Topic description and stories

Life on Earth is at risk from an unprecedented rate of environmental change that threatens the natural resources on which we depend.

Mountain forest mist

Does it help conservation to put a price on nature?

30 Oct 2014

Assigning an economic value to the benefits which nature provides might not always promote the conservation of biodiversity, and in some cases may...

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Storm on a rising tide, Orplands, Essex

Salt marsh plants key to reducing coastal erosion and flooding

02 Oct 2014

Study finds that natural flood defences such as salt marshes can reduce the height of damaging waves in storm surge conditions by close to 20%.

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Bee

Online resource to support the work of biodiversity conservation organisations

01 Oct 2014

A free online resource, launched today (1 October), will help conservation organisations share expertise and tools, aiding them in addressing some of...

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West Summerland Key Mangrove Ecosystem, Florida Keys

Putting a value on what nature does for us

11 Sep 2014

Interactive online tool allows the value of an ecosystem to be calculated, and allows users to determine how altering a habitat can affect its...

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Himalayan Shaman

Economic success drives language extinction

03 Sep 2014

Thriving economies are the biggest factor in the disappearance of minority languages and conservation should focus on the most developed countries...

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Fajitas. Banner image: ...eat meat! by James Vaughn

Changing global diets is vital to reducing climate change

01 Sep 2014

Healthier diets and reducing food waste are part of a combination of solutions needed to ensure food security and avoid dangerous climate change, say...

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A caravan of logging trucks along a forest road in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Study shows where on the planet new roads should and should not go

28 Aug 2014

Researchers have created a ‘large-scale zoning plan’ that aims to limit the environmental costs of road expansion while maximizing its benefits for...

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Marchantia - a primitive plant form used as the 'chassis' for designing new plants

From foundry to factory: building synthetic plants

20 Jun 2014

A movement is under way that will fast-forward the design of new plant traits. It takes inspiration from engineering and the software industry, and...

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Deforestation starves fish

11 Jun 2014

Research shows forest debris that drains into lakes is an important contributor to freshwater food chains – bolstering fish diets to the extent that...

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Lets Play a Game:)!

New EU reforms fail European wildlife

05 Jun 2014

Despite political proclamation of increased environmental focus, experts argue that the European Union’s recent agricultural reforms are far too weak...

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Common chimpanzee

Ebola vaccine success highlights dilemma of testing on captive chimps to save wild apes

26 May 2014

Study illustrates “high conservation potential” of vaccines for endangered wild primates devastated by viral disease, but highlights need for access...

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Field and sky

Plant scientists call for rethink of GM crop regulation

19 Mar 2014

Leading plant scientists have called for major changes to the way GM crops are licensed.

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