Mongabay News

• Targeted by al-Shabaab for defending Kenya’s ecosystems: Foundation founder gets award

  Conservation is rarely conflict-free. On Kenya’s northern coastline, in Lamu and Tana River counties — a biodiversity hotspot where the nation’s longest river meets the Indian Ocean — the work of protecting marine and terrestrial habitats often takes a willingness to challenge industrial fishing and extractive industries. For Raabia Hawa, defending nature against these activities […]

• Spicy ping-pong balls and flaming dung keep elephants at bay in Zimbabwe

  On the front line of the human-elephant conflict, coming up with non-lethal methods of protecting crops means getting creative. In one village in Zimbabwe, a multilayered approach is taken – first a fence covered in chili infused rags and chili powder traps, if that fails elephant dung covered in chili oil is set alight, finally […]

• South African court dismisses appeal over planned coal-fired power plants

  The South African Supreme Court of Appeal recently dismissed the government’s appeal against a ruling that struck down plans for 1,500 megawatts of new coal-fired power. The so-called #CancelCoal case was brought by a coalition of environmental NGOs that argued the new planned coal capacity violates children’s constitutional rights to a healthy environment. Already, air […]

• Honduras declares ‘environmental emergency’ in Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

  Deforestation, organized crime and the expansion of cattle ranching have led the government in Honduras to announce an “environmental emergency” in the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, the largest protected area in the country. The 36-month emergency, issued as a presidential decree on Nov. 10, will devote 1.5 billion Honduran lempiras (more than $55 million) over […]

• Bigger and more-frequent wildfires threaten water supplies across the US

  A record number of wildfires burned more than 14,062 square miles in the U.S. this year, leaving behind charred trees and scorched vegetation. But less-obvious are the impacts they had on the streams and rivers that provide drinking water to urban and rural communities across the country. After a wildfire burns a watershed, rain will […]