PLANET IN PERIL

Science A polar bear and her two cubs. Photo by Alastair Rae. The government of one of Canada’s northern territories may soon adopt a recommendation which may well threaten the ability of the polar bear to reproduce. Story here.

PHYS ORG A palm oil plantation in Malaysia, poisoned to make way for new growth. CEphoto, Uwe Aranas The environmental impact of palm oil production has been well publicized. Found in everything from food to cosmetics, the deforestation, ecosystem decline and biodiversity loss  associated with its use is a serious cause for concern. What many people may not know, however, is... story here.

Yale Environment 360 Recent court cases have focused on the possible effects of glyphosate, found in Monsanto’s Roundup, on humans. But researchers are now investigating whether this commonly used herbicide could also be having adverse effects on the health and behaviour of honeybees. Story here. RELATED:  Scientists cast doubt on claims by the chemical giant, Bayer, that its newest pesticide is safe for bees.  -  by Larry Powell

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UN News Service A hard-hitting report into the impact of humans on nature shows that nearly one million species risk becoming extinct within decades, while current efforts to conserve the earth’s resources will likely fail without radical action,  UN biodiversity experts say. The Chatham penguin, once endemic to the Chatham Islands, off New Zealand. Its bones indicate it likely became extinct shortly after Polynesians arrived about 450 years ago. Image by Sean Murtha. RELATED: "The Sixth Extinction - an Unnatural History." (A book review.) Also, please watch this "Life Below Water," video, below .

The Smithsonian Photo by Tomas Castelazo Tree ring data from various parts of the world show that greenhouse gas increases have impacted soil moisture for over 100 years. Story here.

By Cherie Mortice - Common Dreams. Smithfield Food's pig-breeding facility, Virginia. Sows in cruel gestation crates. Photo by US Humane Society. Big ag companies killed family farms and polluted our water, while politicians blamed our immigrant neighbours. Let’s not turn on each other again. Story here

Science The Amazon, near Manaus.  Photo by Neil Palmer (CIAT) . Brazil, home to one of the planet's last great forests, is currently in trade negotiations with its second largest trading partner, the European Union (EU). We urge the EU to seize this critical opportunity to ensure that Brazil protects human rights and the environment.  More here. --> Related:  Attacks on Brazil's ecological paradises.

Large-scale commercial fishing has, for years, been depleting fish-stocks in many places around the world - especially in coral reefs in the tropics. In response, several countries have designated certain areas of the sea as "marine reserves," where neither fishing nor other development is allowed. Now, a team of scientists from US and Australian universities has produced compelling new evidence . It shows  these reserves have not only been helping stocks rebound, but are also protecting massive coral "food webs" - beds of sea-grasses and algae - important reservoirs for carbon storage.   by Larry Powell In this satellite photo, "halos" appear as pale blue circular bands  surrounding tiny dark spots. The spots are likely  small patch reefs  or other shelter for small fish and invertebrates  that protect  them  from predators. Each halo is probably  about 10 meters wide.  The more there are, the healthier  marine life there is likely

PHYS ORG Bumblebees forage on chives. A PinP photo. Flight behaviour is crucial for determining how bees  forage, so reduced flight performance  from pesticide exposure could lead to colonies going hungry and pollination services being impacted.  More here. RELATED: Scientists cast doubt on claims by the chemical giant, Bayer, that its newest pesticide is safe for bees. By Larry Powell.

WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE Manitoba's Riding Mtn. Park. The tropics lost 12 million hectares of tree cover in 2018, the fourth-highest annual loss since record-keeping began in 2001. Of greatest concern is the disappearance of 3.6 million hectares of primary rainforest, an area the size of Belgium (ten Riding Mountain Parks). The figures come from updated data from the University of Maryland, released today on Global Forest Watch. More here.