Lego has just taken a bold step toward a greener future. The iconic toy company officially opened a massive $1 billion manufacturing plant in Vietnam, designed to operate entirely on clean energy by early 2026.

Located in Binh Duong province near Ho Chi Minh City, the factory is Lego’s first in Vietnam, its sixth globally, and its second in Asia. It’s a critical part of the Danish company’s commitment to cut carbon emissions and eventually reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

“We want to make sure the planet our children inherit is one that’s still here and thriving,” said Lego CEO Niels Christiansen.

Spanning the size of 62 soccer fields, this state-of-the-art facility is packed with high-tech automation, including robots that craft Lego bricks with razor-sharp precision—accurate to one-tenth the width of a human hair. While the machines do the heavy lifting, thousands of skilled workers—many trained in Lego’s China factory—will oversee operations.

The factory runs on a solar-powered energy system equipped with 12,400 solar panels and battery storage. While most of its power will come directly from the sun, the remaining 10-20% will be sourced through clean energy agreements with local producers. Thanks to Vietnam’s new Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA), companies like Lego can now buy renewable energy straight from providers—a game-changer for the region’s sustainability goals.

“This factory shows that big, energy-intensive plants can be both green and profitable,” said Mimi Vu, co-founder of consultancy Raise Partners.

Vietnam, one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies, has set its own goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. With manufacturing accounting for 20% of the country’s GDP and half its energy consumption, the Lego factory serves as a much-needed model for sustainable industrial growth.

The new facility is also built with energy efficiency in mind—featuring five smart buildings and a major reforestation effort. Lego has already planted 50,000 trees, double the number it cut down for construction.

In another eco-friendly shift, the Vietnam plant is the first Lego factory to phase out single-use plastic bags, replacing them with recyclable paper alternatives.

To support its expansion in Southeast Asia and Oceania, Lego will also open a distribution center in Dong Nai province. By building factories closer to key markets, Lego hopes to cut logistics costs and shield itself from global trade tensions, including tariffs imposed by the U.S. under the Trump administration.

“Locating production close to consumers helps us stay agile,” Christiansen noted. “We’re watching global growth and consumer sentiment closely.”

Lego still faces a major challenge: making its iconic bricks out of eco-friendly materials. The company has invested over $1.2 billion in research to find alternatives to oil-based plastics. While progress is slow, it’s ongoing.

Today, about a third of the materials used in new Lego bricks come from renewable or recycled sources, though these options are currently more expensive.

“It’s not cheap, but we believe our efforts help build a new supply chain for sustainable plastics,” Christiansen said.

Founded by Ole Kirk Kristiansen in the 1930s, Lego has come a long way from wooden toys to becoming a global symbol of creativity and play. Now, it hopes to become a leader in sustainable manufacturing too.

Source: AP News – Lego opens a factory in Vietnam it says will make toys without adding emissions to the atmosphere

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The past decade was the hottest ever recorded, with 2023 marking the warmest year in history, according to the United Nations’ latest State of the Climate report. The findings reveal that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere have reached their highest point in 800,000 years, fueling an increasingly unstable climate.

Rising Temperatures and Climate Alarms

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report highlights alarming trends:

• The top 10 hottest years on record have all occurred within the last decade.
• Global sea levels are rising as glaciers and ice sheets retreat at record speeds.
• Ocean temperatures are at their highest ever recorded levels.
• Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe.

“Our planet is issuing more distress signals,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. He emphasized that while limiting global warming to 1.5°C (2.8°F) above pre-industrial levels is still possible, decisive action is needed. “Leaders must step up to make it happen — seizing the benefits of cheap, clean renewables for their people and economies,” he urged.

Human Activity and the Role of El Niño

The report attributes the ongoing climate crisis primarily to human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. It also notes that the naturally occurring El Niño weather phenomenon, which formed in June 2023 and lasted for a year, contributed to record-breaking temperatures. In 2024, the world surpassed the 1.5°C limit for the first time in a single year, though scientists measure breaches of this goal over longer periods.

Climate Change Driving Disasters and Displacement

The global heating crisis has triggered a surge in extreme weather events. The report states that 2024 alone witnessed at least 151 unprecedented climate-related disasters, leading to:

• Massive economic losses
• The highest levels of displacement in 16 years
• Worsening global food crises

“This is a wake-up call,” warned Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General. “We are increasing risks to our lives, economies, and the planet.”

Political Roadblocks and Climate Commitments

The report’s warnings come amid political challenges, particularly in the United States, where President Donald Trump has rolled back climate commitments and cast doubt on climate science. The U.S. remains the world’s second-largest current polluter and the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases. Some fear that weakened climate policies in the U.S. could lead other nations to lower their ambitions as well.

Brenda Ekwurzel, a climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, pushed back against efforts to dismiss climate science. “The science is indisputable. Attempts to hide climate science from the public will not stop us from feeling the dire impacts of climate change.”

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate echoed the urgency, stating, “The longer we delay emissions cuts, the worse it will get. Phasing out fossil fuels is not a choice—it is an emergency response to a crisis unfolding before our eyes.”

The Path Forward

With the evidence of climate change clearer than ever, the UN urges governments and industries to take immediate action by:

• Rapidly reducing fossil fuel dependence
• Scaling up renewable energy investments
• Implementing stricter emissions regulations

As extreme weather events escalate and global temperatures continue to rise, experts agree that the time to act is now. Will world leaders rise to the challenge before it’s too late?

Source: AP News – Last decade was Earth’s hottest ever as CO2 levels reach an 800,000-year high, says UN report

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How Ant Forest Inspires Millions Toward Environmental Stewardship

Over the past decade, advancements in digital technology have created new ways to promote environmental causes. However, challenges persist:

• How can companies encourage individual sustainability actions that translate into real-world impact?
• How can they maintain user engagement and motivation in digital environmental initiatives?

Ant Group’s Ant Forest offers a groundbreaking solution, demonstrating how technology can inspire collective action for sustainability.

Innovating Digital Environmentalism with Ant Forest

To address these challenges, Ant Group introduced Ant Forest, a non-profit mini-program within the Alipay payment app. Ant Forest rewards users with virtual “green energy points” for activities like cycling, using public transport, or recycling. These points are tied to real-world environmental actions such as:

• Tree planting
• Biodiversity conservation
• Habitat restoration

Through partnerships with non-profit organizations, users can convert points into tangible contributions like funding wildlife preservation or planting real trees in reforestation projects.

A Growing Community of Environmental Champions

Ant Forest has attracted over 700 million users across China. This success stems from innovative solutions and a focus on accountability, ensuring the program remains impactful and trustworthy.

Translating Digital Points into Real-World Impact

Gamification is central to Ant Forest’s success. Points motivate users while aligning with larger environmental initiatives.

• Visualizing Sustainability: Points help users track their efforts and understand their contributions to the environment.
• Funding Real-World Projects: Ant Group matches user points with a dedicated fund, enabling investments in large-scale environmental initiatives.

By August 2024, Ant Group had committed RMB 4.18 billion (US$577.7 million) to plant 548 million trees and conserve 4,900 sq km across 34 protected areas in China.

Combating Misuse for Greater Integrity

Ant Forest employs strict measures to detect and penalize cheating, ensuring fairness and integrity. These efforts strengthen user trust and amplify the program’s real-world impact.

Success Stories: Environmental Progress in Action

Ant Forest’s initiatives have transformed regions like Inner Mongolia, where a previously desertified 4.17 sq km tract was reforested between 2021 and 2024. With expert partnerships, Ant Forest ensures:

• Planting of local, suitable tree species
• Adherence to regional reforestation standards

Since 2021, Ant Group has contributed to restoring 4,800 sq km of land in China, highlighting the tangible outcomes of digital environmentalism.

Building a Sustainability Ecosystem

Collaboration is key to the success of Ant Forest. By partnering with local and global organizations, Ant Group tailors sustainability efforts to regional needs for greater impact.

Key Partnerships

• China Green Foundation & Shan Shui Nature Conservation Center: Monitor and verify tree-planting projects.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC): Assess carbon benefits of projects.
• Nike: Introduced the “Recycle-A-Shoe” program, rewarding users with green energy points for recycling shoes. This initiative has repurposed 180,000 pairs of shoes into sustainable sport courts across China.

Expanding Beyond Forests: Marine Conservation

In 2024, Ant Group launched AquaViva, a global marine conservation program in partnership with Conservation International. AquaViva focuses on:

• Protecting marine ecosystems
• Funding restoration projects
• Scaling conservation efforts across the Asia-Pacific region

A Digital Revolution for Sustainability

Since its launch in 2016, Ant Forest has demonstrated the potential of digital platforms in driving environmental awareness and action. By combining innovative technology, mass participation, and strategic partnerships, the initiative proves that individual efforts, amplified through digital tools, can create large-scale environmental change.

As Wang Xiaoying, head of Ant Forest, explains:

“When users develop a basic awareness of environmental issues through Ant Forest, they might gradually deepen their commitment to environmental causes. Over time, passive followers can transform into active contributors.”

Ant Forest not only fosters grassroots engagement but also provides a blueprint for harnessing technology to address global environmental challenges.

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As climate change continues to accelerate, the urgency to act has never been greater. While systemic change is critical, individual actions can collectively contribute significantly to reducing emissions. Here are seven impactful ways you can make a difference in 2025.

1. Adopt a Plant-Based Diet

Reducing meat consumption is one of the most effective ways to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock production is a significant contributor to methane and nitrous oxide emissions, both of which are far more potent than carbon dioxide.

• Why it matters: A vegan diet emits just 25% of the carbon compared to a meat-heavy diet.
• How to start: Gradually replace meat with plant-based meals. Explore vegetarian or vegan recipes to find options that work for you.
• Impact: Less water usage, reduced harm to biodiversity, and a significant reduction in carbon emissions.

2. Choose Trains Over Planes

Transportation accounts for 16% of global emissions, with flights being one of the most carbon-intensive modes of travel.

• Why it matters: Cutting back on flights can significantly reduce your personal carbon footprint.
• How to act: Use trains, buses, or carpool for longer distances. For shorter journeys, consider walking or biking.
• Impact: Reduced emissions, improved health, and opportunities for more meaningful travel experiences.

3. Buy Less, Buy Better Clothes

The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global emissions. Fast fashion, in particular, drives unsustainable practices.

• Why it matters: The average person generates significant waste through discarded clothing.
• How to act: Buy second-hand, rent outfits, or upcycle your wardrobe. Wash clothes less frequently to reduce microplastic pollution.
• Impact: Reducing waste, conserving resources, and fostering a more sustainable fashion industry.

4. Lower Your Pets’ Carbon Pawprint

Pets, while beloved, have a surprisingly high environmental impact due to their diet and waste.

• Why it matters: A cat’s lifetime CO2 emissions can equal driving 7,500 miles in a petrol car.
• How to act: Opt for pet food made from sustainable proteins, like fish or insects. Use recycled waste bags for cleanup.
• Impact: Reduced emissions and a more eco-friendly way to care for your furry friends.

5. Rethink Your Home Heating

Heating buildings is a significant contributor to global emissions, especially when reliant on fossil fuels.

• Why it matters: Renewable heating can cut emissions while saving on energy bills.
• How to act: Invest in heat pumps, solar thermal systems, or better insulation. Use energy-efficient solutions like draught excluders and thick curtains.
• Impact: A warmer home with a smaller carbon footprint and lower energy costs.

6. Invest in a Greener Pension

Your financial decisions, including where you save and invest, can have a significant impact on sustainability.

• Why it matters: Pension funds are massive investors in global markets, often financing fossil fuels.
• How to act: Research your pension provider’s sustainability policies. Consider switching to a provider focused on green investments.
• Impact: Leveraging your savings to support renewable energy and sustainable practices.

7. Cut Down on Single-Use Plastics

Plastic waste contributes to pollution and emissions, with devastating effects on ecosystems and human health.

• Why it matters: Plastic production is projected to double by 2050, consuming a significant share of global fossil fuels.
• How to act:
  • Use reusable bags for shopping.
  • Switch to beeswax wraps instead of cling film.
  • Shop at zero-waste stores for refills.
  • Avoid single-use utensils and carry a reusable kit.
• Impact: Reducing waste, protecting marine life, and lowering the environmental burden of plastics.

Final Thoughts

Making small, sustainable changes in your daily life can collectively create a significant impact on the planet. Whether it’s altering your diet, rethinking your travel habits, or making more conscious consumer choices, your actions can inspire others and contribute to a greener future.

What’s your first step toward sustainability in 2025?

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The past year broke records as the hottest in history. Oceans boiled, glaciers melted at alarming rates, and scientists were left puzzled about the speed of the temperature rise. While greenhouse gas emissions and the natural El Niño phenomenon were known contributors, they didn’t fully account for the extraordinary heat.

A new study published in the journal Science has identified a critical missing piece: clouds—or rather, the lack of them.

The Role of Clouds in Earth’s Climate

The study reveals that a significant drop in low-lying clouds over the oceans has accelerated global warming. These clouds reflect sunlight back into space, helping to cool the planet. Without them, more sunlight is absorbed, intensifying the heating effect.

In simple terms, fewer low clouds mean the planet has “darkened,” absorbing more solar energy, according to Helge Goessling, a climate physicist at Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute and one of the study’s authors.

This phenomenon is linked to albedo—the ability of Earth’s surfaces to reflect sunlight. Since the 1970s, Earth’s albedo has been declining due to melting ice and snow, which expose darker surfaces like land and ocean that absorb more heat. The reduction in low clouds compounds this effect, driving temperatures even higher.

Alarming Decline in Low Clouds

Using NASA satellite data, weather records, and climate models, the researchers found that low cloud cover hit record lows last year, especially over the North Atlantic Ocean. This decline aligns with a decade-long trend, suggesting a troubling pattern.

However, the exact causes remain unclear. “This is such a complex beast and so hard to disentangle,” Goessling said, pointing to several possible factors:

1. Reduced Shipping Pollution: New regulations have reduced sulfur emissions from ships, a positive step for health but one that inadvertently reduces cloud brightness and cooling effects.
2. Natural Climate Variations: Changing ocean patterns could also be playing a role.
3. Global Warming: The most concerning factor is the planet’s rising temperature. Low-level clouds thrive in cool, moist conditions. As surface temperatures increase, these clouds thin or disappear, creating a feedback loop that accelerates warming.

The Bigger Picture: More Intense Warming Ahead?

If global warming is indeed driving the decline in cloud cover, future temperature projections may be underestimated. “We should expect rather intense warming in the future,” Goessling warned.

Mark Zalinka, an atmospheric scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, likened clouds to Earth’s “sunscreen.” Even small changes in cloud cover can significantly impact the planet’s albedo.

Tapio Schneider, a climate scientist at Caltech, emphasized the gravity of the findings. If global warming is substantially reducing cloud cover, we could face stronger and faster warming than previously predicted.

Why Clouds Are Crucial to Climate Science

Despite their apparent simplicity, clouds are among the most complex and least understood elements of climate systems. They remain, as Goessling describes, “one of the biggest headaches” in climate science.

Understanding how clouds respond to global warming is critical. “It literally determines how much future warming is in store,” Zalinka said.

This research underscores the urgent need for better climate modeling and action. If we are already underestimating the pace of warming, the time to act is now.

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Each year, billions of toothbrushes end up in landfills. How can we be more environmentally conscious about something as simple as brushing our teeth?

In my old office job, I kept a manual toothbrush in my desk, brushing every afternoon after lunch. At home, I had an electric toothbrush. I cared about my dental hygiene, but I’d never given much thought to my toothbrush’s environmental impact. And I doubt I’m alone in that.

According to the American Dental Association, toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months, meaning billions are discarded yearly. Researchers at University College London (UCL) Eastman Dental Institute and Trinity College Dublin recently conducted a study on the environmental impact of different types of toothbrushes. They compared standard plastic, plastic with replaceable heads, bamboo, and electric toothbrushes by examining their entire life cycles, from production to disposal.

The study found that the fossil-fuel-based plastic polypropylene, used in most plastic toothbrushes, has a significant environmental impact. In fact, polypropylene accounts for about 3.7% of all plastic waste worldwide. Surprisingly, electric toothbrushes had an environmental impact 11 times greater than bamboo toothbrushes, mainly due to their weight and transportation emissions.

So, Which Toothbrush is the Most Eco-Friendly?

The study identified that plastic toothbrushes with replaceable heads were slightly better than bamboo ones in terms of sustainability. While bamboo is renewable and biodegradable, it occupies land that could otherwise support biodiversity or help offset carbon emissions. Nevertheless, bamboo still has a much lower environmental impact than standard plastic or electric toothbrushes.

Patrick Verkland, CEO of The Humble Co., which manufactures bamboo toothbrushes, emphasized bamboo’s biodegradability, which allows it to naturally decompose if disposed of correctly. The company is working towards fully plant-based handles and seeking alternatives to the nylon bristles still used in their brushes.

Innovations in Electric Toothbrushes

For those who prefer electric toothbrushes, companies like Suri are working to create sustainable options. Suri’s heads are made from cornstarch with bristles derived from castor oil, and customers can return used heads for recycling. Suri has designed their electric brushes to hold longer-lasting batteries, requiring fewer charges and reducing waste. Their efforts to recycle the materials also set them apart, with many design experts noting Suri’s sustainability innovations.

Sophie Thomas, a circular design expert, highlighted that durable, repairable electric toothbrushes could help reduce waste if they are made to last and be recycled at the end of their life. The challenge, she explains, is that traditional plastic toothbrushes are difficult to recycle because they’re made of different types of polymers that can’t be processed together.

Rethinking Our Toothbrush Choices

On a recent trip to the store, I found a few eco-friendly options: The Humble Co. offered a bamboo and plant-based brush for a reasonable price, while TePe Choice offered a brush with a reusable wooden handle and replaceable plant-based heads, reducing plastic waste by 80%. I decided to try the TePe brush, which aligns with the top results from the UCL study and reduces plastic usage.

Choosing a more sustainable toothbrush takes a bit of research. Newer materials are hitting the market, and manufacturers are starting to explore aluminum handles and other sustainable innovations in electric brushes. Hopefully, with more brands investing in quality, renewable materials, and thoughtful designs, consumers may begin to value toothbrushes as durable products rather than disposable items.

Switching to more sustainable toothbrushes is a small but meaningful step toward reducing personal plastic waste and environmental impact.

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No corner of the globe is immune from the devastating consequences of climate change. Rising temperatures are fueling environmental degradation, natural disasters, weather extremes, food and water insecurity, economic disruption, conflict, and terrorism. Sea levels are rising, the Arctic is melting, coral reefs are dying, oceans are acidifying, and forests are burning. It is clear that business as usual is not good enough. As the infinite cost of climate change reaches irreversible highs, now is the time for bold collective action.

Billions of tons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere every year as a result of coal, oil, and gas production. Human activity is producing greenhouse gas emissions at a record high, with no signs of slowing down. According to a ten-year summary of UNEP Emission Gap reports, we are on track to maintain a “business as usual” trajectory.

The last four years were the four hottest on record. According to a September 2019 World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report, we are at least one degree Celsius above preindustrial levels and close to what scientists warn would be “an unacceptable risk”. The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change calls for holding eventual warming “well below” two degrees Celsius, and for the pursuit of efforts to limit the increase even further, to 1.5 degrees. But if we don’t slow global emissions, temperatures could rise to above three degrees Celsius by 2100, causing further irreversible damage to our ecosystems.

Glaciers and ice sheets in polar and mountain regions are already melting faster than ever, causing sea levels to rise. Almost two-thirds of the world’s cities with populations of over five million are located in areas at risk of sea level rise and almost 40 per cent of the world’s population live within 100 km of a coast. If no action is taken, entire districts of New York, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Osaka, Rio de Janeiro, and many other cities could find themselves underwater within our lifetimes, displacing millions of people.

Global warming impacts everyone’s food and water security. Climate change is a direct cause of soil degradation, which limits the amount of carbon the earth is able to contain. Some 500 million people today live in areas affected by erosion, while up to 30 per cent of food is lost or wasted as a result. Meanwhile, climate change limits the availability and quality of water for drinking and agriculture.

In many regions, crops that have thrived for centuries are struggling to survive, making food security more precarious. Such impacts tend to fall primarily on the poor and vulnerable. Global warming is likely to make economic output between the world’s richest and poorest countries grow wider.

Disasters linked to climate and weather extremes have always been part of our Earth’s system. But they are becoming more frequent and intense as the world warms. No continent is left untouched, with heatwaves, droughts, typhoons, and hurricanes causing mass destruction around the world. 90 per cent of disasters are now classed as weather- and climate-related, costing the world economy 520 billion USD each year, while 26 million people are pushed into poverty as a result.

Climate change is a major threat to international peace and security. The effects of climate change heighten competition for resources such as land, food, and water, fueling socioeconomic tensions and, increasingly often, leading to mass displacement.

Climate is a risk multiplier that makes worse already existing challenges. Droughts in Africa and Latin America directly feed into political unrest and violence. The World Bank estimates that, in the absence of action, more than 140 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia will be forced to migrate within their regions by 2050.

While science tells us that climate change is irrefutable, it also tells us that it is not too late to stem the tide. This will require fundamental transformations in all aspects of society — how we grow food, use land, transport goods, and power our economies.

While technology has contributed to climate change, new and efficient technologies can help us reduce net emissions and create a cleaner world. Readily-available technological solutions already exist for more than 70 per cent of today’s emissions. In many places renewable energy is now the cheapest energy source and electric cars are poised to become mainstream.

In the meantime, nature-based solutions provide ‘breathing room’ while we tackle the decarbonization of our economy. These solutions allow us to mitigate a portion of our carbon footprint while also supporting vital ecosystem services, biodiversity, access to fresh water, improved livelihoods, healthy diets, and food security. Nature-based solutions include improved agricultural practices, land restoration, conservation, and the greening of food supply chains.

Scalable new technologies and nature-based solutions will enable us all to leapfrog to a cleaner, more resilient world. If governments, businesses, civil society, youth, and academia work together, we can create a green future where suffering is diminished, justice is upheld, and harmony is restored between people and planet.

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About four miles up the mountain from a broken sign that reads “You are inside a protected area,” miners had ripped into the soil in one of the most biodiverse regions of Colombia in search of gold, spilling poisonous mercury used in the extraction process into rivers that nourish this forest.

Colombia has pledged to close the illegal gold mines threatening this park, home to hundreds of species of birds, rare poisonous frogs and the nation’s emblematic Andean bears.

But Jaime Millán, one of only 13 permanent staff members overseeing a national park stretching across more than 480,000 acres and four ecosystems, knows it won’t be easy. “You have to understand the essence of the miner,” Millán said. “Where there’s gold, he’ll go.”

The lack of resources to protect wilderness in some of the most biodiverse places on Earth is at the heart of a major international conference starting Monday, just an hour away from the park.

Leaders from around the world are gathering in Cali for the next two weeks for a U.N. biodiversity summit, called COP16, where Colombia and other species-rich nations will urge wealthy ones to make good on financial commitments to protect natural habitats.

The world is in the midst of a global extinction crisis, with up to a million species at risk of disappearing forever due to shrinking habitats, rising temperatures and other threats posed by humans.

Around the world, ecosystems like this one are deteriorating, with potentially calamitous effects for people who depend on nature for food, water and keeping climate-warming carbon out of the atmosphere. Yet many of the world’s most ecologically rich countries — in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia — are often among the poorest financially.

“Today, those who emit the most are the ones who have the cheapest access to capital and those of us who are absorbing and mitigating those greenhouse gases are offering environmental services that are not recognized whatsoever,” said Susana Muhamad, Colombia’s environment minister.

‘A transfer back’

The conference near this park is a follow-up to a watershed agreement reached two years ago to stem the loss of nature worldwide. Nearly 200 nations promised to safeguard about a third of Earth’s land and oceans.

The deal, forged in talks in Montreal, “was a game changer for biodiversity,” said Astrid Schomaker, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the treaty underpinning the talks.

The conference in Colombia represents the first time nations are officially coming together to assess how close they are to reaching those goals, including voluntary pledges by wealthier nations to support conservation in poorer ones.

“This is the first temperature check of, ‘So what are people doing on this?’” said Charles Barber, a former U.S. State Department diplomat who is now a director at the World Resources Institute.

Early data suggests countries need to give more to meet those money pledges.

Out of a goal of mobilizing $200 billion a year for conservation, developed countries promised to send at least $20 billion per year by 2025. Much of the rest will come in the form of funds that governments spend within their own borders.

Historically, many nations built wealth by extracting resources from poorer ones, noted David Obura, a coral reef ecologist in Kenya who chairs the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, a U.N.-backed science group. “It’s a bit of a transfer back,” he said.
Yet so far, wealthy nations are ponying up only three-fourths of that annual amount, according to a recent report.

“They wrote a check in Montreal that they can’t cover, basically,” Barber said, adding that governments seek to make sure money sent abroad is being spent correctly. “That involves efforts to reduce corruption,” he added.

With territory encompassing huge swaths of the Amazon rainforest and coastlines stretching along both the Atlantic and Pacific, Colombia is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Yet the challenge of protecting a place like Farallones de Cali national park is complex and costly: A decades-long armed conflict, rooted in disputes over land, makes the job especially dangerous for park rangers like Millán.

The country’s protected national parks, often in isolated mountainous or jungle regions, have been used as strategic staging points for armed groups to grow coca, used to make cocaine, and set up hideouts for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a rebel group.

National parks staff were often caught in the middle, threatened or even killed by these armed groups, according to Colombia’s peace jurisdiction. Millán himself has been threatened, after a group of miners saw him flying a drone over the area.

Authorities have stationed soldiers along the trail to the mines and are building control towers to keep watch. But Millán has many things he still needs: more staff, satellite radios and walkie talkies to communicate; better trekking gear to lead hikes.

Catalina Gutiérrez Chacón, the Colombia director for the Wildlife Conservation Society, said the national parks system needs at least five times more funding than it receives, suggesting it needs a new structure to ensure more funds reach the park staff level to hire more permanent staff like Millán.

Local rangers

Right now, the world is falling short of the Montreal agreement’s biggest goal: Protecting 30 percent of Earth as wilderness.

As of August, only about 17.5 percent of Earth’s land and freshwaters and 8.5 percent of its oceans are safeguarded, according to a U.N. monitoring program. And as of Sunday evening, only 33 nations have provided updates on how they plan to protect nature ahead of the meeting in Cali, though Schomaker expected more plans to be put forward during the conference.

“That’s pretty slow, so we need to see acceleration of that,” said Andrew Deutz, a director at the World Wildlife Fund.

In addition to money, delegates at the COP will also be discussing how to ensure the people who live in these biodiversity havens thrive.

The situation in Colombia shows how fraught that question can be. Heading into Los Farallones, Millán points out one of the park’s greatest challenges: A more than 80-year-old paved road that existed long before the area was declared a protected national park in 1968.

Slicing through the national park, it has long made it accessible to land and gold prospectors. Generations of families built their lives in communities abutting the forest.

Large stretches of farmland, deforested long ago, create gaps in the otherwise lush mountain landscape and reveal the inherent tensions between the park’s environmentalists and its residents, who depend on the land for their livelihoods.

Now, some of those residents are becoming stewards of these wild places.

A brief drive on a dirt road, across a creek, leads to the home of 80-year-old Hernando Bolaños, whose father settled here when the land was considered vacant.

At one point, the Bolaños family raised more than 50 cows on their dairy farm. Now they own about half that number and have signed an agreement with the national park to restore the forest on their land. More than three years ago, Bolaños’s son, José, started separating the cows from a creek and fenced off an area to plant new trees. The area is now lush with vegetation.

He is now one of about 80 contractors working with the national park. But while José Bolaños works for the park, he never wears the uniform. Cutting through his land are the two main paths to reach the illegal gold mines.

“When I’m walking up to the mine, I’m usually alone,” he said. “I’ve run into miners and it’s dangerous.”

Millán, the park ranger, hopes that by turning this area into a tourist destination where locals can take visitors hiking, birdwatching and horseback riding, and offer them food and even cabins in which to stay, perhaps it will help keep the miners away for good.

Long term, he would like to turn the mining route into a hiking route. But it would require setting up training, infrastructure, a marketing campaign — the kinds of investments the park has difficulty making and that foreign money could help fund.

“This needs to be appropriated by the people from the community,” Millán said.

Source
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/10/21/cop16-colombia-biodiversity-wildlife-preservation/

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