Latest Biodiversity News

In a first, Massachusetts to ban purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies

Sep. 21, 2023 16:02 PM EDT

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Thursday that she says will make Massachusetts the first state to ban the purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies. Massachusetts buys about 100,000 of the plastic water bottles each year. The...

Earth is outside its 'safe operating space for humanity' on most key measurements, study says

Sep. 13, 2023 14:04 PM EDT

Earth is exceeding its “safe operating space for humanity” in six of nine key measurements of its health, and two of the remaining three are headed in the wrong direction, a new study said. Earth’s climate, biodiversity, land, freshwater, nutrient pollution and “novel”...

Ecuadorians reject oil drilling in the Amazon, ending operations in a protected area

Aug. 21, 2023 20:43 PM EDT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Ecuadorians voted against drilling for oil in a protected area of the Amazon, an important decision that will require the state oil company to end its operations in a region that’s home to isolated tribes and is a hotspot of biodiversity. With over 90% of...

European Union lawmakers back a major plan to protect nature and fight climate change

Jul. 12, 2023 12:09 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's parliament on Wednesday backed a major plan to protect nature and fight climate change in a cliffhanger vote that had the 27-nation bloc's global green credentials at stake. After weeks of intense lobbying against the plan, the legislature still...

EU faces cliffhanger vote on major bill protecting nature and fighting climate change

Jul. 11, 2023 06:55 AM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Protesters and legislators converged on the European Union parliament Tuesday as the bloc prepared a cliffhanger vote on protecting its threatened nature and shielding it from disruptive environmental change, in a test of the EU's global climate credentials. Spurred...