AGP Executive Report

Amazon Recovery: Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon fell 42% in the year to July, reaching its lowest level since satellite records began in 1988. Climate Science: The IPCC’s latest meeting ended without agreement on the timeline for a major climate review, raising concerns as climate risks mount. Park Protections: Funding was halted for 133 National Park Service projects, including invasive-plant removal and environmental surveys, as parks face staffing and maintenance strains. Flood Resilience: Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu warned that building on wetlands and drainage channels worsens flood and coastal-erosion risks; experts say rain gardens can also help manage heavier downpours. Nature Finance: Leaders at the COP17 biodiversity summit adopted a declaration urging action to halt nature loss by 2030, but funding to protect forests, oceans and other vital sites remains short. Forest Findings: A 24-year study found some forest soils are absorbing more methane as conditions grow warmer and drier, though that benefit does not offset the broader harms of climate change.

Water Pollution: Washington regulators cited Port Townsend Paper Company for two untreated-wastewater spills into Puget Sound; they are still investigating the scale, and penalties or corrective orders may follow. Biodiversity: As COP17 opens in Armenia, a UN report warns that although nearly 90% of countries have set nature targets, fewer than half assessed are on track. It points to gaps in funding, data and delivery. Climate Science: The IPCC suspended its meeting without agreement on the timetable for its next major climate report or its budget, delaying decisions on when governments will receive the assessment. Forests: Amazon deforestation fell nearly 42% in the latest reporting year to its lowest level since records began in 1988, though Brazil’s goal of ending illegal clearing by 2030 remains ahead. Cross-Border Cleanup: Ten U.S.-Mexico projects won nearly $1 million to address pollution, flooding, water quality and coastal habitat in the Cali-Baja region. Emerging Risks: A lab study reports that microplastics can trigger cell-damaging chemical reactions in plain water, challenging the assumption that the particles are inert.

Water Security: Ghana secured €323 million in grants and concessional financing to tackle water shortages and improve sanitation in three northern cities. Drought Resilience: The Philippines’ environment department is promoting bamboo planting, soil protection and water storage to help upland communities weather El Niño’s dry spells. Nature Finance: Countries are falling short of biodiversity funding goals ahead of COP17; fewer than half of their conservation targets are on track, and current plans would protect only 26% of land by 2030, below the 30% commitment. Marine Recovery: Seagrass scars from boat anchors in Studland Bay shrank by an average of 93.6% after eco-moorings reduced further damage, offering a practical route to restore valuable coastal habitat. Climate-Smart Farming: Chinese hybrid rice now covers 90,000 hectares in Madagascar, where yields average two to three times those of traditional varieties.

Extreme Heat: Cagayan de Oro’s heat index is forecast to reach 39°C, prompting warnings to limit outdoor activity, drink water and watch for heat illness. Forest Loss: Global deforestation fell 15% in 2025, but more than seven million hectares were lost; forest loss rose in the Congo Basin even as it declined in parts of Latin America. Wetlands: India’s Ramsar network has grown to 103 sites, with Sukhna Lake and Sauj Jheel among the latest additions. Coastal Protection: A tribunal has paused environmental and coastal clearances for Goa’s Mormugao Port channel-deepening project while it reviews pollution concerns tied to a proposed expansion in cargo capacity. Community Conservation: UNDP has partnered with 12 organisations in Bangladesh on projects including mangrove and wetland restoration, turtle conservation and climate-resilient livelihoods. Dune Resilience: Dutch research finds beach-grass patches can lose sand in a self-reinforcing decline if vegetation falls below a critical level, highlighting the value of protecting fragile coastal growth.

Water Stress: Severe drought has been declared across parts of southern England after months of low rainfall; major reservoirs are running low, and officials warn water resources are under immense pressure. Climate Plans: Three proposed data-centre projects near the New Mexico–Texas border could add about 10 million tons of greenhouse-gas emissions a year, threatening regional climate goals that didn’t account for them. Emissions Gap: France’s emissions are forecast to fall faster this year, but the pace remains far short of the cuts needed to meet its 2030 climate target. COP31: Türkiye plans to showcase local climate projects at November’s summit in Antalya, with officials highlighting early warnings and science-led preparation for heat, floods and other climate impacts. Wildlife Protection: Malaysia says the return of rehabilitated Malayan tiger Yong Choh to the wild reflects conservation progress, with a proposed increase in ecological funding set to support state efforts. Cleaner Lakes: Jammu and Kashmir’s high court has barred fuel-powered motorboats and jet skis on Dal Lake, citing the need to curb pollution and protect the lake ecosystem.

Marine Heat Risk: Philippine officials are watching for coral bleaching as a very strong El Niño is forecast to arrive early next year. Warmer seas could also harm mangrove fish nurseries and raise the risk of harmful algal blooms. Hydropower Ruling: A court in Bingöl, Türkiye, overturned environmental approval for the Birsu project, citing unreliable river-flow estimates and inadequate assessment of dry-season water needs. Villagers fear damage to water supplies, wildlife and farming. Estuary Health: A study of decades of monitoring in Auckland found that ecosystem resilience depends less on species numbers than on species responding differently to stress, allowing some to sustain the ecosystem when others decline. Mountain Change: Satellite images spanning 41 years show alpine areas in the northern Appalachians are greening as the climate warms, raising questions about the future of cold-adapted plants. Coastal Protection: Artificial mangrove-root structures in Thailand are showing early signs of trapping sediment along an eroding shore. Researchers say they may help natural mangroves recover, but need long-term monitoring and should eventually be removed. Data Centre Standards: India’s NITI Aayog says states should weigh power, water, land and environmental impacts before approving data centres, as digital infrastructure expands.

Amazon Health: Wildfire smoke pushed Manaus’ fine-particle pollution far above WHO guidelines in early October, raising health risks—especially for Indigenous communities with limited access to care. Researchers warn a strengthening El Niño could worsen conditions in 2026–27. Climate Warning: A new annual assessment says seven of 16 climate indicators, including sea levels and greenhouse gases, are at record extremes. Warming accelerated to about 0.36°C per decade from 2010 to 2024, and researchers warn the 2°C limit could be reached before 2050. Cyclone Outlook: A strong El Niño may bring seven to 11 named storms to the Southwest Pacific this season, with at least four reaching Category 3 or higher; activity could start early. North Sea Drilling: Prime Minister Andy Burnham says a decision on the Rosebank oil field and Jackdaw gas field is coming “shortly,” after years of legal and public debate. Green Belt Plans: Revised plans for two homes near Astwood Bank are open for comment; the site is also designated a Local Wildlife Site.

Forests: Global deforestation fell 15% in 2025, but 7 million hectares were still lost. Researchers warn the decline may not last as forest loss worsens in Central Africa and El Niño intensifies. Pacific Climate: A new study finds the Pacific could retain warming effects for centuries after emissions reach net zero, with lasting El Niño-like conditions. Clean Water: Illinois’ attorney general and 17 others are challenging a proposed US rule that would reduce federal protection for streams and wetlands. Fossil Fuels: Activists protested at African Energy Week, demanding an end to new oil and gas exploration; London campaigners also urged the UK to reject two North Sea projects. Climate Resilience: A year after ex-typhoon Halong displaced more than 1,500 people in western Alaska, communities are rebuilding while preparing for future storms. Wildlife: Washington captured more than 2 million invasive green crabs in a year—a record haul that underscores the threat to native crabs and shellfish.

Amazon Fires: Brazil recorded 540 fire hotspots in Amazonas over two days—more than half the total for all of October 2025. Smoke prompted a health alert in Manaus, and 36 municipalities declared emergencies; officials suspect deliberate burning. El Niño Readiness: Officials in Ilocos Sur, the Philippines, have proposed a provincewide task force to prepare for drought, extreme heat, water shortages and agricultural losses. Extreme Rainfall: UCLA researchers say 2024’s global heavy-rainfall days exceeded the historical baseline by 20%, with human-caused warming contributing about 40% of the increase. Similar conditions could bring new records in 2027. Wildlife Under Stress: Grey-headed flying foxes are starving across parts of Australia, with rescuers linking the crisis to habitat loss and a dry winter that reduced food supplies. Water Quality: A new three-year Thames project will monitor pollutants, including pesticides and heavy metals, as local partners pursue a cleaner, eventually drinkable river. In Wiltshire, officials say rivers not designated as bathing waters are monitored for ecological health, not routinely checked for swimming safety. Climate Commitments: Ethiopia says it is pursuing a 70.3% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2035 through renewable energy, tree planting and landscape restoration.

Ocean Warming: NOAA says September’s oceans were 1.98°F above the 20th-century average—the largest monthly gap on record and the fourth consecutive monthly record. Water Quality: China is shifting cleanup efforts toward pollution in neighborhood ponds, ditches and urban tributaries, after major rivers and lakes improved. Clean Air: An IISc review says India’s city rankings reward paperwork over cleaner air and calls for independent audits and greater weight on pollution levels. Green Claims: EU markets regulator ESMA is urging funds and bond issuers to explain how their environmental and climate-transition promises will be measured. Mining Concerns: Armenia’s Amulsar gold mine has begun operations despite continued objections from environmental advocates. Wildfire Readiness: A promised England wildfire-risk program never took effect, raising questions about preparation for worsening fire threats. Storm Aftermath: A year after Halong devastated western Alaska villages, survivors are still rebuilding their lives in Anchorage.

Clean Energy: Manila Water’s 2.5-megawatt solar project won a regional award, highlighting renewable power’s growing role in water utilities. Climate Policy: Florida energy experts and advocates warn that repealing federal power-plant emissions limits could worsen climate risks; more than 20 states and four cities have sued, though Florida is not among them. Flood Risk: A temporary landslide blockage may have burst on Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki River, sweeping away homes and damaging bridges and hydropower infrastructure. Water Quality: London’s Thames super sewer cut raw sewage entering the river by 86% in its first year, though pollution and climate pressures remain. Climate Partnerships: UNDP Ghana pledged continued support for climate targets, adaptation finance, energy efficiency and waste recovery. Wildlife and Farming: AI is helping researchers extract animal interactions from birdwatchers’ notes, while a Northern Ireland genetics programme aims to breed healthier cattle and reduce farming emissions.

Biodiversity: Nearly 200 nations head to the UN nature summit in Yerevan with most 2030 targets off track, including goals to protect land and oceans and curb pollution. Wildlife and Infrastructure: Forest & Bird says a proposed highway through old-growth forest in New Zealand could threaten rare bats, frogs and other species, and calls for stronger scrutiny of the route. Climate and Health: A survey of 1,000 health professionals found most had seen more heat-related complications for pregnant women and harm to babies in the past five years. Oil Spill Risk: The EU’s foreign policy chief warns ageing tankers in Russia’s shadow fleet could cause a major spill along European coasts; the bloc says it has inspected six vessels. Climate Risk: A new New Zealand report estimates around 10,000 homes in four cities could become difficult or costly to insure by 2035 as disaster risks grow.

Extreme Weather: The UK has launched a flood-and-drought taskforce as forecasters warn of a stormy winter and El Niño raises concerns about flooding. Some 6.3 million English properties face flood risk. Flood Protection: Malaysia is revising its Sungai Golok river-basin project to reflect climate change and improve long-term protection for flood-prone communities. Wetland Resilience: Researchers warn that hotter conditions, erratic rain and flash floods threaten Ghana’s wetland communities and farms; they’re urging nature-based solutions shaped with local residents. Conservation Funding: New York is awarding $2.7 million to land trusts for 56 projects supporting open space, clean water and climate resilience. Arctic Cooperation: At the Arctic Circle Assembly, China’s Fu Ying called for more joint research and environmental protection, saying climate change—not geopolitical rivalry—is the region’s real challenge.

Wildlife: More than 170 green sea turtle hatchlings were released in the Philippines. In Queensland, platypuses were detected at 91 of 158 survey sites—a record for Moreton Bay—amid steep global declines in freshwater species. Climate and Courts: Australia’s High Court blocked a coal-mine expansion in a landmark ruling requiring climate impacts to be considered. Land and Energy: Villagers in Madhya Pradesh stopped preliminary drilling for a proposed nuclear plant, amid concerns about water use and local impacts. Air Quality: Lahore faces dangerously high ground-level ozone, worsened by heat and adding to the city’s pollution burden. Waste: McLean County’s recycling rate reached 41% in 2025, but waste generation rose and cheap virgin plastic continues to undercut recycled materials.

Forest Protection: Finland has halted Google’s data-centre construction after 530 hectares of forest were cleared without completed environmental impact studies. Wildlife Decline: Scottish salmon fishing has collapsed alongside falling stocks; climate change, pollution, parasites and habitat damage are among the suspected pressures on the endangered fish. Prairie Conservation: Saskatchewan farmer Lorne Scott leaves parts of his land wild, protecting native plants and grassland amid intensively cultivated fields. Climate Finance: A new Caribbean bond aims to raise up to US$250 million for resilience, renewable energy, water and environmental protection. Climate-Ready Crops: Kenyan scientists are developing resilient planting materials as erratic weather, drought and crop disease threaten food security.

Health & Climate: Glasgow researchers secured £3.75 million for a four-year project tracking mosquito- and midge-borne disease risks as environmental change pushes these threats north into the UK. Climate Accountability: Brazilian prosecutors sued Shell for $108 million over deadly 2024 floods, arguing its share of historical emissions should determine liability. Nearly 200 people died and 500,000 were displaced. Habitat Protection: A conservation trust permanently protected 218 acres northwest of Olympia, including a rare estuary, wetlands and 2.5 miles of shoreline. Ocean Conservation: Western Indian Ocean nations were urged to turn regional commitments into laws and budgets to protect marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods. Wildfire Smoke: Fires in Amazonas pushed air pollution in Manaus to unhealthy levels, closing schools and municipal offices; Amazon fire hotspots are nearly 50% above last year. Pollution Rules: The US EPA extended spill-planning deadlines for thousands of chemical facilities to 2030 and removed climate-change and environmental-justice provisions. Circular Economy: A new Finnish recycling hub can process 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste a year and is expected to cut emissions by more than 100,000 tonnes annually.