
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

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

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.

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

FAO launches its mission against global soil pollution
The UN organization presents the International Network on Soil Pollution, a project to tackle contamination and restore damaged lands. Fixing the problem - says FAO - is crucial to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

Here is how narcos are destroying Honduras’ forests
In Honduras, drug traffickers are still driving deforestation. The problem affects the whole Central America. However, it is not only drug trafficking that fuels land destruction, say indigenous communities.

Paper and palm oil industry boost deforestation in Papua-Indonesia, NGOs say
In the province of Papua, Indonesia, almost 6 thousand hectares of forests were destroyed in 2021, says the NGO Pusaka. A report accuses the subsidiary of a Korean company (which denies any wrongdoing) and two local operators of the palm oil industry

Young Kenyans take care of the planet by restoring local mangroves
Mangroves are a valuable resource for climate mitigation and biodiversity protection. After losing a third of their stock in two decades, the world is called to regenerate these precious aquatic forests

The paradox of urban forests: more polluted but even more useful for climate mitigation
Two Boston University studies show surprising results: forests grow faster in "dirty" areas on city borders. Where they store carbon more efficiently