Forests
Canada in Flames
What’s causing the fires? What harm do they do? What should we do?
One of the world’s great disasters is unfolding, as fires have covered millions of acres in Canada, destroying pristine ecosystems and poisoning the air for millions of people. Something like seven million acres have already burned. The U.S. government’s response is to threaten Canada with tariffs, apparently as punishment for allegedly having poorly managed its forests. Instead, we should be partnering with Canada on forest management, and we should cut the greenhouse gas emissions that are ramping up the fire risk.
CONTINUE READINGThe GCF Task Force Expands at 16th Annual Meeting
Photo by Government of Caquetá, Colombia.
The Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force has grown from 45 to 54 member jurisdictions to cover even more of the world’s tropical forests.
The world’s largest subnational network dedicated to protecting forests, reducing emissions, and enhancing livelihoods across the tropics just got a lot bigger. Following a vote at our 16th Annual Meeting in Caquetá, Colombia from May 18 – 22, 2026, the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force) grew from 45 to 54 member …
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CONTINUE READINGReducing Deforestation from California to Colombia and Beyond
There are bright spots and opportunities for more work to do on improving data, governance, and access to finance.
This week marks the 16th Annual Meeting of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force), a unique network of states and provinces from 11 countries covering more than one-third of the world’s tropical forests. These subnational governments are convening to advance what we call the New Forest Economy – an economic transition …
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CONTINUE READINGGovernors Lead the Fight on Forests and Climate
To see how governors are leading the fight against deforestation, look no further than a meeting happening this week in Brazil.
When the annual U.N. climate conference descends on the small Brazilian rainforest city of Belém in November 2025, it will be tempting to focus on the drama and disunity among major nations. Only 21 countries had even submitted their updated plans for managing climate change by the 2025 deadline required under the Paris Agreement. The U.S. is pulling out of …
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CONTINUE READINGIs Brazil Ready for COP30? No One Is Ready for COP30
The Drain is a weekly roundup of climate and environmental news from Legal Planet.
It’s officially less than 6 months until COP30 — when tens of thousands of people will descend on the Brazilian city of Belém for the annual UN climate conference — and no one is ready. For one thing, Belém is an impoverished city of 2.5 million that can’t build enough hotels for the 50,000 expected delegates …
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CONTINUE READINGFix Our Forests, version 2
A revised bipartisan proposal in the Senate is a step forward in the right direction
I wrote previously about the Fix Our Forests bill which has been passed by the House and is currently being considered by the Senate. I noted some concerns I had about its overuse of emergency authorities, its expansion of categorical exclusions, and some changes to litigation, as well as some positive features of the bill. …
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CONTINUE READINGDisappointed in National Leadership? Look to States
With nations lagging behind on climate, states and provinces are coming up with investment opportunities to protect forests and ecosystems internationally.
Only 13 of the 195 signatory countries to the Paris Agreement submitted new national plans for tackling climate change by the recent deadline. Meanwhile President Trump has begun the process of the U.S. withdrawing from that agreement — again. This US withdrawal from global leadership is a perfect time to refocus attention and support at …
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CONTINUE READINGHow to Make Trees Worth More Standing Than Cut Down
The Katoomba Group is celebrating 25 years of pioneering new approaches to realizing value in nature. Here’s what we’ve learned.
West of Sydney, Australia, lies the Blue Mountains, a range of plateaus and panoramic canyons forested with eucalyptus trees. Oil in the leaves produces a bluish haze, hence the name of the area. Twenty-five years ago, in 1999, a new NGO called Forest Trends brought together a small international group to the town of Katoomba …
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CONTINUE READINGClimate Justice, Climate Finance and Pragmatism for Tropical Jurisdictions at COP28
Exploring the urgency of subnational climate action: insights from COP28 on financing tropical forest conservation, indigenous empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods by the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force network.
The Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force) engaged in the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Dubai, marking a pivotal moment in the global climate dialogue. This significant international forum serves as a crucial platform where nations, subnational entities, and …
CONTINUE READINGBalancing fire risk and housing
How can California reconcile the dual needs of managing for fire risk and producing more housing?
This is the last in a series of four blog posts discussing the issue of development in the wildland-urban interface in California, the current legal structures addressing the issue, and our research on how those legal frameworks are being applied on the ground in key counties in the state. In this blog post, we’ll discuss …
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