Brazil's Forest Code and its rules on deforestation will soon be updated. David Cleary looks at both sides of the debate and makes a bold prediction about the most likely outcome. More

Oxfam released a report on "landgrabbing," the buying up of agricultural land by foreign investors. More

Uncertainty over the new Forest Code rules is one factor leading to a bad year for deforestation. A new grant to The Nature Conservancy is one factor that should help combat it. More

The loser in Brazil’s recent presidential election scores a win for the environment— our director of conservation strategies in South America explains. More

Is there really a link between the economy and levels of deforestation in the Amazon? David Cleary, our director of conservation strategies in South America, looks at that relationship and some interesting trends in Brazil. More

How can celebrities productively engage a cause? One case study how not to do it: James Cameron's recent protests in Brazil against a proposed new dam there, says the Conservancy's David Cleary. More

Deforestation rates in Brazil's Amazon dropped 45% last year over 2008's figures, continuing a five-year trend. But don't celebrate just yet, says the Conservancy's David Cleary. More

The British have announced they will explore for oil in the Falkland Islands. David Cleary says that would pose a huge threat to some of Earth's richest marine habitats. More

In Brazil, we trust our politicians even less than you do north of the Rio Grande. With rather more reason: if there were an Olympics for stealing public money or deliberate deceit of the electorate, we could put out a gold medal team of politicos. When they speak, we don’t so much listen as look [...] More

Naturally we in the Cidade Maravilhosa are delighted to have beaten out the Windy City and snatched the 2016 Olympics from under the nose of the not-quite-glamorous-enough First Couple of the United States: even Obama can’t compete with Copacabana when it comes to wowing Olympic committees. But now that the cheering has died down along [...] More