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Yale Environment 360
In Brazil, Forests Returned to Indigenous Hands See Recovery, Study Finds
Granted formal rights to their ancestral lands in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, Indigenous people have stemmed forest loss and improved tree cover, a new study finds. “Our paper shows that each year after tenure was formalized, there was a 0.77 percent increase in forest cover, compared to untenured lands, on average — which can add up over decades,” Rayna Benzeev, who helmed the study while a PhD candidate at the University of Colorado, Boulder, said in a statement.
Clean Energy Saw as Much Investment as Fossil Fuels for the First Time in 2022
Solar, wind, electric vehicles, and other clean energy technologies saw a record-high $1.1 trillion in investment globally last year, matching investment in fossil fuels for the first time ever, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. “Our findings put to bed any debate about how the energy...
Temperatures Drop in Chinese Cities as Streets Empty for Lunar New Year
There is a mass exodus from Chinese cities during the week-long holiday around the Lunar New Year as locals decamp to visit family. The migration is so large that, as cities empty, they see a measurable drop in temperature, a new study finds. “Many people leave megacities, such as Beijing...
Portugal to Put Cape Verde Debt Payments Into New Climate Fund
Under the terms of a new agreement, Portugal will redirect debt payments owed by Cape Verde to a fund that will help the island nation tackle climate change. Cape Verde, a former Portuguese colony, owes 140 million euros to the Portuguese state. Initially, Portugal will put 12 million euros in debt payments scheduled until 2025 into the fund, though eventually “the entire amount of debt repayments” will go toward the fund, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said during a state visit to Cape Verde.
Silencing Science: How Indonesia Is Censoring Wildlife Research
Are Indonesia’s orangutans and other iconic endangered species on track for extinction, or enjoying a recovery under the country’s current green-minded government? It depends on who you ask. But amid a welter of conflicting data, the scientific debate that could untangle the mystery is being thwarted by a government clampdown on research findings. Coupled with bans on “negative” foreign researchers, the policies are leaving conservationists confused and some Indonesian scientists in fear for their careers.
In Europe’s Clean Energy Transition, Industry Turns to Heat Pumps
The Wienerberger brickworks in Uttendorf, Austria in the Tyrolean Alps has always required a steady stream of 90 degree C (194 degree F) heat to dry its construction blocks. This process would have been an expensive proposition for the company after Russia cut gas exports to Europe, as it was for most of Europe’s energy-intensive construction industry. But four years ago, Wienerberger — the largest brick producer in the world — made an investment in the future that is now paying off: it replaced Uttendorf’s gas-fired boiler with an industrial-scale heat pump, which whittles the factory’s energy bill by around 425,00 euros a year.
Indigenous Lands Among the Amazon’s Last Carbon Sinks
Parts of the Amazon managed by Indigenous people removed more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they released, while areas not managed by Indigenous people saw widespread deforestation, producing more carbon dioxide than they removed, a report finds. Researchers gauged how much carbon was gained or lost across the Amazon...
Florida Neighborhoods Are Gentrifying in the Wake of Hurricanes, Study Finds
Florida neighborhoods hit by hurricanes have seen little drop in interest from homebuyers. On the contrary, these communities have tended to gentrify, with the price of homes and the income of buyers rising slightly after a storm, a new study reveals. “Our findings show that the idea that people will...
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Yale Environment 360 is an online magazine offering opinion, analysis, reporting, and debate on global environmental issues.
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