Indigenous Peoples and other local communities are among the world’s most effective forest stewards. Yet they're seeing some of the worst destruction from escalating forest fires, in part due to colonial legacies that have prevented the “cultural burning” that helped suppress fires for generations.

There’s a slow but growing movement to reverse this trend. From the United States and Canada to Brazil and Australia, initiatives that combine traditional knowledge with modern firefighting techniques are proving successful at mitigating fires — while also revitalizing the land and uplifting communities.

Some projections say the data center boom sweeping the U.S. could overwhelm the electricity system, driving energy prices and greenhouse gas emissions skyward. Other estimates are far more reserved. So how do we plan for the demand surge that might come?

On Sept. 19, Morocco became the 60th and final country to ratify a global treaty aimed at protecting the vast expanse of international waters known as the “High Seas.” After nearly two decades of negotiations, it’s a major win that could launch a new era of sustainable ocean management.

This week, the EU proposed delaying its landmark deforestation regulation (the EUDR) until 2026, pushing its start date back for the second year in a row. We unpack what the law is and why it matters not just for Europe, but for the world’s forests.

47 countries, responsible for 25% of global emissions, have revealed their new national climate plans as of Sept. 25. The rest are due before the end of the year. Explore the commitments submitted so far and track new ones as they come in on WRI’s Climate Watch.