How the profit motive can save forests
International agreements and government supervision are all very well, but the real way to ensure responsible forest management is to apply commercial principles that benefit the companies involved and their shareholders
Under threat from the super-net
As over-fishing leads to catch restrictions in some parts of the world, government-subsidized commercial fleets are turning to the rich waters off West Africa. That is bad news for countries such as Mauritania and for the marine environment
Act now to save the Mediterranean
The Year of the Sea is a welcome reminder that there are people prepared to devote time, effort and thought to the future of our planet. But others must take firm action if polluted and abused waters such as those of the Mediterranean are to live fully again.
Comment: Movement on Climate Change
We are coming to the end of what may well have been the worst year in history and certainly in recent memory for the effects of extreme weather conditions: of drought and forest fires, of the fiercest hurricanes and the most dangerous floods.
New fruits of the forest
A little village in Malaysia has taken the decision to protect the rich natural resources of its region by changing its whole way of life. Instead of logging and fishing, villagers are turning to tourism as both a source of income and a way of protecting their heritage.
Fair game for the Xavantes
Simple changes in the way of life of Indian hunters in Brazil's Mato Grosso not only help to guarantee their future, but also serve to protect a rich source of biodiversity from more damaging human activity.
A tide of plunder in the Southern Ocean
The Patagonian toothfish is a relative newcomer to the global fishing industry, yet already it has been exploited almost to the point of commercial extinction. And some of the worst offenders come from countries that have pledged to protect their marine resources.
Last chance for one of the world's great forests?
Once the second most important source of biodiversity on the American continent, the Inner Atlantic Forest is now largely reduced to a string of `green islands'. But three countries have found the collective will to preserve and possibly recreate it.
Comment: A surprising French lesson for the world
The life of France is so bound up with the motor car that the decision to hold a car-free day in Paris and 34 other cities came almost as a shock. Not only that, but most French people supported the idea. It is the sort of thing that helps to make the life of the environmentalist worthwhile.
Conservation: the new Chinese philosophy
Over the years, China has made strenuous efforts to protect its rich wildlife, but the difficulties are as enormous as the country. Now significant changes in public attitudes offer new hope for China's endangered species.