NATURAL DEFENSES
How Restored Wetlands Can Protect Europe from Russian Invasion
The flooding of a Ukraine’s Irpin valley thwarted Russia’s assault on Kyiv in 2022. Now, scientists are proposing Europe create a band of restored and protected wetlands along its eastern borders to deter future Russian aggression, and military strategists are taking notice.
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Solutions
Birds vs. Wind Turbines: New Research Aims to Prevent Deaths
Window collisions and cats kill more birds than wind farms do, but ornithologists say turbine impacts must be taken seriously. Scientists are testing a range of technologies to reduce bird strikes — from painting stripes to using artificial intelligence — to keep birds safe.
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FORESTS
Cambodian Forest Defenders at Risk for Exposing Illegal Logging
The lush forests that have long sustained Cambodia’s Indigenous people have steadily fallen to illicit logging. Now, community members face intimidation and risk arrest as they patrol their forests to document the losses and try to push the government to stop the cutting.
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OPINION
The ‘Green’ Aviation Fuel That Would Increase Carbon Emissions
The U.S. agriculture lobby has long promoted ethanol for cars. If President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” becomes law, the industry would be given tax credits for producing crop-based fuel for planes, too, despite evidence it would spur deforestation and increase emissions.
CONSERVATION
Out of the Wild: How A.I. Is Transforming Conservation Science
Artificial intelligence is being called a game changer for enabling scientists and conservationists to process vast troves of data collected remotely. But some warn its use could keep biologists from getting out in the field with the animals and ecosystems they are studying.
E360 Digest
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As U.S. Scientists Look Abroad, China Aims to Lure Top Talent
Chinese locales are looking to lure top scientific talent from overseas by offering lavish sums for resettling, as well as housing, health care, and other perks. The moves come as the Trump administration cuts funding for science and works to expel Chinese students. More about As U.S. Scientists Look Abroad, China Aims to Lure Top Talent →
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To Protect Amazon from Drug Traffickers, Title Indigenous Lands, Report Says
Drug traffickers are violently seizing Indigenous lands in the Peruvian Amazon to clear rainforest and grow coca. To combat the drug trade, a new report calls for titling Indigenous territories along major trafficking routes. More about To Protect Amazon from Drug Traffickers, Title Indigenous Lands, Report Says →
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Amid Devastation in Gaza, a Deepening Environmental Wound
The ongoing war in the Gaza Strip has obliterated crops and trees, according to a new assessment of the impact. More about Amid Devastation in Gaza, a Deepening Environmental Wound →
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Energy
China’s Mega Dam Project Poses Big Risks for Asia’s Grand Canyon
China’s plans to build a massive hydro project in Tibet have sparked fears about the environmental impacts on the world’s longest and deepest canyon. It has also alarmed neighboring India, which fears that China could hold back or even weaponize river water it depends on.
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Solutions
How Natural Solutions Can Help Islands Survive Sea Level Rise
Atoll islands with healthy ecosystems are less likely to disappear as oceans rise, research shows. Now, scientists are using nature-based solutions — like restoring coral reefs and native forests — to improve the odds that more vulnerable islands will withstand higher seas.
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INTERVIEW
Will U.S. Push on Seabed Mining End Global Consensus on Oceans?
President Trump’s recent order to expedite permits to begin deep-sea mining bypasses international agreements that protect oceans. By moving unilaterally, says the Ocean Conservancy’s Jeff Watters, the U.S. could endanger fragile marine ecosystems and set a troubling precedent.
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Biodiversity
In Mexico’s ‘Avocado Belt,’ Villagers Stand Up to Protect Their Lands
A boom in avocado production in Mexico has led to illegal deforestation and an influx of drug cartels dominating the lucrative trade. But Indigenous communities have fought back against the gangs and turned to traditional practices to grow avocados and save their forests.
