Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
naturelatest news & developments
Deluded : Our belief in our superiority over other life forms is a mistake; we destroy the natural world with our ‘intelligence’. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Nature is dead. Nature remains dead. And we have killed it

Nietzsche’s quote is useful as an ecological analogy of the destruction humans have wrought on nature, the very thing that sustains us

One way to counteract the effects of misinformation and foster a more open-minded approach to others is by making a conscious effort to spend time in nature. (Photo by Des Erasmus)

Turn to nature to nurture better social interactions in the digital age

Survival of the fittest misunderstood and misused fuels unchecked competitiveness, which is exacerbated by social media

Warning: Destroyed buildings after an Israeli air strike in a residential area of the Al-Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah, Gaza, on 13 December 2023. Photo: Ahmad Salem/Getty Images

Climate crisis, imperialism intertwined with Palestine genocide

Like all wars, Israel’s genocidal attacks on Gaza with the backing of other imperialist countries and their industrial-military complex exacerbates the ecological and climate…

The Afro-Siberian Red Knot is an unlikely poster child for highlighting the devastating impacts of climate change on the ultra-thin biosphere that supports all life on Earth.

The End of Eden: A new book explores the effects of climate change on wild species

The climate breakdown, what it means for wildlife and the decline species are facing

The vision of the Pro Elephant Network (PREN) is a future in which all elephants can thrive in freedom and dignity in their protected natural habitats as part of naturally functioning and evolving ecosystems. Photo: Godong/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Elephants do not belong in zoos

The Pro Elephant Network’s mission is to stop the capture of elephants and to advocate for the release of captive elephants into the wild

Winner 2021_Wildlife: Tim Driman, Down the hatch

R250 000 in prizes for SA photographer of the year winners

The 2022 South African Photographer of the Year Awards will showcase the country’s wildlife and natural beauty

A quarter of Africa’s GDP is dependent on nature and it must be managed responsibly.

A quarter of Africa’s GDP is dependent on nature; it must be managed responsibly

Between 1970 and 2016, the stock of natural capital on the continent fell on average by 65%, driven largely by land-use change, but Africa can lead the world by putting nature at…

Fulani herders lead their livestock to a water point in Dolly on May 30, 2020. – Dolly is a pastoral reserve where Fulani pastoralists can come as a refuge before heading back North as the first rains fall. COVID-19 coronavirus restrictions have closed down markets and regional movement, as a result Fulani herders are struggling to move to areas such as Dolly which have more grazing land and access to water. (JOHN WESSELS / AFP)

The services nature provides are at risk in a hot world

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report documents hundreds of species that are now extinct

Hands-on: The Green School South Africa uses the outdoors as an extension of the classroom to teach subjects in the curriculum such as science and maths. Photo: David Harrison

Africa’s first green school ‘cultivates a love of nature’

The Paarl campus of Green School South Africa uses solar power and climate-smart water management systems.

Denuded: The Amazonia rainforest in Brazil. The Amazon Basin absorbs large amounts of CO2 emissions. Photo: Mauro Pimentel/AFP/Getty Images

Reforestation boosts planet’s green lungs

A new study shows the past 20 years of forest regeneration and reforestation efforts globally have contributed to the restoration of carbon sinks

Hundreds of climate activists from groups including Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain march from the Royal Courts of Justice to Lambeth Bridge in solidarity with the nine Insulate Britain campaigners jailed three days previously by a High Court judge on 20th November 2021 in London, United Kingdom. The activists, who claim that the jailed activists are political prisoners, later blocked Lambeth Bridge for around 5 hours in breach of an injunction and Vauxhall Cross for around 3 hours. The Metropolitan Police made over 100 arrests. (photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)

After COP26, business leaders are warming up to sustainable practices

Chief executives have begun to recognise the importance of sustainability, but we urgently need climate science-aligned policies that provide a new framework for business

On a high: The NE Cape Grasslands National Park will encourage communities and farmers living in it to be park stewards. (Madelene Cronjé)

South Africa’s newest national park will be in an agricultural landscape

People living on communal land and commercial farmers can incorporate their land into the new park and benefit from financial incentives

Overuse: The Lokoli Forest in Benin, where 40% of the population live in poverty, is under threat: Photo: Yanick Folly/AFP/Getty Images

Carbon offset is greenwashing, critics say

A marine conservation funding facility wants carbon trading to finance restoration and protection of the oceans and marine biodiversity

Quality time: After Dr Zolelwa Sifumba was in a car accident, which occurred after she worked for 36 hours straight, she realised how important it was to get enough regular rest. (Paul Botes/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: Dr Zolelwa Sifumba on learning to rest and healing herself

Dr Zolelwa Sifumba went from being a frontline healthcare worker to stepping back from clinical work. She speaks to Elna Schütz about her shift into more open spaces

Comeback: Wolves were almost extinct in Europe, but a ban on hunting and preservation of habitats has increased numbers. Photo: Byrdyak

And now for the good environment news with Conservation Optimism

Conservation Optimism, a site that provides stories about efforts to protect and restore the environment has become a global movement

One expert says the outages are a wake-up call for how water is managed in the country’s economic hub. (Delwyn Verasamy)

The ANC, DA and EFF ‘oblivious’ to climate crisis — Climate Justice Charter Movement

The Climate Justice Charter Movement has critiqued the manifestos of the main parties contesting the local government elections and found them ‘shallow’

Despite the country’s globally significant biodiversity, ecosystems across terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine and marine environments are under escalating pressure.

Kunming Declaration on biodiversity: A show of political will that lacks targets

More than 100 countries pledged to better protect nature at UN biodiversity talks last week

A typical day at the office: Tebogo Manamela processes samples in the laboratory and helps to dehorn a rhino in the field. (Lucas Ledwaba/Mukurukuru Media)

‘I was hit by an adult bull buffalo’: An interview with Kruger National Park veterinary technologist Tebogo Manamela

Tebogo Manamela talks to Lucas Ledwaba about helping to preserve Africa’s heritage and the rewards of working with – and sometimes being attacked by – animals at the Kruger…

‘Spell of the Sensuous’: Ruzy Rusike in a performance piece by Bongi Bengu and Monique Mrazek. Photo: The Melrose Gallery

The Portfolio: Stories of our Soil explores womanhood, nature and exploitation

Once we have borne the brunt of what has happened to us, we must decide to begin again and change ourselves

Despite the country’s globally significant biodiversity, ecosystems across terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine and marine environments are under escalating pressure.

Tackle climate change and biodiversity loss together, not separately, scientists say

Some climate adaptation and mitigation projects end up harming the natural environment and people, a new report warns