The “high seas,” waters outside of national borders, comprise roughly two-thirds of the ocean. It’s an immense area teeming with life and valuable natural resources that remains largely unregulated. This situation is becoming increasingly precarious as the ocean’s health is squeezed by climate change, pollution, overfishing and emerging threats like deep-sea mining.  

The High Seas Treaty aims to bring these international waters under one legally binding framework that can foster stronger governance, increase conservation and ensure sustainable use of the ocean’s resources.
 
The text of the treaty was agreed in 2023 after nearly two decades, but it needs at least 60 countries to ratify it before it takes effect. With less than 10 countries left to ratify, all eyes are on this week’s UN Ocean Conference to see if it will finally take force.

Forests disappeared at a staggering rate over the last two decades. New data shows that over a third of this loss is likely permanent. But it also gives us a clearer picture of what’s been driving forest destruction around the globe — and what to do about it.

Extreme heat is no longer rare or temporary; it’s a pervasive new reality that’s reshaping the ways we live, work and travel. But as cities around the world get hotter, some are finding powerful methods to cope.

Over 30% of corn and 40% of soybean oil produced in the U.S. are used to make “sustainable” biofuels. Yet studies suggest that growing biofuel production can actually increase emissions, push out small farmers and pollute Midwest communities. 

Agriculture, wildfire and logging are the biggest drivers of tree cover loss globally. But the picture looks drastically different when you break it down by region.