Global Scans · Nature · Weekly Summary

WHAT''S NEXT?: Oceans, animals, and land are all under threat from climate change and human activities. The effective and efficient conservation of agricultural biodiversity is vital to meeting the global challenges of food and nutritional security for an expanding world population. But, the signs are of continued degradation of our global natural resources and environment.

• [New] Japan's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, combined with its historically heavy dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power, creates one of the most complex and consequential energy transitions on earth. Tech for Impact Summit
• [New] If the present state remains unbothered, by 2030 an additional Earth twice the size of the World will be required to eliminate emissions and waste. Scientific Research Publishing
• [New] In Thailand, which already has in place voluntary guidance on human rights, the Ministry of Justice has indicated that it is drafting legislation mandating all companies operating in country to identify, prevent, and address human rights and environmental risks. JD Supra
• [New] The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will stop calculating the economic cost of harms to human health from emissions of ozone and PM2.5 - airborne fine particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or smaller. JD Supra
• [New] The combined market for copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements could approach $770 billion by 2040, with upside potential if supply tightens further. GlobeNewswire
• [New] Environmental considerations, biodiversity net gain requirements, and diversification opportunities continue to shape conversations particularly across Northumberland and the wider North East. youngsRPS
• [New] A greater proportion of the U.S. soybean stock is expected to be diverted towards oil extraction for renewable diesel, rather than solely for traditional uses like animal feed (soybean meal) and food oil. Octagon AI
• [New] Brazil observes, with reservations, a race that could redefine both the geopolitics of critical minerals and the future of the planet's oceans. CPG Click Oil and Gas
• [New] Addressing environmental impacts across borders under fair competitive conditions will require greater transparency, clearly defined responsibilities, and cooperation between companies and governments along global supply chains. Research Institute for Sustainability
• [New] Few countries on earth hold the geological potential of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mining Weekly
• [New] Pesticide exposure is an urgent environmental health issue in the Global South, where structural inequalities, weak regulation, and the export of banned chemicals from the Global North create disproportionate risks for marginalized populations. SpringerLink
• [New] A new study published in Nature finds that many of the world's largest river deltas are subsiding more quickly than global sea levels are rising, putting hundreds of millions of people at potential risk. ScienceDaily
• [New] The United States Environmental Protection Agency implemented use-area limitations on chlorpyrifos after determining its potential for causing irreversible neurodevelopmental harm in children living near agricultural fields where it was applied. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Scientists in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in saltwater, a technology that could curb microplastic pollution in the oceans. Impakter
• [New] While many species still face the threat of extinction due to climate change and human activities, conservation efforts are proving effective for animal populations worldwide. Impakter
• [New] Electronic waste is now the fastest-growing solid waste stream on Earth, projected to exceed 180 billion pounds by 2030, with only 22.3% formally recycled. Innovation & Tech Today
• [New] Article 13's information gathering restrictions create legal risk for routine compliance; environmental, social and governance (ESG); and human-rights due diligence conducted within China. Squire Patton Boggs
• [New] Virginia tracks invasive plants, animals and insects that threaten ecosystems and agriculture. FOX 5 DC
• [New] The UN Environment Programme has highlighted the potential for nature-based solutions to contribute to a majority of Sustainable Development Goal targets when integrated with built infrastructure. Highways Today
• With an investment of $3.8 billion, Canada's new nature strategy will protect and restore critical habitats, including the creation of new national parks, national marine conservation areas, and national urban parks. Mirage News
• Through the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed in 2022, governments have pledged to halt biodiversity loss, protect at least 30% of land and oceans by 2030, and restore degraded ecosystems. Greenpeace International

Last updated: 02 May 2026