The benefits of living with bears and letting nature take its course
In Latin America, 13 countries either gained tree coverage or halted losses between 2015 and 2023
Monitoring forest restoration in Latin America has until now proved difficult. But new satellite data shows some effectiveness on commitments to protecting and regrowing forests.
Both Guatemala and El Salvador saw increases in tree cover, likely because of strong government programs. Guatemala pays farmers to protect and plant trees, and El Salvador’s political support includes new monitoring techniques to better evaluate human impacts.
Why We Wrote This
In our progress roundup, seeking harmony with wildlife yields an unexpected revival for an Italian village. And in Latin America, satellite data shows that concerted effort to increase tree cover works.
Nicaragua and Colombia increased tree cover in urban areas by 3% and 2%, respectively. And Costa Rica and Panama saw little to no tree loss, pointing to strong conservation efforts.
Of the 18 countries that participate in Initiative 20x20, a regional conservation and restoration partnership, five saw net losses of trees. While scientists point out that it is better to avoid tree loss in the first place, some research has found that restoring forests can benefit animal species in as little as three years.
Sources: World Resources Institute, The Conversation
Top U.S. corporations continued to diversify their senior ranks in 2024
Nationwide, some companies committed to racial equity after George Floyd’s murder in 2020 sparked widespread protests. In 2024, nonwhite people and white women for the first time held more than half of board director seats at the 50 largest Fortune 500 companies. That’s a major uptick since 2011, when white men held more than two-thirds.
CEO ranks have also gotten more diverse: Last year, 30% of the top 50 CEOs were either people of color or white women, and some 24% were born outside the U.S.
Researchers disagree over whether more diverse leadership and inclusivity improve business performance. But in late 2020, professors Robin J. Ely and David A. Thomas revisited a 1996 paper and argued that workplaces need to do deeper work to reap real benefits: “Why should anyone need an economic rationale for affirming the agency and dignity of any group of human beings? We should make the necessary investment because doing so honors our own and others’ humanity.”
Until 2022, the number of corporate jobs focused on making workplaces more inclusive rose steadily. Researchers say these employees have influence in their companies to keep strong commitments to racial equity.
Sources: The Conversation, Harvard Business Review, Chicago Booth Review
A medieval Italian village made itself “bear-smart”
Measures to protect a critically endangered species also gave rise to a community’s revival.
As people migrated out of rural communities after World War II, the number of Marsican brown bears – which are found only in Italy – increased to about 60. But the bears’ tendency to raid chicken coops and orchards led to conflicts with other residents of Pettorano sul Gizio.
In 2014, a farmer shot and killed a young bear, prompting reforms and a new approach to living with the animals. Now, electric fences protect 100 properties. Residents pick up ripe fruit from orchards and keep trash inside. Between 2014 and 2017, the number of bear raids declined 99%.
At least 18 European communities have adopted bear-smart measures, with coordination by Rewilding Europe and funding from the European Union. The long-term goal is ecological corridors to expand the bear population. Bears have also made a dent in human depopulation, with new residents moving in and more than 2,400 people visiting the village last year, up from 250 in 2020.
Sources: The Guardian, Rewilding Europe
Kenya is on its way to achieving universal electricity access by 2030
Access more than doubled to 79% between 2013 and 2023, bolstered by targeted policies and investments in clean energy infrastructure.
A report from the International Energy Agency shows how off-grid solar adoption and low-emission technologies are part of the strategy. Geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar now generate nearly 90% of the country’s electricity. Stand-alone and minigrid solar serve 1 in 5 households.
A new national strategy seeks to accelerate reduced reliance on polluting fuels and cooking methods. Over the past decade, access to clean cooking solutions tripled to 30%.
Sources: International Energy Agency, Semafor
China’s newest polar research base is powered by the first large-scale hydrogen system in Antarctica
Combining wind, solar, hydrogen, and diesel, it is estimated to curb fossil fuel consumption by more than 100 tons annually. The hydrogen fuel cell provides energy storage and backup power.
Open since February 2024, Qinling Station operates year-round. It houses up to 30 personnel in winter and 80 in summer studying climate change, glacial dynamics, and ecological shifts.
In 1959, the Antarctic Treaty established for the region the goals of scientific exploration and its free exchange. Today, 58 countries are signatories that agree that use of the continent should be for peaceful purposes only.
Source: Sixth Tone
