mass die-offs that have come as a result of deforestation, heavy pesticide use, and climate change. The lawsuit argues these stressors have threatened a honey industry that supports local livelihoods and biocultural heritage.
Driving restoration – Audi Mexico has backed a marine restoration project in the country’s Acapulco Bay, Mexico Business News reported this week. The Audi-supported SeaFinder project aims to recover waste and help ecosystems to recover following hurricane destruction in 2023. The category five storm sank numerous vessels, depositing tonnes of debris across the bay. Audi de Mexico is funding the clean up and restoration initiative through the sale of a limited-edition car, the Audi R8 das Finale.
Biodiversity investment – Atlanta-headquartered J.M. Huber Corporation announced on Thursday an annual sponsorship of $150,000 for The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The specialty chemicals company will support projects in Georgia and New Jersey focused on land conservation and biodiversity. The partnership is expected to serve as a foundation for expanding similar initiatives globally.
American rivers – US NGO American Rivers has congratulated the American government for passing the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 in a show of rare bipartisan agreement. The infrastructure bill will see billions invested to improve drinking water, strengthen flood resilience, and protect regional river restoration initiatives while still supporting economic growth. American Rivers said it plans to work with Congress as the legislation progresses, highlighting that investments in modern water infrastructure and flood protections are essential for ensuring clean drinking water, healthier rivers, and safer communities.
Turtles go to court – The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) is suing the US Fish and Wildlife Service for its supposed failure to protect a critical habitat for the Pearl River map turtle. With another damn proposed to be built along the river requiring massive dredging, the CBD warns such actions would be harmful to turtle populations, who depend on flowing freshwater for food and shelter. The Pearl River map turtle was classified as threatened in 2024, triggering what should have been a 1-year period to protect the turtle’s critical habitat but the deadline was missed, says the CBD. The threatened turtle species only lives in the Pearl River of Mississippi and Louisiana, with their biggest threat coming from habitat loss.
EMEA
Conservation renewal – Carbon developer African Parks has renewed a partnership agreement for the collaborative management of Zambia’s Liuwa Plain National Park, it announced this week. Under the new mandate, the developer will continue to work with Zambia’s Ministry for Tourism and the Barotse Royal Establishment to conserve the area for local communities and wildlife. The renewed agreement aims to secure migratory routes for key species beyond the park’s boundaries, while looking to boost conservation financing. The new mandate also covers a section of the Upper West Zambezi Game Management Area, according to a statement from African Parks. African Parks first signed a partnership agreement for Liuwa Plain with Zambia’s Ministry for Tourism and the Barotse Royal Establishment in 2004.
We are all individuals – The EU and the UK should treat wildlife as individuals capable of suffering, according to two environmental lawyers from the University of Portsmouth. Their research, published in the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy this week, pointed to shortcomings within the EU’s Habitats Directive and Nature Restoration Law, as well as their inconsistent implementation across member states. They suggested that despite legal progress, wildlife is still ultimately protected due to the value it offers humans and that animal sentience, while recognised on the treaty level, is not currently reflected in operationalised laws.
INTERNATIONAL
Wildlife risk – The recent detection of the H5N1 avian influenza strain in New Zealand could have catastrophic consequences for the country’s native wildlife, according to leading scientist Jemma Geoghegan, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Otago. The virus was confirmed on Wednesday in a seabird found on Wellington’s Petone Beach, marking New Zealand’s first recorded case amid the ongoing global outbreak, RNZ reported.
Nature data – Napital Group, a Hong Kong-based ESG solutions firm, published a whitepaper detailing its methodology for verifiable nature recovery. The document builds on the company’s Natural Capital Index (NCi), launched in April in an effort to translate restoration outcomes into consistent, comparable and auditable performance data.
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