Subscribe now

Antarctic sea life under threat as talks on protected areas fail

27 June 2023

Countries have failed to deliver on promises to create new marine protected areas in the seas around Antarctica, leaving a unique ecosystem vulnerable to climate change and overfishing


2GAXKAF aerial view of a beautiful Vjosa river, near Earcove, Nemercka mountains, Gjirokastra district, albania

Europe's first Wild River National Park is great, except for one thing

5 April 2023

The new status of Albania's river Vjosa is a major conservation milestone. But plans to open an airport on the river's delta next year soured the celebrations, says Graham Lawton


A bumblebee flies over a field of flowering heather plants.

Protected areas in Britain fail to stop loss of insects and spiders

13 January 2023

Invertebrate monitoring data from 1990 to 2018 show that protected areas in Britain are losing species at the same rate as unprotected areas


Huang Runqiu and Steven Guilbeault

Countries agree landmark deal to halt global decline in nature by 2030

19 December 2022

Nations have pledged to "reverse biodiversity loss" by 2030 at the COP15 summit, but campaigners say the deal doesn't do enough to ensure accountability


Logged forest

Tropical forests ravaged by logging can still have thriving ecosystems

14 December 2022

Logged forests in Borneo have more abundant birds and mammals than pristine forests, showing that conservationists should still try to protect these habitats


Tree stumps

Crucial Congo rainforest faces growing threats from logging and mining

15 November 2022

The area of forest felled in the Congo basin rose last year, but schemes giving power to Indigenous communities could be key to reversing the trend


Scar marks across the seabed indicate scallop dredging continues legally inside the protected area

Dredging in crucial habitat sparks row over UK marine protected areas

5 October 2022

Footage showing protected Scottish waters raked clean by scallop dredgers shows that marine protected areas are "paper parks", say campaigners


Wild boar appear destructive, but they make excellent conservationists

Wild boar appear destructive, but they make excellent conservationists

28 September 2022

Keystone species such as wild boar, eagles and lynx were managing the planet quite well for millions of years before humans got involved. We must cherish them, says Benedict Macdonald


Tikal National Park - part of the Maya Forest in Guatemala

Guatemala’s rainforest is expanding thanks to community efforts

26 September 2022

The forests of the Maya Biosphere Reserve are growing rather than shrinking, because of a community-led conservation programme


Summer aperitif with group of friends Joy and festivities in family Eavening with friend dinner on the terrace enjoying together. View from above of a table with many foods Happy hands taking viands; Shutterstock ID 1431755720; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Eating green means considering biodiversity as well as climate change

15 June 2022

I thought my Mediterranean-style diet was helping the planet, but while it has reduced my carbon footprint, it is harming Earth's biodiversity, finds Graham Lawton


Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop