Juliana Birnbaum

Fungi, our ally:  "Learning about fungi made me think deeper about the relationships we need to cope with life on a hotter planet," writes New York Times correspondent Somini Sengupta, author of this interactive piece on the ways that fungi are vital in the era of climate change.  She recently accompanied a research team in Chile, part of a scientific initiative to build a global atlas of underground fungal networks that allow carbon to be stored in soil and document super-sequesterers.  Featured in the piece is Dr. Toby Kiers of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), a  Project Regeneration collaborator. "Maybe this helps explain why fungi are having a moment.  Maybe we are all thinking more about our relationships with one another in an age of increased isolation. Maybe fungi embody an enmeshment we crave."

 Kavya Gopal

Spiders inspire coral reef restoration in Indonesia: Indonesia has one of the most extensive coral reef systems in the world, but more than a third is in poor condition due to the joint threats of warming oceans, blast fishing, plastic pollution, and severe storms. On the island of Timor, conservationists are regenerating coral reefs using a ‘coral spider technique’. This involves the installation of “spiderwebs”—lightweight cast-iron rods—onto existing reefs, with new coral grafted onto the structure. They have observed that the transplanted coral seems to grow well with routine maintenance and cleaning. However, for the project to have long-lasting benefits, there needs to be an end to destructive fishing practices in the area.

 Paul Hawken

The devastating consequences of animal farming: The Guardian continues to do some of the best climate and environmental journalism in the world. This piece is a real-time compilation of some of the consequences animal farming is inflicting upon the world. Concentrated meat breeding facilities and mega-farms are having a devastating impact on people and animals, effects not known or seen when shrink-wrapped bacon and Buffalo Wings are consumed. We wouldn’t purchase products made with slavery, but we do if it is an animal. Whether you eat meat or not, what is clear is that food production needs to be localized and decentralized with an end to animal factories, especially when the factories are called “farms.” When you add it all up, it totals up to greenhouse gas emissions, nitrate pollution, cruelty, disease, and cancer.

 Robert Denney

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks public comments: On July 27th, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public input on the agency’s conservation banking program. Conservation banking is a market-based mechanism where landowners can dedicate their land to endangered and threatened species habitat preservation. A common criticism of conservation banking is that it often does not clearly measure the effects it has on specific species, though the Service’s program has so far been reported to cover 260,000 acres of habitat for 57 species. Public comments (which can be submitted online here) are due by September 26th.

 Tim Treuer

Electric Vehicles become more accessible: The Senate's passage of the biggest climate bill of all time was less than 24 hours old when the New York Times started sniping at its EV provisions, arguing that EVs remain out of reach for most. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the IRA is enough and there are obvious flaws with leaning solely on EVs rather than improved mass transit, bike-friendly cities, etc. But this negative spin based on affordability really elides a few key facts. First, the bill marks a massive improvement for EV access, in particular by extending some tax credits to the used market. Second, for all the examples of luxury EVs, the story practically banishes the Chevy Bolt (full disclosure: it's the car I own) to a footnote, even though it's listed at $25,000, gets 500 km of range, and, thanks to the bill, will soon re-qualify for tax credits, likely making it the first long-range EV to drop below $20,000 for a new model. Third, these price tags also don't take into account fuel and maintenance savings and state and utility incentives that make EVs even more affordable to own.

 Claire Krummenacher

Reimagined urban forests: This summer, a "walking forest" of 1,000 trees planted in movable containers is making its way through the Dutch city of Leeuwarden as part of the triennial Arcadia festival, which uses art to draw attention to the urgent need to reinvent humanity's relationship with the planet in the face of climate change. Consisting of over five dozen native tree species, the interactive "forest" will migrate along a 3.5km stretch with the help of hundreds of volunteers before being planted throughout the city on its 100th day, with priority given to low-income neighborhoods where tree cover is scarce. 

Although its primary purpose is to reconnect residents with nature, the project also produces significant quantifiable benefits: previous research using satellite temperature and land-cover data from nearly 300 European cities found that trees are four times more effective at cooling urban landscapes than any other form of green space and can reduce temperatures by up to 12°C in summer months.

 Courtney White

Research confirms it—nature is good for our soul: A major study published last week stated that nonmaterial connections to nature are essential to human well-being. While the role of ecosystems to our material well-being, such as clean water and healthy food, has been well-quantified, no overarching empirical analysis existed for the cultural, spiritual, aesthetic, and mental health value of nature – until now. Researchers determined that the links are diverse, complex, and profound. There are many practical implications for regeneration, including what happens when we break links to nature. As the lead author of the study said in an interview, “for ecosystem management, the best solution, the most sustainable solution, is to connect people back to nature and let the local people be the ones who help to maintain and manage the ecosystem services.”

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