Increase in Earth’s Marine Biodiversity Stimulated by Changes in Past Climate Shifts
The greatest increase in marine biodiversity on Earth was not due to the explosion of an asteroid, as previously believed. In fact, the explosion caused...
Company with political stakeholders seeks profit as Indonesian government cuts down orangutan habitat
A Bornean orangutan in Tanjung Puting National Park. Photo courtesy of EIAImages The Indonesian government has stripped back rules protecting the environment to expedite a...
Why Saving World’s Peatlands Can Help Stabilize the Climate
Scottish Peatland Listen to the article being read here Peatlands make up 3 percent of the earth’s landscape, yet absorb large amounts of carbon and...
Ancient Indigenous forest gardens still yield bounty 150 years later
Originally planted with a rich array of edible and medicinal flora for people to use, forest gardens are now a source of food for animals and pollinators. While human activities, such as industrial land management, are often seen as being harmful to biodiversity, their study shows how Indigenous practices have benefited the health and resilience of forest ecosystems in the long-term, the researchers say.
Vegetation Cover has increased Globally by 5 percent since the early 2000s
[caption id="attachment_2557" align="aligncenter" width="556"] NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using data from Chen, C., et al. (2020).[/caption] Latest studies show how Greening the...
Amazing Mushroom Diversity
[caption id="attachment_2494" align="aligncenter" width="839"] Luminous fungus photographed by Stephen Axford[/caption] [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYunPJQWZ1o[/embed] This video is produced for YIXI Talks by Stephen Axford and...
Scientists discover the World’s Tiniest Chameleon
A male Brookesia nana chameleon. Photograph: Frank Glaw/ SNSB In a recent study published in the journal Nature- Scientific Reports, scientists have announced the discovery of a subspecies...
Papua Tribe Take Action Against Destruction of its Ancestral Forest for Palm Oil
Auyu Indigenous peoples gather in protest in front of government offices in Boven Digoel district, Papua, Indonesia, where the Tanah Merah project is located....
Ecuadorian Indigenous Communities Unite, Rejecting Oil Bids affecting their territories in the Amazon.
Several serious grievances need to be highlighted here. Firstly, Carlos Pérez and the Ecuadorian Government are ignoring the obvious fact that these territories are occupied bv three important communities, the Shiwiar, the Sapora and Achuar.
Secondly, they have failed to legally consult the indigenous communities first and foremost, prior to any public proposals or conferences of any industrial activities. Indigenous groups in Ecuador have been recognised under the United Nations to which there exists a non-binding agreement, which gives indigenous groups the chance to defend their lives, land, and culture. Guaranteed throughout the Declaration is the right to a process of “Free, Prior and Informed Consent” for indigenous peoples when faced with decisions, projects, or legislation by corporations or government that may affect their people and/or territory. Article 57, point 7 of the 2008 Constitution of Ecuador guarantees free, prior and informed consultation, within a reasonable period; however, this does not require consent (and is not binding). Article 82 refers explicitly to environmental consultation, in the case of a state decision which might affect the environment, and specifies broad and timely information for those affected. However, even if there is a majority opposing the project in question, it may still be carried out on the condition that the impact on those affected and the ecosystem is minimised.