In historic move, China announces ban on ivory trade by end of 2017

Nation of Change

More than 20,000 elephants were killed for their ivory last year, leaving only about 415,000 remaining. Story here.

Global Cheetah Population 'Crashing,' Raising Risk of Species Extinction

CommonDreams

Just 7,100 cheetahs remain around the world. Story here.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife photo.

Growing mega-cities will displace vast tracts of farmland by 2030, study says

theguardian

Cropland losses will have consequences especially for Asia and Africa, which will experience growing food insecurity as cities expand. Story here.

Scientists are trying to save the climate from toxic cow burps

The Washington Post

Earth has a cow problem. Story here.

USDA photo

El Niño on a warming planet may have sparked the Zika epidemic, scientists report

The Washington Post

In a world characterized by rising temperatures, deforestation and other human influences on the environment, the spread of infectious disease is a hot topic. Many recent studies suggest that environmental changes can affect the transmission of everything from malaria to the Zika virus — and it’s increasingly important to understand these links, scientists say. Story here.

Nearly 3,000 US Communities Have Lead Levels Higher Than Flint: Reuters

CommonDreams

Advocates hope new investigation will spur action from community leaders, as aid and attention have been slim. Story here.

UN: Huge emissions cuts needed to meet Paris climate goals

CTV News

The world is nowhere near on track to achieve the ambitious temperature goals adopted in the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change, the UN said Thursday in a sobering report that warned of a human tragedy unless governments stepped up efforts to fight global warming. Story here.