The UN Climate Action Summit
The summit is designed to mobilize the climate action needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. One key area of interest is nature-based solutions, which can provide at least a third of the action required by 2030 to keep global temperature rise below 2°C. Join WCS scientists as they talk about the big ideas to take on the big challenges.
Forests for Life
As the planet continues to warm and wildlife species vanish at an unprecedented rate, five leading environmental organizations have come together to target the world’s greatest undervalued and unprotected solution to the climate and extinction crises—forests.
The 5 Great Forests Initiative
Together with our partners, we've launched a new project aimed at conserving these critical landscapes in Mesoamerica. Five million people depend on the five great forests. They keep half of the region's carbon stores locked away. But we're losing them. Among other things, the initiative aims to preserve over 24 million acres (10 million hectares) of land.
In the News
The Sink and the Safeguard
Lauren Oakes for Mongabay
The benefits of protecting and restoring intact forests for people and planet.
The Thinning Fabric of Earth's Forest Cover
Tom Evans for Mongabay
More and more of the world’s remaining forests are switching from healthy core to degraded, carbon-emitting edges, or isolated patches.
Fighting for Coral Reefs in a Warming World
Cristian Samper and Antha Williams for Scientific American
Climate change is putting them in danger. There’s still hope they can be saved, but we must take bold action.
Greta and Mesoamerica's Five Great Forests
Jeremy Radachowsky & Chris Jordan for Mongabay
Mesoamerica’s forests are literally on fire. The region’s governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and the broader conservation community now commit to protect them.
Playing Both Offense and Defense on Climate
Lauren Oakes for Scientific American
We need to focus on responses to climate change that both reduce emissions and help people cope with an altered environment
The Amazon is Burning
Carlos Durigan for Medium
Under threat: 34 million people; more than 1,500 bird species; 550 reptiles; 500 mammals; and a forest that stores up to 200 gigatonnes(GT) of carbon.
Hope for Coral Reefs
Emily Darling for Oceanographic
With our planet changing faster than ever, we have to think big and act fast. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is critical for the survival of coral reefs and for our own survival.
The Critical Role of Indigenous Peoples
Michael Painter, David Wilkie, & James Watson for Scientific American
Evidence shows that many of nature’s remaining strongholds have maintained high natural values precisely because of the stewardship of local people over generations.
Press Releases
Forests for Life
A new global partnership targets the planet’s great forests for urgent protection.
Intact Forests Are Key to Addressing Global Climate Crisis
“We face an urgent challenge to ensure the world’s great intact forests are a priority for meeting global climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development targets,” says WCS President and CEO Cristian Samper.
Critical New Initiative to Protect Mesoamerica’s Five Great Forests
NGOs, national governments, Indigenous Peoples and local communities join forces to protect Central America’s largest forests to benefit all life on earth.
Cheat Sheet
We've got media availability and background for covering the UN Climate Action Summit. Key events run from Sunday, Sept. 22–Wednesday, Sept 25.
Support Our Work
Nature's Climate Hub
To celebrate and endorse nature’s role as a climate solution, WCS is working with partners, including the Nature4Climate coalition, to present four days of programming that showcase this function in policy, in practice, and in communities. Here are some of the events WCS is involved in.
5 Great Forests of Mesoamerica
Sept. 22, 9–10am
A conversation focused on addressing the drivers of deforestation in Mesoamerica, especially illegal cattle ranching, on improving forest governance by strengthening management of protected areas, community forests, and improving livelihoods with forest-friendly and climate resilient economic alternatives.
Trouble Below the Canopy
Sept. 22, 11:30am–12:30pm
For storing carbon, the condition and health of a forest may be just as important as its size. But we have blind spots in the way we measure and manage forests. Join us as we discuss the climate costs of unseen forest degradation.
A Metric on Contemporary Forest Degradation
Sept. 25, 9–10am
There is extensive evidence that high ecological integrity leads to higher levels of many ecosystem values important to people, and the degradation of integrity is happening worldwide. The introduction of an innovative new metric for mapping contemporary forest degradation.
Heritage Colombia-HeCo
Sept. 25, 11:45am–12:45pm
Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world. The event will showcase HeCo as the national flagship program to help achieve the country achieve its ambitious environmental commitments.
Protecting essential ecosystems for a stable climate future
Sept. 25, 11:15am–12:45pm
Where are the places that we can’t afford to lose from a climate perspective? We will discuss the imperative to pay attention to these places now, even if the threats they face are medium- or long-term.
The Power of Nature in a Planetary Emergency
Sept. 25, 5–8pm
The event will focus on how nature-based solutions for climate can also deliver for biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Intact Forests
Interviews
What role can nature-based solutions play in combating climate change? What is WCS’s strategy to conserve intact forests? We spoke with Caleb McClennen, Vice President, Global Conservation.
Intact forests hold 11 years' worth of human-related emissions. If we protect them, says Joe Walston, Senior Vice President, Global Conservation Program, they can be part of the solution to reversing climate change.
Sign Up for Email Updates
Get news from the field and learn about ways you can help Earth’s most threatened species.
