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.
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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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Food & Agriculture
How Herbicide Drift from Farms Is Harming Trees in Midwest
Researchers are starting to pay closer attention to the widespread damage wrought by agricultural herbicides. Drifting sprays may not kill trees, shrubs, and other nontarget plants outright, but experts believe they are making them vulnerable to insects, fungi, and disease.
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Policy
U.S. Aid Cuts Are Hitting Global Conservation Projects Hard
The Trump Administration’s dismantling of USAID has done more than cut off life-saving humanitarian assistance. It has also eliminated funding for environmental protection and conservation work in dozens of countries, with many programs now being forced to shut down.
Solutions
A.I. Is Quietly Powering a Revolution in Weather Prediction
Weather forecasts powered by artificial intelligence are usually more accurate — and require less computational energy and fewer human hours — than conventional predictions. But questions remain about A.I. systems’ reliability and their ability to forecast extreme weather events.
E360 Digest
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Environmental Enforcement Slows Under Trump
Federal enforcement of environmental laws has slowed significantly under President Trump. More about Environmental Enforcement Slows Under Trump →
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World's Richest 10 Percent Responsible for Two-Thirds of Warming
The wealthiest 10 percent of people on Earth have fueled two-thirds of the warming since 1990, according to a new modeling study. More about World's Richest 10 Percent Responsible for Two-Thirds of Warming →
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After 17 Years Underground, Massive Cicada Brood to Swarm U.S.
After hiding underground for the last 17 years, billions of cicadas will take to the skies this summer, from Tennessee to Cape Cod. More about After 17 Years Underground, Massive Cicada Brood to Swarm U.S. →
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Biodiversity
With the Great Mussel Die-Off, Scientists Scramble for Answers
One of the most endangered animals in the world, freshwater mussels are threatened by pollution, climate change, habitat loss, and invasive species. But in the epicenter of their diversity — the Southeastern U.S. — the root cause of a catastrophic die-off remains a mystery.
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INTERVIEW
How a Former Herder Protected Mongolia’s Vast Grasslands
Batmunkh Luvsandash has fought to protect more than a million acres of steppe lands in his native Mongolia. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, he explains how, by drawing on the knowledge of local herders, he was able to take on the powerful mining industry and win.
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ANALYSIS
Recycling Nuclear Waste: A Win-Win or a Dangerous Gamble?
As interest in nuclear power rises, startups are pursuing plans to recycle spent fuel and reuse its untapped energy to power reactors. Advocates tout new recycling methods as a breakthrough, but many experts warn it will extract plutonium that could be used for nuclear weapons.
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CONFLICT
In War-Torn Sudan, a Gold Mining Boom Takes a Human Toll
As civil war rages in Sudan, a surge in gold production is helping finance and arm the warring factions. Most of the mining is done on a small scale by villagers who process the gold using mercury and cyanide, posing serious threats to their health and to the environment.
