Companies have applied for or received U.S. rights to explore deep-sea mining areas in the Pacific's Clarion-Clipperton Zone equal to about half the expanse managed by the International Seabed Authority.
International development aid, including a $1 billion cut from USAID, has fallen significantly, creating deficits for conservation. However, philanthropic funding for nature conservation has more than doubled.
India's National Green Tribunal directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to detail its plan for clearing 59,000 metric tonnes of silt and formed a committee to investigate waterbody encroachment in Ghaziabad.
Belize plans to establish three offshore marine protected areas to complete its pledge to protect 30% of its ocean, focusing on deepwater features.
Ongoing wars are increasingly using food supply chains as a strategy, with disruptions to agricultural exports and rising costs straining food-insecure nations. This is compounded by climate challenges like El Niño.
India's Nagar Van Yojana, aiming to create urban forests, faces challenges due to delayed funding after the first year, impacting maintenance and staff retention. Field surveys highlight this critical gap.
NOAA grant awards dropped 74% this year, with at least 26 existing grants terminated. Funding cuts impact community-based climate resilience projects, including water management and adaptation in the Northwest.
The Supreme Court granted Bihar 12 weeks to clear Ganga riverbank encroachments in Patna. The NGT issued notices regarding encroachment and pollution of the Agra Canal System in Uttar Pradesh.
A Chinese-controlled coal mine in South Africa's Limpopo province is nearing full production despite an unresolved legal challenge and concerns over water security. Environmental groups cite habitat destruction and the removal of a project deadline.
India's Sixteenth Finance Commission allocated Rs 2.84 lakh crore for disaster management from 2026-2031, but funding remains heavily skewed towards relief (Rs 1.64 lakh crore) over mitigation (Rs 40,880 crore).