Latest news with #tropicalforests
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
New Forest Standard for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to leverage responsible forest management
The DRC could soon unlock access to global markets for certified forest products and increase the value of verified ecosystem services impact, especially carbon, water, biodiversity, recreation, and culture, with the new FSC Forest Stewardship Standard (FSS) ( for the DRC. The standard promotes responsible forest management through FSC certification. It would not only strengthen the conservation of DRC's rich biodiversity but also contribute to reducing the increasing illegal logging driving deforestation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and help the country meet its climate target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 21% by 2030. By conforming to the standard's requirements, forest managers can increase the benefits they generate from the forest resources they manage. FSC certification is a core stepping stone to align with the European Union (EU) Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), a legislation requiring companies to ensure their products are not linked to deforestation. Once stakeholders utilize the FSC certification system in the DRC, this alignment allows their forest products to compete in the growing market for sustainably sourced forest products. DRC boasts over 155 million hectares (67% of DRC's total area and 60% of the Congo Basin's Forest area), representing 18% of the world's tropical forests and storing around 8% of the world's forest carbon. These forests, which are mainly comprised of equatorial rainforests, dry forests, swamp forests, and mountain forests, are home to incredibly rich biodiversity with over 23 million hectares of protected areas and play a crucial socio-economic role for over 40 million people. So far, over 6 million hectares of forest in the Congo Basin have been certified as sustainably managed under FSC certification (which represents roughly 12% of exploitable forests estimated at 47.5 million ha by OFAC). Different studies demonstrate that FSC-certified forests in the Congo Basin help protect large mammals and critically endangered species, such as gorillas and elephants. Embracing the new FSC standard for DRC offers an excellent opportunity for the sustainable management and protection of these high conservation value forest areas, promoting long-term environmental sustainability. This could create a pathway for the DRC government, the private sector, and development partners to unlock the potential of the country's forest sector. The development process of this FSS began in 2015 with the creation of a chamber-balanced standard development group in the DRC. The standard development group developed the national standard following a multi-stakeholder engagement process with companies, NGOs, civil society organizations, and social stakeholders, including representatives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The new Standard was subjected to field testing and stakeholder involvement to ensure its applicability in the country, address concerns, give equal opportunities for feedback, and foster consensus from economic, environmental, and social perspectives to ensure sustainability. The standard will provide independent evidence of responsible forest management and promote continuous improvement in addressing key issues like maintaining intact forest landscapes, preserving the country's biodiversity, and protecting the rights of local communities, Indigenous, and Traditional Peoples. For any queries on the standard, please get in touch with Pepe DUNGU, FSC Standard Development Group Coordinator, DRC. email address: pepedungu@ The FSS for the Democratic Republic of Congo (English and French versions) can be consulted in the FSC Document Center ( Visit FSC Africa website ( for more related news. Links to some news feeds on the standard development process: Meeting to finalize FSC standard concludes in DR Congo ( Relaunch of the National Forest Stewardship Standard development process in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( "After a long development process, the DRC has received approval of its FSC certification standard. This is a strong signal and an unforgettable achievement in the history of forest management in our country. This tool will serve as a lever to ensure the sustainable management of our forests, guaranteeing high production and opening up to more profitable timber and carbon markets. The momentum of forest certification in the DRC is aligned with the vision of the forest regime at a time when the country is developing its first-ever forest policy, which will lead to the revision of the Forest Code and its implementing measures. We commend the efforts made by the FSC Policy Manager in Africa, as well as all the members of the Standard Development Group (SDG-DRC) since the beginning of the process." (Pepe DUNGU, DRC Standard Development Group Chairperson). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Forest Stewardship Council. Media contacts: Israel Bionyi Senior Regional Communications Manager FSC Africa FSC Africa T: +49 (0) 228 367 66 0 F: +49 (0) 228 367 66 65
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'The Great Dying' mass extinction was a warning from the trees, study says
It happened before, and could happen again…. That's the message in a new study about the catastrophic collapse of Earth's tropical forests due to natural volcanic causes 252 million years ago. The collapse of tropical forests was the primary cause of the prolonged global warming that followed, according to a new study published July 2 in the British journal Nature Communications. This coincided with a mass extinction, likely the worst in Earth's history. 'There is a warning here about the importance of Earth's present-day tropical forests," study co-author and University of Leeds professor Benjamin Mills said, in a statement: "If rapid warming causes them to collapse in a similar manner, then we should not expect our climate to cool to preindustrial levels, even if we stop emitting CO2. 'Indeed, warming could continue to accelerate in this case even if we reach zero human emissions. We will have fundamentally changed the carbon cycle in a way that can take geological timescales to recover, which has happened in Earth's past.' The huge climate changes back then occurred during the Permian–Triassic Mass Extinction – sometimes referred to as the "Great Dying," which happened around 252 million years ago, leading to the massive loss of marine species and significant declines in terrestrial plants and animals. The event has been attributed to intense global warming triggered by a period of volcanic activity in Siberia, known as the Siberian Traps, the study says. This rapid increase in carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere and the resulting temperature increase is thought to be the primary kill mechanism for much of life at the time, according to the Conversation. However, scientists had been unable to pinpoint why super-greenhouse conditions persisted for around five million years afterwards. Now, in the new study, researchers have gathered data that supports the theory that the demise of tropical forests, and their slow recovery, limited carbon sequestration – a process where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in plants, soils or minerals. Our current understanding is that it was high temperatures which resulted from huge volcanic carbon dioxide emissions over thousands of years, Mills said in an e-mail to USA TODAY. "This volcanic event is called the Siberian Traps and may be the biggest to ever have occurred." "Yes," Mills said, adding that the climate had already warmed, which initially caused the tropical forests to die back, but the removal of forests took away one of the planet's most important carbon removal processes – photosynthesis. The lack of this "carbon sink" caused CO2 levels to build up even further, which drove excess warming. "While the climate is currently warming (and is doing so faster than during the event 252 million years ago), we are not yet at the temperature where tropical forests are expected to reach a tipping point and transition into a carbon source rather than sink," Mills told USA TODAY. "So it is not happening now, but we may not be that far away." We have warmed the planet by about 1 degree C since the Industrial Revolution, and estimates for Amazon rainforest tipping points range from 2 to 6 degrees C. It is hard to estimate this accurately. The Triassic super-greenhouse took thousands of years to establish, but because we are emitting carbon dioxide much more quickly than in the deep past, we might expect effects to begin to occur "over hundreds of years," Mills said. "To see 'super greenhouse' conditions we would need to remove almost all of the tropical forested area. It is debatable whether this could occur in the present day where the plants are different, and the shape of the continents is different than in the past. But personally I do not want us to run this experiment!" Speaking about the new study, co-author Jianxin Yu of the China University of Geosciences added: 'Let's make sure our work transcends academia: it is a responsibility to all life on Earth, today and beyond." "Earth's story is still being written, and we all have a role in shaping its next chapter," Yu said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Forest loss fueled 'Great Dying' mass extinction, study says
Telegraph
22-06-2025
- Telegraph
The wildlife secrets of Africa's ‘Galápagos Islands'
Our tender vessel bobbed gently towards the docking spot, and an unexpected frisson of excitement ran through the group as we noticed a group of TV cameramen, journalists and photographers assembled on the quayside. On an island which, with its dual-nation counterpart, has only around 35,000 visitors annually, there was rising speculation that the media welcoming committee might be for us. Fleeting red carpet thoughts were quickly, but charmingly, dashed as our waiting guide Paulo helped us up the stone steps to São Tomé harbour. 'Actually, they're waiting for the prime minister who is coming to look at a building project in the port,' he admitted. 'But I'm really looking forward to spending the day with you.' As the booted and suited premier swept by, followed by his entourage, we walked in the opposite direction and boarded waiting minibuses. The amusing misunderstanding was among many memorable cameos from our time on this tiny island in the Gulf of Guinea, 155 miles off the west coast of Africa. São Tomé and Príncipe, 93 miles apart, make up the second-smallest and second-least populated African country after Seychelles; but it's likely everyone's heard of the latter. Our minibus set off up the steep road towards the verdant cloak of tropical forests which cover a third of the island, while out at sea, our ship, Crystal Symphony, receded into the background. With no direct flights from the UK, São Tomé is most easily reached via a cruise – yet only three or four small ships dock there each month. Eleven days earlier, my multi-stop voyage had begun in Cape Town, pausing on the coasts of Angola, Benin and Ghana, with São Tomé marking the penultimate port of call. While these islands had admittedly never been on my radar, I was pleased to be able to tick off four new countries on a single cruise – a first for me. Crystal is now owned by travel company Abercrombie Kent, and the two have combined their seafaring and land-based clout to offer thought-provoking, culture-rich sailings to destinations off the mainstream cruise charts. The elegant, classic-style Crystal Symphony recently underwent a huge refurbishment, with enlarged suites reducing passenger capacity by almost 300. As a result, the ship never felt crowded, and with restaurants including the only Nobu at sea, free-flowing drinks and incredibly attentive staff we were cosseted in luxury and comfort throughout our off-grid adventure. With as many as eight excursions on offer each day, it was a sailing fraught with decisions. The majority of ports were out of town and primarily catered to muscular workhorse cargo vessels, creating something of a beauty and the beast scenario when the sleek thoroughbred Crystal Symphony glided alongside. Shore tours (ranging from around £44 for a sightseeing drive around the Angolan capital, Luanda, to more than £500 for a small plane flight over the towering red sand dunes of the Namib Desert) are necessary to get the most out of the cruise. All were excellent. There were wildlife encounters, including the incongruous sight of endearing African penguins waddling along the warm sands at Boulders Beach outside Cape Town, followed by hundreds of blubbery Cape fur seals basking on the shore and diving in the waters at Walvis Bay. I was especially captivated by São Tomé, hugging the equator and, with its sister Principe, often described as the African Galapagos. Relative to their size, they have one of the most concentrated biological diversities on earth with hundreds of endemic plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies, including the critically endangered grosbeak, the world's largest canary. Five of the seven species of sea turtles breed on the pristine beaches and humpback whales can be spotted from July to October. The impenetrable forests, home to much of the birdlife and flora, mean significant sightings are rare in the space of a few hours. However, there's still much to astonish curious visitors and nature lovers on an island just 30 miles long and 20 miles wide. As our minibus slowed on the long pull up to Saint Nicholas Waterfall, brushing past giant yellow trumpet flowers, giggling youngsters waved and ran alongside. One enterprising lad offered us a handful of jewel-bright freshly picked wild raspberries, while others cooled off in the cascade's crystal-clear waters. A rustling in the trees and flashes of gleaming dark plumage heralded the arrival of bronze-naped pigeons, the island's national bird. Back on the road, multi-tasking Paulo – also a school history teacher and taxi driver – explained how the islands, which gained independence in 1975, were uninhabited until the arrival of 15th century Portuguese navigators. Sugar cane, later replaced by coffee and cacao plantations, flourished in the volcanic soil, although they were bitter harvests built on enslaved and child labour. After sipping strong coffee at a former plantation, now a home-spun museum, we strolled through the charmingly faded colonial town of São Tomé to watch an energetic costumed dance, visit a chocolate shop and tour the squat fort topped by a lighthouse. The rest of the cruise may have involved plenty of big-hitting sights and experiences, but it was the smallest island, which most people have never heard of, that left me with the greatest impression. One day, I hope to return – and perhaps next time, I'll avoid being upstaged by the prime minister. Essentials Jeannine Williamson was a guest of Crystal Cruises, which has the 12-night all-inclusive cruise from Tema to Cape Town from £3,499 per person, including return flights from London, a one-night pre-cruise stay at Labadi Beach Hotel, Tema, airport transfers and gratuities. Departs December 11, 2025. Book through Mundy Cruising (020 7399 7670)
RNZ News
31-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Earth's seasonal rhythms are changing, putting species and ecosystems at risk
By Daniel Hernández Carrasco and Jonathan Tonkin of Monsoon rains represent one of Earth's major seasonal cycles. Photo: Shutterstock Seasonality shapes much of life on Earth. Most species, including humans, have synchronised their own rhythms with those of Earth's seasons. Plant growth cycles, the migration of billions of animals and even aspects of human culture - from harvest rituals to Japanese cherry blossom viewings - are dictated by these dominant rhythms. However, climate change and many other human impacts are altering Earth's cycles. While humans can adapt their behaviour by shifting the timing of crop harvests or indigenous fire-burning practices, species are less able to adapt through evolution or range shifts. Our new research highlights how the impacts of shifting seasons can cascade through ecosystems, with widespread repercussions that may be greater than previously thought. This puts species and ecosystems at risk the world over. We are still far from having a full picture of what changes in seasonality mean for the future of biodiversity. From tropical forests to polar ice caps and abyssal depths, the annual journey of Earth around the Sun brings distinct seasons to all corners of the planet. These seasonal rhythms shape ecosystems everywhere, whether through monsoonal rains in equatorial regions or the predictable melt of snowpack in mountain ranges, but the seasonality of these processes is changing rapidly, due to local human impacts. This includes dams in many rivers, which completely and abruptly disrupt their natural flow, and deforestation, which changes the timing of the onset of the rain season. These local influences are compounded by climate change, which is systematically modifying seasonal patterns in snow cover, temperature and rainfall around the world. From the earlier seasonal melting of glaciers and the snowpack to the disruption of monsoonal rain cycles, the effects of these changes are being felt widely. Many important ecological processes we rely on could be affected. A mismatch between plankton blooms and the life cycles of fish could affect the health of fisheries. Tourism dependent on seasonal migrations of large mammals could suffer. Even the regulation of the climate system itself is tightly controlled by seasonal processes. Changing seasonality threatens to destabilise key ecological processes and human society. The seasonal rhythms of ecosystems are obvious to any observer. The natural timing of annual flowers and deciduous trees - tuned to match seasonal variations in rainfall, temperature and solar radiation - transforms the colours of whole landscapes throughout the year. The arrival and departure of migratory birds, the life cycle of insects and amphibians, and the mating rituals of large mammals can completely change the soundscapes with the seasons. These examples illustrate how seasonality acts as a strong evolutionary force that has shaped the life cycles and behaviour of most species, but in the face of unprecedented changes to Earth's natural rhythms, these adaptations can lead to complex negative impacts. For instance, snowshoe hares change coat colour between winter and summer to blend in with their surroundings and hide from predators. They are struggling to adapt to shifts in the timing of the first snow and snowmelt. The impact of changing seasonality on hare populations is linked with changes in predation rates, but predators themselves may also be out of sync with the new onset of seasons. Our research highlights that these kinds of complex interactions can propagate impacts through ecosystems, linking individual species' seasonal adaptations to broader food web dynamics, or even ecosystem functions such as carbon sequestration. Although biologists have studied seasonal processes for centuries, we know surprisingly little about how they mediate any ecological impacts of altered seasonality. Our findings show we are likely underestimating these impacts. The distinct mechanisms involved deserve further attention. Until we account for these complex processes, we risk overlooking important ecological and human consequences. Understanding the extent to which impacts of altered seasonality can interact and propagate from individuals to whole ecosystems is a big challenge. It will require different types of research, complex mathematical modelling and the design of new experiments, but it is not easy to manipulate the seasons in an experiment. Scientists have come up with inventive ways of experimentally testing the effects of altered seasonality. This includes manually removing snow early in spring, manipulating rainfall patterns through irrigation, and moving plants and animals to places with different seasonality. Some researchers have even recovered seeds from centuries-old collections to sprout them and look at how recent changes in climate have affected plant populations. These efforts will be of great value for forecasting impacts, and designing effective management strategies beneficial for ecosystems and humans alike. Such efforts help to anticipate future shocks and prioritise interventions. For instance, understanding the mechanisms that allow native and non-native species to anticipate seasonal changes has proven useful for "tricking" non-native plants into sprouting only in the wrong season. This gives an advantage to native plants. Similarly, studies on the molecular mechanisms involved in the response to seasonality can help us determine whether certain species are likely to adapt to further changes in seasonal patterns. This research can also point out genes that could be targeted for improving the resilience and productivity of crops. Not only are we likely underestimating the ecological risks of shifting seasons, we tend to forget how much our everyday lives depend on them. As Earth's rhythms change, the risks multiply, but so does our opportunity to better understand, anticipate and adapt to these changes. This story was originally published on [ The Conversation]. Daniel Hernández Carrasco is a PhD candidate in Ecology at University of Canterbury. Jonathan Tonkin is associate professor of Ecology and Rutherford Discovery Fellow at University of Canterbury
The Independent
25-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
No more grandstanding: Deforestation pledges will burn in flames if we ignore inequality
In 2024, the majority of tropical forests didn't fall to the chainsaw; they burned. For the first time on record, wildfires became the primary cause of tropical forest loss, as global deforestation spiked to levels 'unlike anything we've seen in over 20 years of data,' said Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of Global Forest Watch. Wildfires destroyed 6.7 million hectares of tropical primary forest last year. That's roughly the size of Ireland. It was nearly double the previous year's total and the largest area of fire-related tropical forest loss ever recorded. This spike in fire-driven deforestation isn't just another grim statistic of a 1.5C world. It's the clearest sign yet that pledges made in global halls, without accounting for realities on the ground, are falling flat on their faces and can't save the world's forests. In 2021, Boris Johnson launched a landmark global forestry pledge in Glasgow to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030. Hailed then as a crucial step to protect the world's tropical forests, it now stands in bare-naked shame. Across the tropics, climate extremes turned forever-damp forests into tinderboxes, and from the Amazon to the Congo, 'illegal' ranchers and miners took advantage by lighting fires, clearing land, and exploiting government blind spots. In Brazil, the host of this year's climate summit, the scale of destruction last year is simply staggering. During what was the country's worst drought in 70 years, an area roughly three times the size of Scotland burned to dust. The dense, wet Amazon rainforests are unimaginably diverse, and rarely at risk of fire. However, according to monitoring platform MapBiomas, Brazil saw a 79 per cent increase in fire-related forest loss last year, and almost two-thirds of this was in the Amazon rainforest. Experts across the country agree that while the country's drought set the stage for last year's devastation, only a tiny percentage of fires were due to 'natural causes.' Instead, the more than 140 thousand fires set last year are thought to have largely been caused by organised crime networks that took root in the Amazon during the previous Jair Bolsonaro administration. This comes only a year after the Brazilian government rolled out a new plan to ramp up forestry enforcement, crack down on illegal ranchers, and stop deforestation in the Amazon by 2030. As national policies tightened, non-fire-related deforestation dropped by 30 per cent in a year. The fight to reverse Bolsonaro's blatant green light to cut down forests en masse had been successful. But the battlefront was about to shift, and ranchers turned to fire at such a scale that the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, called it 'climate terrorism'. In Colombia, we see a similar phenomenon. The arrival of the progressive Petro government in 2022 led to the biggest drop in primary forest loss in 20 years. But last year, that all turned around, and primary forest loss increased by nearly 50 per cent. After decades of civil conflict and militarised forest patrols, peace has proven hard to keep profitable in many of the country's poorest regions. Without sustainable livelihoods, illegal mining and coca cultivation have expanded to unprecedented levels. What is needed to stop deforestation in many of these regions isn't a new global pledge, but new jobs, and help to imagine what Joaquin Carrizosa, a Senior Advisor at WRI Colombia calls 'local, nature-based economies' But the report didn't just contain bad news. Indonesia and Malaysia were two of the few bright spots last year. In both countries, deforestation rates are dropping, as efforts to tackle poverty, restore degraded land and reduce wildfires have helped keep forests intact. However, with a change of government in Indonesia planning to clear an area of rainforest in Papua nearly as big as Belgium, to make way for sugarcane and rice, these priorities may be about to shift. But what these results make clear is that protecting the world's forests is far easier said than done. The pledge to end deforestation by 2030 is certainly not a lost cause, but achieving it isn't just about governments making grand announcements to protect forests. This is undeniably a critical first step, but in order to keep these forests intact long-term, you need to empower the people who live with and make their living from forests themselves. This undoubtedly includes indigenous peoples around the world, who continue to prove to be the best defence against illegal loggers. But it's one thing to stop a truck; it's another thing to stop miners with guns or a fire. What happens in these unregulated mines, out of sight, can be horrific. They need law enforcement to back them up. But it also needs to include these ranchers, miners, and poor people living across these regions, drawn into the trade. When I was 19, I spent weeks living in and around illegal gold miners in Guyana, trying to understand what drives them to the trade. I met some whom I genuinely was afraid of. But I also met others, former high school teachers and bus drivers, dedicated dads trying to send money back home to their families. These aren't people who were born to hate forests; they're just looking for better options. If the world is serious about meeting any of its climate and biodiversity goals, then 2024 must mark a turning point. We simply can't meet any of the IPCC 's liveable climate scenarios without tackling deforestation. We probably don't need any more global pledges. We've had plenty of those. The lessons learned this year need to be that instead of big global pledges, we need to work with those living in and around these incredible ecosystems and give them real opportunities to make a living protecting them. We don't need to compete dollar for dollar with criminal networks, but we do need to offer an alternative.
