deforestation Archives - State of the Planet

Human Activity Has Degraded More Than a Third of the Remaining Amazon Rain Forest

A new study finds that an area 10 times the size of the United Kingdom has been affected by some form of human disturbance, contributing to biodiversity loss and carbon emissions.

by |January 26, 2023

Scientists Find Surprisingly Stable Carbon Uptake by Land and Oceans From Air

Estimates that predate satellite imagery fill in a missing link and imply that oceans and land have been removing carbon from the air more efficiently than previously thought.

by |March 16, 2022
palm plantation

Strengthening the Rights of Forest Guardians Can Reduce Future Pandemic Risk

A recent webinar discussed a critical yet often overlooked strategy for pandemic mitigation: securing the rights of Indigenous forest guardians.

by Elise Gout |January 11, 2021
collage showing leaves and construction equipment

World is Not on Track to Achieve Global Deforestation Goals

Progress requires large-scale development projects to increase transparency and inclusion of grassroots and Indigenous groups.

by Sophie Capshaw-Mack |November 25, 2020

Huge Land Buys Are Driving Tropical Forest Destruction

A new study finds that investments to establish new oil palm or tree plantations seem to consistently have higher rates of forest loss than other types of activities, such as mining and logging.

by |June 22, 2020
palm tree

How to Save a Rainforest: It’s All About Conflict Resolution

A new Earth Institute study offers practical lessons in the implementation of conflict sensitive conservation, a first outside of Africa.

by |August 13, 2019
Map of Colombia’s mining operations

End of Colombia Conflict May Bring New Threats to Ecosystems

The end of a 52-year internal conflict could spell trouble for the second most biodiverse country in the world. A new study outlines a sustainable path forward.

by |September 12, 2018
clearcut rainforest in Colombia

Colombian Youth Sue for Recognition of the Rights of Future Generations

A group of 25 children and young adults are suing the Colombian government, demanding the protection of their constitutional rights to health, food, water, and a healthy environment.

Palm Oil in the Amazon: Threat or Opportunity?

Small migratory farming is responsible for 70% of the annual deforestation in Peru. Can palm oil address this problem and lead the change towards sustainable development in the Peruvian Amazon?

by |February 28, 2018

Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future: Why Land and Resource Rights Matter

Climate change is a destabilizing force that touches all sectors of society, whether agriculture, forestry, infrastructure, energy, water or health. The inherently intertwined and complex nature of climate change impacts means that strong institutions, laws and policies are critical to ensuring that these impacts don’t impinge on the rights of local populations. Key among these institutions, laws and policies are those that deal with land and resource governance.