The Amazon rainforest has experienced several compounding threats lately: raging wildfires, rampant deforestation, record-breaking drought and more. A new study from the journal Nature is the first of its kind to compare the cumulative effects of these events. The findings paint a grim picture, where the sprawling rainforest could soon pass a tipping point and turn to grasslands.  
Part of the reason protecting the Amazon has been so difficult is because countries like Brazil have built their economies on the agricultural commodities that drive deforestation. But research from WRI Brasil and the New Climate Economy finds that rainforest conservation and economic growth don’t have to be at odds. Brazil can halt deforestation and still grow its economy across all major sectors, from livestock and agriculture to clean energy, creating thousands more sustainable jobs for local and Indigenous people. Researchers explain how to shift Brazil’s economy to a “bioeconomy” and protect the Amazon for years to come. Read more.

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The U.S. uses approximately 180 million acres of prime farmland for producing corn and soy — the ingredients that make up most biofuels — and the Midwest is a hub for these crops. While the federal Renewable Fuel Standard sets targets for production of biofuels, research shows they’re not the climate-friendly solution they’re cracked up to be. In fact, making more biofuels may fuel climate change while squeezing out small farmers and endangering public health. Read more.

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One of the world’s richest sources of biodiversity is the ocean. Underwater “blue carbon ecosystems” like mangroves, seagrasses and salt marshes are home to millions of sea creatures. These ecosystems are also crucial to fighting climate change: They store 5 times more carbon per area than tropical forests and absorb it from the atmosphere 3 times faster. Read more.

Corn, a major component of biofuels, requires a significant amount of fertilizer to grow, which emits considerable greenhouse gases. Expanding biofuels production in the U.S. Midwest may harm the climate and small farmers in the process.