Environment
💣 Historic clearing of ammunition from the Baltic Sea floor
SeaTerra initiates a groundbreaking effort to clear 1.5 million tons of World War II ammunition from the Baltic Sea floor. The company uses the advanced underwater robot Norppa 300 that can work at 300 meters depth around the clock.
🌳 Forests can naturally regrow in area larger than Saudi Arabia, new study shows
Tropical forests can naturally regrow on 215 million hectares of land without trees needing to be planted. If all identified areas were reforested, it would sequester 23.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide over 30 years.
🌳 Deforestation in the Amazon decreases by 30%
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has decreased by 30 percent over the past year, reaching its lowest level since 2015. In Cerrado, Brazil's savanna region, deforestation also decreased by 26 percent, the first reduction in five years.
🌐 The ozone hole over Antarctica continues to shrink
The ozone hole over Antarctica was the seventh smallest since 1992. Scientists estimate that the ozone layer could be fully restored by 2066.
🏝️ Several atolls are growing despite rising sea levels
Scientists have discovered that many coral islands are growing or maintaining their size despite rising sea levels. Over 1000 islands have been studied and shown surprising resilience to sea level rise.
🌳 Deforestation in the Amazon reaches lowest level since 2018
Deforestation in the Amazon has decreased by 40 percent compared to 2023. May 2024 recorded the lowest deforestation level since March 2018. The accumulated deforestation over the past year has decreased by 54 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
🐎 Wild horses return to the Kazakh steppes after 200 years
The world's last wild horses, Przewalski's horses, have returned to their original home in Kazakhstan. The horses come from zoos in Berlin and Prague. The plan is to transport a total of 40 horses to central Kazakhstan over the next five years.
🌎 The last ozone-depleting chemical is now decreasing
The levels of the ozone-depleting chemical HCFC have been declining since 2021. The ozone layer is recovering, and the dangerous ozone hole is shrinking. The Montreal Protocol, adopted in 1987, has been crucial in reducing the use of ozone-depleting substances.
🐦CyberTracker helps indigenous communities document biodiversity
CyberTracker's software, developed in collaboration with indigenous communities, enables nearly anyone to collect complex biodiversity data. Even individuals who are illiterate can collect detailed data.