Stories: People & Ecosystems

New Toolbox Demystifies Green Forest Product Purchasing

Corporate managers will now get powerful help with today’s release of a “Guide to the Guides” - a toolbox that helps them understand and find the best advice on how to purchase products originating from the world’s forests.

Coastal Populations Losing Livelihoods to Polluted Waters

Coastal communities worldwide are witnessing their livelihoods choked by agricultural and industrial pollution, according to findings released today by the World Resources Institute.

Greening the Urban Rooftop

The rooftop at 10 G Street is about to get a lot greener—3,000 square feet to be exact. In real estate-scarce cities, commercial property owners nationwide are turning roof space into green space.

Latin American Leader Roberto Artavia Elected to WRI Board

The World Resources Institute (WRI) has elected Roberto Artavia to its board of directors. Artavia is a distinguished leader in business education, conservation of marine resources, and sustainable development in Latin America.

Companies Respond to Ecosystem Degradation

Climate change may dominate headlines today. Ecosystem degradation will do so tomorrow. Why should business care?

Leading Companies Responding to Ecosystem Degradation

Corporate Ecosystem Services Review road-tested by Akzo Nobel,

BC Hydro, Mondi, Rio Tinto, and Syngenta

Ironically, Flood Control is Flooding New Orleans

Man-made flood-control systems—such as levees, upstream dams, and canals—continue to be responsible for widespread damage to the New Orleans and Louisiana landscapes.

Forests Finally Emerging as Climate Issue

The representatives of more than 100 countries attending December’s U.N. climate conference in Bali, Indonesia, finally focused on the important role tropical forests play in global warming.

Immigration Linked to Degraded Ecosystem

Border security is not typically recognized as being tied to environmental changes, but in this recent article by The New York Times, the links are clear. It details how declining fish catches in northwest Africa are fueling immigration to Europe.

Choking Coastal Waters

My team at WRI, together with Dr. Bob Diaz at the Virginia Marine Institute, has identified and mapped 415 eutrophic and hypoxic coastal systems worldwide through an extensive literature review. Of these, 169 are documented hypoxic areas, 233 are areas of concern and 13 are systems in recovery.