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USAid Cuts and Global Chaos
The Trump administration’s drastic USAid cuts underscore an alarming push towards dismantling international development efforts. Proposed plans to reduce USAid staff from 14,000 to 294 and freeze funding have serious implications. According to the New York Times, around $500 million of food aid is at risk due to staff reductions and funding freezes, leaving the agency in chaos. Reuters notes that these cuts are crippling global efforts to prevent and respond to famine, while Civil Eats questions how USAid’s shutdown might impact rural American farmers, who typically purchase $2 billion in agricultural commodities each year.
The USAid dismantling could also disrupt global efforts to mitigate nature loss. The Revelator reports that the agency funds projects to reduce wildlife poaching and deforestation, assist environmental refugees, and protect critical habitats. The closure could imperil natural heritage sites worldwide, from Brazil’s Pantanal conservation complex to Canada’s Arctic island of Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk, the Guardian reports.
Natural Heritage Under Threat
The US national nature assessment, which was abruptly halted by a Trump executive order, highlights biodiversity loss within natural heritage sites. Research identifies 14 sites with vulnerable biodiversity, including Brazil’s Pantanal and Mount Kenya National Park, indicating these areas will face significant climate risks. The Guardian details efforts to save cultural heritage sites in Canada’s Arctic sinking into the Beaufort Sea.
Global Trade and Forest Destruction
A recent study published in Nature underscores how consumption in major economies like the US and China contributes to “outsourced” deforestation and biodiversity loss. Alex Wiebe, a graduate student at Princeton University, notes thatdeveloped countries’ impacts on global biodiversity occur predominantly outside their borders. The research quantified biodiversity loss affecting 7,500 forest-dwelling species between 2001 and 2015, attributing it to land deforestation linked to goods imported into 24 countries.
Environmental scientist Janice Lee from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore praises the study’s “advancements” in understanding international trade’s impact on biodiversity. However, Erasmus zu Ermgassen from UCLouvain critiqued the study’s one-dimensional perspective, suggesting domestic factors and human impacts should also be considered.
Wiebe acknowledges the need for broader research, emphasizing the importance of investigating how countries influence non-forest species and which products pose the greatest threats to wildlife globally.
Threatened Forests and Future Policies
Indonesia’s plan to convert 2.3 million hectares of protected forest into food and biofuel crops raises significant environmental concerns. This move could lead to the country’s largest deforestation project, alarming environmentalists and lawmakers. Indonesia’s forestry minister argues that the initiative targets degraded areas rather than pristine rainforests, aiming for rehabilitation.
Shark attacks in Australia have prompted warnings from climate change experts, noting that warmer waters may draw predators closer to popular swimming areas. Prof. Culum Brown from Macquarie University suggests the city needs to prepare for more shark encounters as sea temperatures rise.
Mongabay reports that mining permits have been issued in the Sangha region of Congo, despite the area’s designation as a REDD+ project aimed at reducing deforestation. The mining activities are degrading forests and contaminating water sources, contradicting efforts to preserve forests and biodiversity.
Scientists warn of misinformation surrounding a methane-cutting cattle feed additive called Bovaer. Social media campaigns questioning the safety of Bovaer led farmers and the public to react with suspicion. The UK’s Food Standards Agency confirms no safety concerns if used at the approved dose, advocating for enhanced communication to address such misconceptions.
Documentaries and Photographic Exposés
Mongabay’s documentary investigates the illegal exploitation of endangered pink river dolphins in the Amazon, driven by myths about their magical properties. Undark’s photographic series, “Downstream: India’s Green Revolution,” reveals the downstream impacts of India’s agricultural boom.
The Third Pole Podcast explores the impact of climate change on Indigenous languages in Pakistan’s mountain communities, highlighting how cultural heritage could be lost alongside natural habitats.
Additional Insights
- Climate change’s effect on cocoa yields varies by region. Wetter conditions may boost yields in Nigeria and Cameroon but decrease them in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, as per a study in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology.
- Deploying bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) widely could breach planetary boundaries, significantly affecting land ecosystems, a study in Communications Earth and Environment concludes.
- A new rice variety demonstrated over a three-year period up to a 70% reduction in methane emissions, offering potential solutions to mitigate rice cultivation’s climate impact, as reported in Molecular Plant.
In the Diary
Cropped is researched and written by Dr Giuliana Viglione, Aruna Chandrasekhar, Daisy Dunne, Orla Dwyer and Yanine Quiroz. Please send tips and feedback to [email protected]
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