Conservation Issues

Conservation issues are a growing concern for most scientists. As humans continue to consume natural resources, many organisms are headed for extinction. Conservation issues include the protection of trees, animals and wetlands.

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Disputes continue to tangle commercial fishermen and environmentalists in an ongoing and sometimes fraught debate over fishing gear and bycatch.

By Blake Earle

The U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP15, will begin in Montreal, Dec. 7, 2022. China will lead the conference of 196 nations, setting the agenda and tone, despite a less-than-stellar record on species protection.

By Vanessa Hull

The amount of methane leaked from the Nord Stream pipelines poses a major climate risk. But scientists are still determining just how much damage was done.

By Karen McVeigh & Philip Oltermann

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A case currently being decided by the Supreme Court could limit the scope of authority Congress can give to the EPA, including the Clean Air Act. Why does that matter?

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

Plastic Whale, an Amsterdam-based company blends tourism, environmental cleanup and manufacturing in the world's first plastic fishing business. The goal: to make the world's waters plastic-free.

By Jesslyn Shields

A new project aims to document the possible demise of Planet Earth due to climate change. It's called Earth's Black Box and the creators hope this will be a warning to all Earth-dwellers to take global warming seriously.

By Joanna Thompson

This alien-looking archipelago off the coast of Yemen is teeming with plants and animals. Many species here are threatened or endangered. Can they be saved?

By Stephanie Parker

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A new report released by Beyond Plastics suggests that plastics will release more greenhouse gas emissions than coal plants in the U.S. by 2030.

By Elizabeth Claire Alberts

In the lead-up to U.N. Climate Change Conference, the Swedish activist talked about Biden's climate plan, the media's responsibility and what gives her hope.

By Mark Hertsgaard

The number of trees we are surrounded by in our daily lives affects our health, economic welfare and mental well-being. The fairness of their distribution is known as tree equity.

By Muriel Vega

An unprecedented 10-year-long study published in the journal Nature found that deforestation and fires have drastically reduced the Amazon rainforest's ability to absorb carbon emissions from the atmosphere.

By Liz Kimbrough

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Critics warn that cryptocurrency networks, whose computers use enormous amounts of electricity to verify transactions, could be a factor in warming the planet. The industry is working to change that.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Scotland has a bold vision to rewild and restore its ecosystems to what they once were. How? By reintroducing native species, restoring degraded land and simply allowing nature to look after itself again. Will it work?

By Stephanie Parker

Methane emissions have been skyrocketing for years. A report just released by the United Nations says that's very bad news, and it's critical that overall methane emissions be lowered to slow climate change.

By Drew Shindell

Riparian buffers are critical for protecting our local waterways from polluted runoff. So what exactly are they and how do they work?

By Sharise Cunningham

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Every minute, the time to do something about global warming gets shorter. In a move reminiscent of the Doomsday Clock, a new art installation, ClimateClock, aims to show this crisis visually.

By Alia Hoyt

A startup is recycling tons of discarded fishing nets throughout Chile. Is this a template for tackling the global plastic waste problem?

By Charis McGowan

It's been 51 years since the first Earth Day, and while progress has been made in some areas, humanity still has had a major impact on the planet.

By Andrea Thompson

A growing network of global activists is taking an alternative approach to saving the environment: Pushing to recognize natural ecosystems as having legal rights like humans.

By Stephanie Vermillion

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The rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis) is on the verge of extinction and the state of Minnesota is doing something about it.

By Tara Yarlagadda

It may seem cool to stack rocks for fun or artistic purposes but moving rocks may inadvertently threaten small mammals and insects and contribute to soil erosion.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

China has joined the more than 120 countries outlawing certain types of single-use plastics, those convenient but controversial plastics we've all become so used to. What exactly are they, though, and is banning them really necessary?

By Stephanie Vermillion

Ice stupas are artificial glaciers that store frozen water to be used for hydrating crops in the driest stretches of the year in the high desert of Himalaya.

By Mark Mancini

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California's largest inland lake has essentially become a ticking ecological time bomb. And the clock is running out — fast.

By Stephanie Parker

The city is planning to be 50 percent greenspace by 2050. Who says you can't take the Tube to a pub in the middle of a national park?

By Jesslyn Shields