Discover stories in Science Briefs
Debt Conversions Can Advance Marine Conservation
Refinancing national debt can be a powerful tool for conservation.
Using Science to Select Flagship Species
New research provides science-based way to identify flagship species for effective biodiversity conservation.
A New Way of Mapping Global Ecosystems
Scientists have created the first standardized, fine-scale map of global ecosystems, allowing them to better measure the effectiveness of protected areas and identify ecosystems in need of additional protection.
Co-Benefits for Biodiversity & Carbon in Remnant Forests
New science shows that remnant forests with the greatest tree-species richness also store the most carbon, creating a potential win-win for protecting biodiversity and reducing global carbon emissions.
Tropics Offer Major Natural Climate Solutions Opportunity
New research identifies tropical countries where targeted investment can have the greatest impact on reducing global emissions in the short term.
Biodiverse Forests Capture Carbon Better Than Plantations
New science shows that diverse natural forests with a mix of tree species provide more stable and reliable carbon capture than monoculture plantations in the long run.
The Main Cause of Global Water Scarcity? It’s Us.
New research shows that by 2050, more than 70 percent of watersheds around the world will experience water scarcity driven primarily by human activity, not climate change.
Got Floods? Protecting Floodplains Could Be a Cheap Way to Reduce Damages
In many places in the U.S., $1 invested in floodplain protection today can return at least $5 in savings from avoided flood damages in the future.
Biodiversity Conservation in the Age of Climate Change
An international team of researchers argues that the twin goals of climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation must become the combined foundation of marine management and ocean conservation efforts.
Soil Carbon: Complexity, Context + A Way Forward
Researchers highlight agreements and uncertainties around soil carbon and argue that “action can happen despite unanswered scientific questions.”
Emerging Science Explores Ways to Help Make Green Energy Tech Greener
TNC NatureNet Science Fellow Robert Higgins describes an environmentally friendly way to extract the rare-earth minerals that are critical to green energy technologies, from wind turbines to hydrogen-powered cars.
What Makes Conservation Solutions Go Viral?
Conservationists often talk about “going to scale”—solutions that go big and go fast. But most conservation initiatives requiring decades to start proliferating on their own.
