Forest damage in Europe caused by wildfires, storms and bark beetle outbreaks is projected to increase compared to recent decades under all analysed climate scenarios, according to a new international study, published in the scientific journal Science, with contributions from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).
Even in a scenario with warming limited to roughly 2°C, annually disturbed forest area could rise from about 180,000 to roughly 216,000 hectares per year by the end of the century, compared to the already unprecedented levels of disturbances from 1986 to 2020. In a scenario in which fossil fuel use continues to increase, annually disturbed forest area could double, reaching nearly 370,000 hectares per year by the end of the century.
Forest damage in Europe
“In the future, Europe’s forests are likely to absorb less carbon,” says Christopher Reyer, scientist at PIK and co-author of the study. “If forests take up less carbon, or potentially even release more than they absorb, this increases pressure on other sectors such as transport and agriculture to reduce their emissions more rapidly. At the same time, forest management needs to focus more strongly on building resilient forests.”
According to the study, forests in Southern and Western Europe will be particularly affected and will undergo the strongest changes in forest disturbance. Northern Europe is expected to be less severely impacted overall, though hotspots of future forest damage are also likely to emerge there. The study was led by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
Energy and economic experts have commended Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals for cushioning Nigeria from the full force of the global oil shock triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East.
International developments highlight the scale of disruption across global markets. In the United Kingdom, The Mirror reported petrol prices climbing to 169.9 pence per litre, with long queues forming at filling stations amid fears of supply shortages linked to the crisis.
Analysts argue that without the refinery’s 650,000 barrels per day capacity, Nigeria would have faced acute product scarcity and significantly sharper increases in petrol prices as crude oil surged on the international market.
Dangote Refinery
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, noted that crude prices have risen by over 32.39% since the crisis began, climbing above $84.5 per barrel. In contrast, the Dangote Refinery implemented a measured adjustment of N100 per litre in its ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit, representing an increase of about 12%.
“The price of crude has gone up about 32% but the price of PMS has gone up about 12%, so the Dangote Refinery has absorbed over half of the increase,” Rewane said. He added that, in China, which operates a 10-day averaging pricing window, petrol prices have risen by about 15% within the same period.
Also speaking, Dr Muda Yusuf, former Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described the refinery as a major stabilising factor for Nigeria’s energy security.
“We are fortunate as a country to have the Dangote Refinery because many countries are currently in crisis as far as energy is concerned, occasioned by skyrocketing prices and product shortages,” he said. “Yes, there has been some increase in price, but that is inevitable because crude feedstock is the major cost variable. The increase cannot be compared to what would have happened if we did not have a functioning local refinery. The volatility has been moderated because we are more energy secure.”
Development economist, Prof Ken Ife, observed that the Middle East tensions would have wider implications for Africa, where refining capacity remains limited. He noted that the continent spends over $120 billion annually importing petroleum products, despite concerns over quality in some markets.
Citing data from OPEC, Ife said Nigeria has about 445,000 barrels allocated for domestic refining under existing arrangements. However, the Dangote Refinery requires about 13 vessels of crude to meet local consumption needs but currently receives only five. He called for stricter enforcement of domestic crude supply obligations to strengthen local refining capacity.
On his part, a university lecturer and public affairs analyst, Dr Abimbola Oyarinu, said the refinery came on stream at a critical moment, particularly as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for roughly 20 to 30 per cent of global oil supply, continue to exert upward pressure on crude prices.
“The strategic value of the Dangote Refinery lies in supply security and reduced scarcity risk,” he said. “However, stabilisation is not the same as insulation. Because crude is priced at international market rates, global volatility will still transmit into the domestic economy, particularly through fuel price induced inflation. Sustainable economic stability will require complementary policy discipline, transparency in pricing and the development of strategic reserves.”
Managing Director and Chief Economist at Analysts’ Data Services and Resources (ADSR) Limited, Afolabi Olowookere, said the issue of inadequate crude supply to Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals by domestic producers must be urgently addressed, given the strategic benefits the facility offers to both Nigeria and the wider African region.
Olowookere explained that although Nigerians expect refined products from the refinery to be significantly cheaper, prevailing market realities such as global crude oil prices, the cost of crude supply and refining margins make substantial price reductions unlikely in the short term. He stressed that improving domestic crude allocation to the refinery would strengthen supply stability and enhance the long-term benefits of local refining for the economy.
The Abia State Government and TechEccentric have given 100 young people laptop computers as part of efforts to improve digital skills and alleviate the state’s unemployment crisis.
Like many other states in Nigeria, Abia has a serious problem with youth unemployment; according to numerous studies, the percentage of young people without jobs may reach 50%. As a result, the “Thrive Abia” project is a tech freelancing initiative that is designed to help transform that problem into an opportunity.
This digital model reflects the Igba Boi system, which has long defined entrepreneurship in the South East. These “digital apprentices” are trained by QurateHQ and then assisted in training and mentoring 100 new technology entrepreneurs annually, much like an established trader mentors and equips a young apprentice to eventually start his own business.
Guests at the Thrive Abia project’s official launch in Umuahia, the state capital of Abia
Speaking at the programme’s official launch on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State in Southeast Nigeria, Abia State Commissioner of Science, Technology, and Innovation David Kalu referred to the initiative as accountability-driven, firm, and inspiring, particularly with regard to laptop loan-to-own.
According to him, the event, which was organised by TechEccentric in partnership with the Abia State Ministry of Science and Technology, sets a new standard by highlighting the significance of opportunity tied to structure, discipline, and results.
He stated that Abia State has a large number of talented young people, but that many of them lack structured pathways to convert their gifts into skills and skills into income.
“Thrive Abia is designed to close that gap by providing practical, market-relevant digital skills with real support,” the ministry’s chieftain explained, adding that this cohort is the first 100 and that their performance will set the norm for future cohorts.
The standard he went on to describe will encourage a change in the beneficiaries’ mindset because the initiative is empowerment by building capability rather than empowerment by giving. This is important, he added, because success will come from consistency, discipline, and delivery rather than just motivation alone.
Kalu warned the recipients that the laptop is programme equipment provided for learning and delivery, not a free gift, and that any misuse, resale, or carelessness will have repercussions.
“If you treat it like a gift, you will waste it. If you treat it like a tool, it can change your life,” he told the receivers after presenting the devices to them.
In a similar vein, Mr. Gilbert Igwe, co-partner of TechEccentric, stated that the exercise’s goal is to teach 10, 000 young Abians – beginning with 100 – about technology and how to use it to generate income.
He says that tech is fun and that anyone who wants to be successful on the project needs to be consistent and confident; therefore, he encourages them to ask questions when needed.
According to him, tech is similar to learning other professions such as mechanics and electricians, with the exception that whereas the others require the use of a spanner and screwdriver, tech only requires the use of a computer.
He remarked that the challenges one faces can depend on perspective, as there are various ways to earn income through technology. One possibility is to seek local employment, while another is to work remotely as a freelancer, offering services to clients beyond Nigeria.
“Once you get to that place, it’s really, really fun,” he remarked, emphasising the importance of consistency, dedication, and confidence.
The tech and AI expert went on to say that how much you earn is entirely up to you and that it will not happen overnight; it will take a lot of hard effort.
“Our assurance to you is that we want to take you from where you are today, instil the skills in you and show you how to be self-employed,” claimed Mr. Igwe.
He reminded them that the programme involves more than merely generating profit. As interns, they are expected to educate others about digital awareness, inspire them to identify local issues within the public and private sectors, and utilise their newly acquired skills to seek solutions.
Giving a breakdown of the structure of the programme, Mr. Uche Onyekpe, co-partner of TechEccentric, hinted that it would require their entire participation and would take the shape of a hybrid.
The first half of the training, he elaborated, will require students to participate in hands-on activities, while the second will demand them to demonstrate what they have learned.
Mr. Onyekpe expressed his pleasure in working with the state, pointing to the governor’s dedication to the innovation ecosystem as the motivation for the partnership.
The beneficiaries commended the state government for launching the project, which they regarded as a game changer in transforming young people into valuable assets for themselves and the state as a whole.
Ifeoma Solomon, an engineering student and one of the awardees, stated that she chose to enrol in an artificial intelligence and automation course because she wants to mentor others using what she has learned.
“I hope to combine my knowledge to move Abia forward,” she said.
Each of the sponsored individuals will participate in a six-month technology and freelancing bootcamp as part of the Thrive Abia project. They will also receive a laptop, a business identity, and income prospects.
Additionally, they must be taught as peer mentors using a ready-to-use curriculum and toolbox, and they must conduct two training cycles a year with 50 mentees per cohort, with assistance from QurateHQ and the State.
The deployment of products of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) continues to raise concerns and resistance, not only in Nigeria but across the world among consumers, researchers, public health experts, food sovereignty campaigners and others. Nigeria’s National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) however, has continued to take on a defensive front on the matter rather than acknowledging and addressing critical concerns that are quite fundamental and evident.
This we believe comes from a mindset that assumes science and technology especially such as is approved by some foreign entities cannot be flawed and that Nigeria or Africa cannot make a headway in agriculture without without deploying biotechnology.
Bello Bawa Bwari, CEO/Director-General, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA)
A recent article in The Guardian titled “Nigeria Is Not Experimenting With GMOs, It Is Regulating Them”presents genetically engineered crops as a fait accompli and theNBMA as adequately defending Nigeria’s biosafety. The article almost reads like an NBMA public relations piece. The fact we must not forget is that the agency is saddled with the mandate to ensure that the practice of, and products from modern biotechnology do not harm human, animals, or plants health or the environment and they have said in the past that they are not set up to stop the deployment of GMOs but to regulate them.
This begs for an interrogation of what regulation actually means. Shouldn’t regulation mean that GMOs should be banned altogether if they pose significant risks to humans and the environment? The Precautionary Principle, a key principle of the Cartagena Protocol to which Nigeria is signatory, specifically advises caution and a halt in adoption of GMOs where there are threats to human and environmental safety.
One of the fundamental questions that the Nigerian government through the NBMA is yet to respond to is “where are the results of LONG TERM and INDEPENDENT/PEER REVIEWED risk assessment including feeding tests conducted that informs the safety of the four officially approved products for commercial planting in Nigeria and the 10 or more others approved for food, feed and processing?”
This is unarguably the surest way to build trust in the regulatory architecture, but such information is not on the website of the NBMA as of March 6, 2026. We cannot but say the country is experimenting with GMOs using Nigerians as test subjects with our soils/environment as the laboratory. This is clearly not the way to defend biosafety.
The loudest argument about the need for GMOs in Nigeria is that there is no other way to feed a burgeoning population. The fact that these artificial crops do not have a yield advantage over natural varieties when cultivated under similar conditions is simply overlooked. The overriding impetus for the broadcasting of the GMOs in Nigeria is the economic benefits the speculators and manufacturers of the seeds would reap, riding on their power and control over policy formulation and implementation.
Profit at what cost? Or is it true as an official of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) stated at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives in December 2024 that “it is better to eat and die than not to eat and die”? Meaning that because Nigeria’s population is huge, we should keep deploying GMOs irrespective of the quality of the food and the long-term impacts whether social, health or environmental, as long as food is available.
But we must dig deeper even on the economic front. The cotton farmers who have planted GMOs for the longest time in Nigeria noted in 2024 that the GM Cotton (Bt Cotton) after three odd years of planting has not outperformed the conventional variety. They lamented that their soil was instead being degraded. This is possibly a result of the release of the CRY1Ab toxins (from Bacillus thuringiensis) in the Bt Cotton into the soils. Again, what cost are we willing to pay just to be in the league of countries deploying so-called cutting edge modern biotechnology in agriculture?
A second fundamental question that remains unanswered is who controls the GM seed market? This gives rise to several other questions: Who owns the intellectual property rights over the genetically modified seeds? Here’s the catch: GMOs can and will contaminate our local varieties through cross pollination and other processes. What safeguards has the NBMA put in place to prevent gene transfer and contamination of Nigeria’s local seed varieties? Or are we content with depending solely on the intentional seed companies for seeds and for our subsistence in the long run?
A number of other countries have put in place total or partial bans on GMOs based on this risk of genetic contamination. In 2024, Mexico placed an indefinite ban on genetically engineered corn. The courts said that, from the evidence before it, genetically engineered corn posed “the risk of imminent harm to the environment.” Furthermore, they will “suspend all activities involving the planting of transgenic corn in the country and end the granting of permission for experimental and pilot commercial plantings.” This ruling provided a protection for the 20,000 varieties of corn grown in Mexico and Central America.
What are we doing to protect Nigeria’s genetic resources from GMOs contamination? Mexico is the centre of origin of maize and this reality places responsibility on her to protect natural maize varieties from the corruption of transgenic varieties. Nigeria is the centre of origin of beans/cowpea, and yet our farms and markets are open to insecticidal GMO beans.
On this note we encourage the government at all levels to invest in the setting up of seed banks to ensure the preservation of local and high performing indigenous seed varieties.
Nigerians reserve the right to choose their food. GMOs approved for commercial cultivation and sale are not labeled. Although we do not believe labelling will be effective considering our socio-economic context, the absence of labelling signals a disregard for the rights of consumers and an avoidance of responsibility on the part of the producers GMOs.
Releasing GMOs into the market without labels is against the spirit and intent of the biosafety law in Nigeria. This explains why the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act lacks provision on strict liability.
Many Nigerians are consuming imported processed foods bought from supermarkets without any idea that they are made from the genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The manner in which these items are imported into the country needs to be interrogated. Although the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has said illegal importation of GMOs into the country is being checked, these products are abundant in our market shelves (over 50 different brands including cereals, vegetable oils, spices, ice-cream, cake mixes, etc) as revealed by a survey which Health of Mother Earth Foundation carried out across 10 Nigerian cities in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
We reinforce the call for a ban on GMOs in Nigeria. As recommended by the House of Representatives in 2024, no new GMOs should be approved in Nigeria pending a proper interrogation of the processes of approvals so far. We add that such an interrogation must include long term impacts on human and environmental health. The output of this exercise should be critically reviewed by independent scientists and other food system stakeholders.
Nigeria’s approach to tackling food insecurity should be such that address the root causes of the problem. We cannot overlook the poor budgetary allocation to agriculture or the heightened insecurity that keeps farmers out of farms or the lack of basic infrastructure or the poor extension service, etc, and claim to be addressing food insecurity.
It is time to transition back to agroecology -which simply means farming in line with nature and in the light of our socio-cultural, economic and ecological context. Farming that ensures that science recognises local knowledge and that it serves the interest of the people. We must promote and protect farming that assures food security but much better food sovereignty by ensuring shorter value chains/better access to food, improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers and a protection of the rights of peoples.
GMOs only attempt to address the symptoms of major underlying food system issues while increasing profit for their proponents. The price to pay in terms of ecological damage, loss of biodiversity, health and economic implications far outweigh any fickle advantages they may seem to have. It is time to decolonize our food systems.
People over profits!
By Nnimmo Bassey and Joyce Brown
Nnimmo Bassey is an Environmental Activist, Author/Poet and Executive Director at Health of Mother Earth Foundation
Joyce Brown is a Public Health Scientist, Food Sovereignty Campaigner, and Director of Programmes at Health of Mother Earth Foundation
The Lagos State House of Assembly has concluded its investigation into demolitions in three waterfront communities, with affected residents presenting differing demands.
Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Mr. Noheem Adams, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting with representatives of the affected communities on Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Lagos.
The affected communities are Makoko, Sogunro and Oko-Agbon.
Makoko demolition
Adams, who is also Majority Leader, said the committee would submit its findings and the communities’ positions to the Speaker and the 40-member assembly.
He expressed concern over the shifting positions of community representatives during the discussions.
Adams recalled that the communities had initially agreed to compensation but later changed their stance, describing the development as a setback to reconciliation efforts.
At the committee’s final meeting on Thursday, representatives of the three communities presented differing views on compensation and relocation for displaced residents.
The Alase of the Egun community in Makoko, Francis Agoyon, said affected residents should be permanently relocated rather than compensated.
Similarly, the Baale of Makoko, Chief Emmanuel Shemade, said residents preferred relocation to financial compensation.
However, he urged the government to clearly state where displaced residents would be relocated and define the demolition boundaries in Makoko, Sogunro and Oko-Agbon.
In contrast, Sogunro representative, Mr. Bola Ayande, said the community preferred financial compensation.
Ayande suggested that each affected resident should receive about ₦10 million, noting that an average bamboo house in the area costs about ₦4 million.
Vice Chairman of the Fishermen Association, Tobi Kalejaiye, said the situation had created anxiety among residents.
“The people are jittery about the situation. Whatever the traditional rulers say will be the final decision,” he said.
Leaders of the three communities, however, agreed that government should demolish any structures rebuilt on the affected sites.
Officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency told the committee that some demolished structures had been reconstructed.
They requested permission from the assembly to remove the new constructions.
Earlier, the assembly directed the communities to form 10-member committees comprising women, youths, students and traditional leaders.
The move is aimed at resolving disputes and addressing the needs of displaced residents.
The three communities also submitted their reports to the Assembly Secretariat.
A free digital application called “Sustainability Career Pathfinder” has been launched by Comfort Apeh Francis, the United Nations and the African Union Youth Climate Innovator, to encourage young people to become interested in sustainable development projects and assist in creating jobs in the green transition plan.
The tool, which was introduced on Thursday, March 5, 2026, aims to increase the talent pipeline of gifted individuals entering the green economy, whether in policy, finance, technology, communications, or technical environmental jobs.
At a time when demand for sustainability talent is growing faster than supply, Ms. Apeh’s innovation has received positive early user review, with full impact data expected within the coming week.
Comfort Apeh Francis during an innovator pitch at the 2nd African Climate summit
According to the World Economic Forum report on November 14, 2025, the green transition globally is projected to impact 14.4 million jobs and create 9.6 million new jobs despite 2.4 million jobs becoming obsolete by 2030.
Speaking to EnviroNews after the launch, Ms. Apeh, the founder of GreenBridge Africa Innovation Ltd, said she was inspired to create the tool after taking a close observation of the way global policies are being implemented and new job paths created.
“I’m giving back by providing a tool I wish I had before now. I want more young people to get into technical roles, not just activism,” the innovator stated.
Among the difficulties she recalled was the fact that she was not an expert in software. Consequently, she had to hire a specialist to help with the design and development of the tool, which incurred significant costs that she could not afford.
“But with the help of AI tools, I was able to build and deploy this technology with no technical experience. It is proof that the barrier to building for climate should not be financial or technical,” she said.
The United Nations has advanced its clean energy drive in Nigeria by unveiling a solar power project designed to reduce electricity costs, cut carbon emissions and promote sustainable energy use.
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, made this known during the switch-on ceremony of Phase I of the Greening of the UN House project, on Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Abuja.
He said that the initiative marked a step toward renewable energy adoption within the UN system.
Dignitaries at the switch-on ceremony of Phase I of the Greening of the UN House project, on Thursday, in Abuja
Fall said the solarisation project demonstrated the organisation’s commitment to sustainability, andd that it aligned with global efforts to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
“In a few moments, with the flip of a switch, this building will begin running on sunlight.
“This is more than a technical milestone; it is a statement that the future of energy is already here,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria holds enormous renewable energy potential, particularly through solar power, noting that reliable electricity remains critical for economic growth, productivity and social development.
He said the UN was proud to support Nigeria’s efforts to expand renewable energy in line with the Electricity Act 2023 and the country’s climate commitments.
Fall added that Phase I of the project included “a 400 kilowatt-peak solar photovoltaic microgrid, expandable to 700 kilowatts, alongside 650 kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion battery storage to provide energy resilience.”
He said the system also features artificial intelligence driven energy management and Internet of Things digital monitoring to optimise power use and track system performance in real time.
The UN official explained that the solar installation would reduce annual electricity costs for the UN House by about 40 per cent, translating to savings of between 173 million naira and 216 million naira annually.
He added that the project would also cut grid electricity consumption by nearly one million kilowatt hours each year and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 300 tonnes annually.
Fall also said that the initiative reflected collaboration among various UN agencies operating within the common premises, and was implemented with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme.
Fall further said the UN planned to expand the initiative under Phase II, which will increase solar capacity toward 700 kilowatts and further reduce reliance on conventional grid power.
According to him, the long-term goal is to move the facility toward near complete clean energy autonomy, while encouraging similar projects across institutions in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Mr Abba Aliyu, commended the UN for demonstrating that renewable energy solutions were both practical and economically viable.
Aliyu noted that Nigeria required an estimated 23 billion U.S dollars to electrify underserved and unserved communities across the country using the most cost effective approaches.
He said that initiatives, such as the UN solar project helped to demonstrate how clean energy can support socio-economic development and improve electricity access.
Also speaking, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, said the project aligned with Nigeria’s energy transition agenda and the government’s efforts to promote renewable energy and modernise the power sector.
Adelabu, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mahmuda Mamman, also reaffirmed that the Federal Government remained committed to strengthening partnerships with development organisations to expand clean energy access nationwide.
“We recognise that a diversified energy mix, anchored on a renewable energy solution, is essential for long-term energy security,” he said.
Similarly, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, described the initiative as an important step toward addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development.
Lawal said Nigeria must continue to adopt environmentally friendly energy solutions to reduce carbon emissions and protect the planet for future generations.
He expressed optimism that the project would inspire other institutions and organisations to adopt renewable energy technologies.
Global warming has accelerated since 2015, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). Global warming is the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature, primarily caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
After accounting for known natural influences on global temperature, the research team detected a statistically significant acceleration of the warming trend for the first time.
Over the past 10 years, the estimated warming rate has been around 0.35°C per decade, depending on the dataset, compared with just under 0.2°C per decade on average from 1970 to 2015. This recent rate is higher than in any previous decade since the beginning of instrumental records in 1880.
Global warming
“We can now demonstrate a strong and statistically significant acceleration of global warming since around 2015,” says Grant Foster, a US statistics expert and co-author of the study, which was published on Friday, March 6, 2026, in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters.
“We filter out known natural influences in the observational data, so that the ‘noise’ is reduced, making the underlying long-term warming signal more clearly visible,” Foster added.
Short-term natural fluctuations in global temperature caused by El Niño, volcanic eruptions, and solar cycles can mask changes in the long-term rate of warming. In their data analysis, which is based on measurement data, the researchers work with five large, established global temperature data sets (NASA, NOAA, HadCRUT, Berkeley Earth, ERA5).
“The adjusted data show an acceleration of global warming since 2015 with a statistical certainty of over 98 percent, consistent across all data sets examined and independent of the analysis method chosen,” explains Stefan Rahmstorf, PIK researcher and lead author of the study.
Study examines statistical acceleration of warming, not its causes
After correcting for the effects of El Niño and the solar maximum, 2023 and 2024, which were exceptionally warm years, become somewhat cooler, but remain the two warmest years since the beginning of instrumental records. In all datasets, the acceleration begins to become apparent in 2013 or 2014. To test whether the warming rate has changed since the 1970s, the research team applied two statistical approaches: a quadratic trend analysis and a piecewise linear model that objectively determines the timing of any change in the warming rate.
The study does not investigate the specific causes of the observed acceleration. However, climate models show that an increasing rate of warming is fundamentally within the scope of current climate modelling, according to the authors.
“If the warming rate of the past 10 years continues, it would lead to a long-term exceedance of the 1.5°C limit of the Paris Agreement before 2030,” says Stefan Rahmstorf. “How quickly the Earth continues to warm ultimately depends on how rapidly we reduce global CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels to zero.”
An interim report which provides an update to the landmark State of the World’s Migratory Species (2024) warns that 49% of migratory species populations conserved by the global UN treaty are declining, (5% more in just two years), and 24% of species face extinction (2% more).
The new warnings are set to be presented to the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP15), a legally binding treaty of the United Nations, in Campo Grande, Brazil, from March 23 to 29, 2026.
The week-long COP is one of the most important global meetings for wildlife conservation. With high-level political attention from host-country Brazil, the meeting is set to tackle an ambitious set of actions addressing a vital aspect of the global biodiversity crisis.
CMS Executive Secretary, Amy Fraenkel
Billions of individual aquatic, avian, and terrestrial wild animals migrate across lands, rivers, oceans and skies. They are essential to the well-functioning of nature and to human well-being, pollinating plants, transporting nutrients, regulating ecosystems, controlling pests, storing carbon and sustaining livelihoods and cultures worldwide.
Their survival depends on coordinated action across the full length of their migratory routes, which can cross multiple national borders and even continents.
Developed for CMS by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and other contributors, the interim report tracks significant changes in the conservation status of migratory species and highlights emerging trends to provide new information focusing on:
Recent significant changes in the conservation status of species listed under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS-listed) since the 2024 baseline, based on data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Newly reported population trends and changes in extinction risk documented in the scientific literature.
The report also underlines encouraging developments:
Advances in mapping of migratory pathways to inform decision-making. Initiatives to map migrations are gathering momentum. This includes those spotlighted in the report – the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration (GIUM), the Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean (MiCO) system, and BirdLife International’s work to identify and map six major marine flyways.
Progress in identifying and safeguarding important habitats and migratory corridors.
Recovery of some species through coordinated action.
Other key findings:
26 CMS-listed species, including 18 migratory shorebirds, have moved to higher extinction risk categories.
Seven CMS-listed species have improved, including the saiga antelope, scimitar-horned oryx, and Mediterranean monk seal.
9,372 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) important for CMS-listed species have been identified.
47% of the area covered by KBAs is not covered by protected and conserved areas.
Progress has been made on filling gaps in knowledge on important habitats and migratory routes for sharks/rays and marine mammals, and new initiatives will identify areas for marine turtles.
Despite some important successes, key indicators – such as the overall proportion of CMS-listed species with decreasing populations – are heading in the wrong direction.
The new report is based on the latest available data, including significant changes in conservation status, newly reported population trends, and recent progress in identifying and protecting critical habitats and migratory pathways.
This focused update provides Parties with the latest available evidence ahead of COP15 deliberations, helping to identify priority areas for action in advance of the next full report in 2029 at COP16.
Overexploitation, and habitat loss and fragmentation, are the two greatest threats to migratory species worldwide, notes CMS Executive Secretary, Amy Fraenkel.
“The first global report was a wake-up call,” she said. “This interim update shows that the alarm is still sounding. Some species are responding to concerted conservation action, but too many continue to face mounting pressures across their migratory routes. We must respond to this evidence with coordinated and effective international action.”
The report underscores the need for action to improve the status of all migratory species listed on the Convention, but most urgently for the species listed on CMS Appendix I, where migratory species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range, are listed.
These 188 Appendix I species include terrestrial mammals (28), aquatic mammals (23), birds (103), reptiles (8), and fish (26).
Parties that are Range States to Appendix I-listed species are required to provide strict protection, including the prohibition of taking (such as hunting or capturing), protecting and restoring important habitats, and addressing obstacles that impede the species’ migration.
Among other measures, a Global Initiative on Taking of Migratory Species (GTI) is expected to be launched at COP15. The new CMS-initiated initiative is designed to help governments, experts and local communities to ensure that any taking of migratory species is legal, sustainable and safe. It focuses on new findings that the threat of taking for domestic use is far greater than international trade.
“If we intervene only at the point of crisis, we risk acting too late,” said Fraenkel. “By strengthening governance, monitoring, legislation and community engagement upstream, we can reduce pressure on these remarkable animals and put them on the path to lasting recovery.”
Building on a landmark baseline
The 2024 State of the World’s Migratory Species report marked the first comprehensive global assessment of migratory animals, covering the 1,189 species listed at that time in CMS Appendices I and II and its analysis is linked to over 3,000 additional migratory species.
It found that:
70 CMS-listed species had become more endangered over the previous three decades, compared to just 14 that improved in status.
Migratory fish populations had declined by 90% on average since the 1970s and 97% of CMS-listed migratory fish species face extinction.
More than half of Key Biodiversity Areas important for CMS-listed species lacked protected status.
The interim report update ensures that governments at CMS COP15 have the most current scientific picture before them.
“We have a baseline. We have better tools. And we have growing public awareness,” Fraenkel said. “The question before governments at COP15 is straightforward: will we match this knowledge with the political will and investment needed to secure the future of the world’s migratory species?”
Uruguay shared its experience in phasing out dental amalgam with other Latin American countries in a regional workshop under the GEF dental amalgam project.
In 2018, Uruguay removed dental amalgam from the oral health services covered by the country’s Comprehensive Health Care Plan, and there have been no imports of dental amalgam since 2020.
Participants at the Uruguay workshop on phasing out dental amalgam
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), together with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), convened a meeting in Montevideo from March 4 and 5, 2026. Similar meetings will follow in Bangkok and Dakar later this year to conclude this global pilot project addressing dental amalgam.
The Minister of Public Health, Cristina Lustemberg, stated during the opening of the workshop that health policy should be guided by care and prevention, which she described as “the best tool”. She noted that reducing mercury-added products is an example of this approach.
“The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-6) agreed to phase out dental amalgam by 2034 and requested the Secretariat to develop guidance for national action plans for phase-out,” said Eisaku Toda, Senior Programme Management Officer of the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention, in his presentation in Spanish.
“The experience of Uruguay will provide an excellent example of a national action plan,” added Toda.
