
Fires and poverty fuel deforestation in Nigeria
From 2002 to 2021, the protected area in southwest Nigeria lost 45 percent of its primary forest. The burden of fires is crucial. Socioeconomic and demographic factors are driving the trend

Tropical plants provide a solution for heavy metal-contaminated soils
According to a study by NTU Singapore twelve plants proven effective in phytoremediation of soils contaminated with cadmium, arsenic, lead and chromium. The findings confirm the potential of nature-based -interventions

Smoked fish is driving deforestation up in Congo-Brazzaville
In the Republic of Congo, growing demand for firewood is fueling deforestation. After mangroves, alarm now extends to inland forests

FAO is launching a photo contest dedicated to soil issues
Soil value is the focus of #Soils4Nutrition, the new photo contest launched by FAO. From war consequences to the micronutrient challenge, food security is increasingly in the spotlight. Submission closes on July 10

Microbes provide a solution as fertilizers get too expensive
War in Ukraine and commodity boom pushes fertilizer prices to record highs: profiting from microbes' properties is a cost-effective solution as investors jump in, writes the Wall Street Journal.

UK pension funds back deforestation with £300 billion investments
According to Make My Money Matter campaign, 20% of UK pension fund investments support companies involved in deforestation. A move that puts the future of the Planet and the very financial stability of operators at risk

Erosion in U.S. worse-than-expected, new study says
Midwest fields have lost nearly 58 billion tons of soil in a150 years, University of Massachusetts survey says. Tillage effect, still ignored in government estimates, is crucial. Food production at risk

Deforestation slows but global forests are still in danger
The results of the latest FAO survey: agriculture and livestock fuel forests destruction. Tropical regions are the epicenter of the problem. The protection of forested areas could save 3.6 billion tons of CO2 each year.

At the end of July, a global meeting on the link between healthy soil and nutrition
From 26 to 29 July, hundreds of representatives from the political, agricultural, environmental, scientific and industrial world will participate in the Global Symposium on Soil for nutrition. Until the end of May, a call of abstracts to propose reports to be presented during the days of the event. Here the main themes

Carbon sequestration should address the tough balance between climate and biodiversity
Carbon sequestration is an important tool for climate protection, EEA study says. But some practices to promote storage can reduce natural capital. The European agency ranked different terrestrial and marine habitats according to their storage capacity