Forests
Kenyan president William Ruto courts logging controversy
Known internationally as one of Africa’s climate champions, President Ruto faces a legal challenge over plans to restart commercial forestry
Soy, beef and gold gangsters: Why Bolivia and Venezuela won’t protect the Amazon
Bolivia wants to chop down trees to grow soy, beef and palm oil while Venezuela is unwilling or unable to restrain illegal gold mining
Dis-united States of the Amazon – Climate Weekly
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Amazon nations decry EU deforestation rules in thinly-veiled joint condemnation
The Belem Declaration echoes growing discontent with a new law prohibiting firms from importing goods linked to deforestation
Indonesia falls short on peatland restoration, risking destructive fire season
Data from the Indonesian government suggests efforts to restore peatlands, a key part of the country’s climate strategy, do not match government claims.
Amazon nations fail to agree on deforestation goal at summit
Eight South American nations agreed on a list of joint actions to protect the Amazon rainforest, but failed to mention a long-awaited target to halt deforestation.
“Green” funds destroy Indonesia’s forests – Climate Weekly
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FSC’s rehab scheme for forest destroyers under fire after fresh allegations
Indonesian pulp and paper giants are trying to rehabilitate themselves with the FSC despite continued accusations of deforestation in their supply chains
China and Brazil to cooperate in stopping illegal trade fueling deforestation
Brazil’s president, Lula da Silva, met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping in China and announced new collaborations to control illegal deforestation.
Biden promises to “work with Congress” to fund Amazon protection
With Jair Bolsonaro out of power, one obstacle to US funding for Amazon rainforest protection has gone – but Republicans in Congress could still block funding.
France seeks EU loophole for French Guiana to power space sector with biofuels
Campaigners have warned the exemption risks setting an incentive for increased logging in Europe’s corner of the Amazon forest.
Brazil launches first raids against Amazon tree-cutters under Lula’s new government
Brazil’s new government is already having an impact on deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, an environmental enforcement agent claimed
Lula revives $1 billion Amazon Fund and environmental protections
On his first day in office as Brazil’s president, Lula da Silva signed a package of seven executive orders to protect the environment
Destruction of Brazil’s Cerrado savanna soars for third year in a row
Brazil’s outgoing president Jair Bolsonaro has presided over four years of destruction of the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado grasslands
UN nature pact nears its ‘Copenhagen or Paris’ moment
Cop15 biodiversity negotiations in Montreal next month will determine how the world halts and reverses nature loss
Lula charms UN climate summit, bringing hope for rainforests
Brazil’s president-elect got a hero’s welcome at Cop27, where he met with climate envoys from the US and China
As Glasgow forest pledge turns to action, most signatories drop out
Russia, Indonesia and DRC are among the tree-rich nations not signed up to a Cop27 partnership for delivering forest protection
Brazil election: Lula victory raises hope for Amazon rainforest
Lula has vowed to halt deforestation but analysts warn that a right-wing dominated Congress and political inertia will make it challenging
Loggers can now restore cut-down forests for FSC green branding
Loggers can now gain the FSC green certification, as long as they restore the same amount of forests they have destroyed between 1994 and 2020
Lula will update Brazil’s ‘insufficient’ climate plans if elected: advisor
The former president will prioritise tackling deforestation if he wins the runoff against Jair Bolsonaro, says environment chief Izabella Teixeira