New Global Forest Watch data show that in 2019, the amount of tropical primary forest lost was nearly the size of Switzerland. Distinguished Senior Fellow Frances Seymour explores the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on forests and shows how forest protection can help societies build back better. Among her recommendations: corporate bailouts must be structured in ways that reduce, rather than continue, current pressures on forests. Read More.

A flood of big data from smart devices, automated sensors, and new communication technologies makes visible how people’s response to the pandemic is transforming social and economic activities. What to do with this information? Eric Mackres outlines how big data can help us understand the current crisis and imagine a new, better normal. Read more.

On Java, Indonesia’s most populous island, more than 30 million people suffer from coastal flooding and erosion driven by bigger storms and sea-level rise. There is hope: an ambitious mangrove restoration project is protecting villages while trapping carbon that drives climate change. Around the world, communities are deploying such nature-based solutions to adapt to climate impacts. Jonathan Cook, a WRI senior associate with the Global Commission on Adaptation, describes three steps to take these solutions to scale. Unlocking investment is key. Read more.