Brazilian officials served up an array of plans and figures at the recent COP28 climate summit in Dubai, presenting itself as a world leader, on track to protect its forests and the people who live there.
But on Thursday, Brazil’s Congress approved a law that threatens Indigenous people’s rights to most of the land they inhabit or claim, potentially opening vast territories to deforestation, farming and mining.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/world/americas/brazil-indigenous-land-law.html
In its latest accounting, the International Union for Conservation of Nature finds that more than 44,000 species worldwide are threatened with extinction. Of these, nearly 7,000 face an immediate threat from climate change.
“Species around the world are under huge pressure,” Craig Hilton-Taylor, of IUCN, said in a statement. “So no matter where you look, the numbers of threatened species are rising.” This year, the organization tracked 157,000 species for its Red list, finding that climate change poses a growing threat to wildlife. At particular risk are freshwater fish, such as Atlantic salmon, which are now classified as “Near Threatened.”
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/red-list-2023
WASHINGTON – Three national scenic trails have become the country’s newest national parks, raising the total number of existing parks from 425 to 428. The Ice Age, New England, and North Country national scenic trails, all previously established by Congress and administered by the National Park Service as part of the National Trails System, are now also recognized as units of the National Park System.
“The new status for the Ice Age, New England, and North Country national scenic trails will increase public awareness and use of these amazing pathways,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “Their combined 5,500-plus miles travel through parts of 10 states and hundreds of communities, from large cities to rural towns, providing countless close-to-home opportunities for people to easily access green space and enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation.”
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/three-national-scenic-trails-designated-as-units-of-the-national-park-system.htm
