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By 2022, the Brazilian Amazon suffered its worst deforestation in 15 years, losing the equivalent of nearly 3,000 soccer fields a day. Photo: Neil Palmer/CIAT Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)Neil Palmer/CIAT Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Record monthly deforestation in the Amazon is alarming for Lula

In February, the Amazon lost more than 300 km2 of forest. Brazil's new government promised a turnaround after the woes suffered under President Bolsonaro. Between 2004 and 2012 Brazil recorded its best results in land protection
Data from the Joint Research Centre snapshot the health of the continental soil showing numbers in line with past predictions. Photo: François Molle/IRD Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)François Molle/IRD Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

61% of European soil is unhealthy, JRC confirms

Joint Research Centre data snapshot the health of continental soils, showing numbers in line with past predictions. Organic carbon reduction, biodiversity loss and peatland deterioration are the most widespread problems
In the U.S., the area affected by wildfires each year has more than tripled in the past 40 years. Photo: Eric Coulter Bureau of Land Management California Public Domain Mark 1.0Eric Coulter Bureau of Land Management California Public Domain Mark 1.0

Soil analysis can help prevent wildfires

Wildfires can be predicted through soil moisture assessment. But data collection in the field is not always easy. A group of US researchers is trying to solve the problem
According to the study, 40 percent of businesses and companies that contribute the most to deforestation have not yet developed a plan to reduce their impact on the phenomenon. Photo: Andrew Taylor/WDM Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Andrew Taylor/WDM Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

4 out of 10 companies have made no commitment against deforestation

According to Global Canopy 201 of the 500 companies and financial firms most exposed to deforestation have taken no action to address the problem. Financial institutions perform worse than non-financial companies
Over the past 25 years, pesticide total toxicity has increased in Germany for fish, terrestrial plants, and soil organisms. Photo: Stefan Thiesen Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)Stefan Thiesen Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Pesticide impact on plants and soil grows in Germany

Over the past 25 years, pesticide total toxicity in Germany has increased for fish, land plants and soil organisms, a research from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau has found. EU wants to cut use of chemicals in half by 2030 but its metrics are not convincing
Salt has always been used on roads to help melt ice during winter periods Photo: Michael Pereckas from Milwaukee, WI, USA Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Michael Pereckas from Milwaukee, WI, USA Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Antifreeze salt impacts groundwater year-round

Used in winter to melt ice from roads, salt seeps deep into groundwater until it reaches surface waters. A University of Delaware study illustrates some of the dynamics that affect the phenomenon
Soil organisms account for nearly a quarter of all living species and provide important ecosystem services. Photo: rawpixel CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedicationrawpixel CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Soil damage impacts underground wildlife longer

According to a British study, in soil subject to human impact the restoration is slower organisms living underground than in surface. New perspectives in research are needed to protect biodiversity
The extensive use of charcoal, which 90 percent of the population routinely uses as a cheap fuel at home, fuels deforestation in Tanzania. Photo: KelvinJM Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Photo: KelvinJM Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Charcoal and poverty fuel deforestation in Tanzania

Deforestation is a result of the national and international economic scenarios, British newspaper The Guardian writes. Environmental policies are ineffective. And the problem affects many African countries
Invertebrates, play key functions in soil balance. Photo: s shepherd Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) s shepherd Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Missing invertebrates: the UK has already lost a third of its earthworms

The biodiversity crisis is also affecting invertebrates. In the United Kingdom, says a study by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the abundance of earthworms in the soil declined by 33 to 41 percent. Poor agricultural practices are a crucial determinant
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is accused of promoting deforestation and human rights violations with his economic initiatives. Photo: Av Joka Madruga/Terra Livre Press Navngivelse 2.0 Generisk (CC BY 2.0)Av Joka Madruga/Terra Livre Press Navngivelse 2.0 Generisk (CC BY 2.0)

Out-of-control mining fuels deforestation in Venezuela

Mining exploitation in Venezuela has doubled the rate of deforestation in five years. A phenomenon fueled by guerrillas in neighboring Colombia with the acquiescence of president Maduro's government according to NGOs