Nature Beat #17
Updates, stories, resources and opportunities
Welcome to the latest edition of Global Nature Beat. If you are new here, read my About page to find out what this newsletter is, who I am and why I am doing this. Or just dive in. You’ll find news, reporting resources, job postings, links to some great stories and a look ahead to what’s coming up in the world of biodiversity and nature policy.
Taking The Pulse
UN Environment Assembly: The world’s top decision-making body on the environment is meeting next week in Nairobi, Kenya. The sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) will be attended by governments of nearly 200 countries, with most sending their environment ministers.
UNEA has been meeting every two years since 2014 to shape global policy. It focuses on joined-up approaches for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. On the agenda are a variety of resolutions, progress reports on the implementation of past UNEA decisions, and approval of the new budget and work programme for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) — which released its latest annual report on 19 February.
UNEP says six dialogue sessions will be key to UNEA-6’s outcomes. Ahead of UNEA-6, country representatives are meeting this week in a body called the Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives. Their tasks include finalizing 20 draft resolutions and two decisions to forward to UNEA-6 for approval. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin has daily coverage of both meetings.
COP16: The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, announced that the 16th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity will take place in the city of Cali. Carbon Pulse has more details.
EU policy: European Parliament and the Council have provisionally agreed on an EU-wide voluntary framework for the certification of high-quality carbon removals. It will cover both industrial and nature-based removals — such as through restoring forests and rewetting peatlands. The European Parliament and Council now need to formally approve the agreement. Meanwhile, a planned EU law that would have forced companies to ensure their supply chains are not linked to human rights abuses and environmental destruction is in doubt, after postponement of a vote in the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament will vote on the proposed EU Nature Restoration law on 27 February.
Migratory species: The 14th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) ended on 17 February, with agreement on many resolutions and decisions — see the list at the end of this press release. Among other things, parties extended the CMS’s protection to 14 new species including the sand tiger shark, Eurasian lynx and bearded vulture. Governments also backed an India-led initiative to protect the Central Asian Flyway, which 600 bird species use to migrate through 30 countries from the Maldives to Siberia. On the sidelines of the conference, a global partnership focused on protecting and connecting wildlife habitats was launched. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin has a full summary of the conference.
In The Spotlight
Marina Wang wrote about how social media sites facilitate the illegal wildlife trade and sit on vast amounts of data that law enforcement could use to dismantle criminal networks
Sharon Guynup reported on the rapid changes facing wildlife in the Arctic and whether species can adapt to a ‘new geography of survival’.
Elephants have killed seven people since being moved from one protected area in Malawi to another, reports Patrick Greenfield.
There was a lot of coverage last week of new research on the Amazon rainforest’s tipping points. Orla Dwyer’s for Carbon Brief was among the best I saw.
In Focus: Deep-Sea Mining
On 17 February, Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species adopted a resolution urging each other to refrain from deep-sea mining until there is robust scientific evidence that it does not harm migratory species, their prey or their ecosystems. Two days later, the UK government announced a new science network to assess the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining.
The first deep-sea mining trial in US waters took place in 1970 and its story was lost to history — until now. Clare Fieseler tells that story wonderfully in this in-depth multimedia piece. She reports on the scientist determined to find the site of the first trial, the long-term ecological impacts he discovered, and the growing push by some countries and companies to mine the seabed in international waters despite the lack of regulation.
The US Department of Defense will publish a report next month on deep-sea mining and its potential in the United States. As it has not signed the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea governing international waters, the United States would have to use its own waters if it decided to pursue deep-sea mining. But as Elham Shabahat reports for Hakai, the four possible locations — including the site of the 1970 trial — are rich in biodiversity and human activity.
Tips And Resources
Tyler Santora spoke to a bunch of science journalists and got their tips on how to steer interviews with experts — also available in Spanish.
The International Press Institute’s new report on threats to environment and climate journalists is grim but important, and it has some valuable recommendations for protecting journalists working this beat. I shared the key points yesterday.
Akielly Hu explains why climate stories are political stories
See past editions for more tips and resources.
See past editions for more tips and resources.
From The Journals
In case you missed it, my latest round-up of new research included papers on: Misguided reforestation in Africa. Starving polar bears. Amazon tipping point. Protected area trade-offs. Forest mercury emissions. And more… Read the summaries here.
What Caught My Eye
The Center for Climate Integrity published a report showing how the oil and plastics industry promoted recycling as a solution to plastic waste for decades despite knowing it was not feasible at scale.
Butterfly and moth genomes have hardly changed over 250 million years.
The ‘High Seas Treaty’ needs a name that reflects its focus on biodiversity, say Elizabeth Mendenhall and Fuad Bateh.
Peak flowering time in Spain’s Doñana National Park is now 22 days earlier than it was 35 years ago because of global heating.
Ariel Brunner, director of BirdLife Europe, wrote about what’s behind the anti-environment elements of protests by European farmers.
Bob Berwyn reported on research that predicts that global warming will drive locust outbreaks in new hotspots in India and Central Asia.
In the Gulf of Mexico, deep-water corals are struggling to recover from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
African state leaders approved a continent-wide ban on the donkey skin trade
The tiger was declared “functionally extinct” in Cambodia in 2016 — now the country is getting ready to release four tigers from India, reports Sopheng Cheang.
Meet the 2024 Restoration Stewards — seven young people restoring landscapes and ecosystems in Bolivia, Brazil, India, Kenya, Nigeria the Philippines and Rwanda.
Tommy Greene reported on the ecological collapse of Lough Neagh – the UK’s largest freshwater lake.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is developing a regional plan to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, reports Sergio Colombo.
Ten years ago, a rainforest in New Zealand became the first ecosystem in the world recognized as having legal personhood — Natalie Middleton reports on the Tūhoe nation’s struggle to liberate and protect it.
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Jobs And Opportunities
Global Witness is hiring a journalist to investigate the role of international banks and asset managers in financing tropical forest destruction — deadline 27 February.
Sunway University in Malaysia is training journalists in Asia on health and climate on 15 April— register here by 29 February.
Apply here for the Developing Asia Journalism Awards, for stories on climate change and sustainable development — deadline 1 March.
The Earth Journalism Network has grants for media outlets or organizations in Southeast Asia interested in boosting media coverage on infrastructure development — deadline 12 March.
Journalismfund Europe is inviting media outlets to join its new program on solutions journalism, with a focus on climate change — deadline 1 April.
Apply here for fellowships to attend the 2024 Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference — deadline 1 April.
George Washington University seeks an environmental journalist and/or filmmaker to take up a professorship in its School of Media and Public Affairs — applications will be assessed from 18 March and until the position is filled.
Colorado Radio wants to hire a climate and environment reporter — deadline 13 March.
The Gannett media group is recruiting a climate reporter to be based in Austin, Texas.
The Macon Telegraph (Georgia) is hiring an environment reporter.
Bonus content: There are 29 jobs, grants, fellowships and other opportunities listed here for The Nature Beat’s paying supporters. Paid subscriptions are less than £1 per week. A free seven-day trial is available.
On The Horizon
26 February – 1 March 2024: The Sixth Meeting of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) will take place in Nairobi, Kenya.
3 March 2024: World Wildlife Day.
11-13 March 2024: The 11th Annual World Ocean Summit & Expo takes place in Lisbon, Portugal.
11-15 March 2024: The Global EverGreening Alliance’s conference on Accelerating Nature-based Solutions takes place in Livingstone, Zambia.
10-12 April 2024: The UN Ocean Decade Conference takes place in Barcelona, Spain.
Bonus content: The full calendar for The Nature Beat’s supporters includes 51 nature-related intergovernmental negotiations, scientific conferences, report launches, and other events up until 2026. Paid subscriptions are less than £1 per week. A free seven-day trial is available.
Whose Eye Was It?
The eye belongs to a secretary bird. Photo credit: Victoria E / Flickr — Creative Commons
Thanks for reading. For past editions, see the Archive. If you found it interesting or useful, please share and subscribe. If you want to get in contact, you can reach me at: thenaturebeat@substack.com.