Biodiversity protection agreement, dollars for guns, vaccine against fentanyl

| Posted on December 19, 2022 |

Photo: Gislane Dijkstra/ Unsplash (CC0)

In today’s edition of Squirrel News, UN leaders sign a ‘historic’ biodiversity deal, US police offer incentivised trading in unwanted guns and a vaccine preventing fentanyl overdoses is being studied.

Countries agree to protect biodiversity at UN summit

The COP15 UN summit in Canada saw world leaders agreeing to protect a third of the the world’s nature. The deal is meant to slow biodiversity loss and ensure there is enough money to do so.

Source: BBC

Indigenous land rights recognised at COP15

Indigenous communities’ role in protecting nature is recognised, but leaders say that they didn’t get everything they wanted to see. Still, it establishes an avenue for accountability.

Source: Context

Police departments in the US trade gift cards for unwanted guns

Everett Police Department in Washington saw people cash in their guns, some citing safety and rising crime as a reason for doing so. The department said they may continue the buyback programme with adequate support.

Source: The Seattle Times

University of Houston vaccine could reduce fentanyl overdoses

Researchers saw success in a study with rats, and they hope the vaccine will translate into reducing overdoses in humans.

Source: Smithsonian Magazine

New York joins growing list of states banning cosmetics animal testing

Signed into law on Thursday, the New York Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act will go into effect in 2023.

Source: CNN

Number of cafeterias giving children free and low cost meals grows in Japan

The increase in these cafeterias, or kodomo shokudо̄ in Japanese, is the second largest since 2019.

Source: The Japan Times

Colorado county hopes to reduce recidivism, homelessness

Arapahoe County leaders hope providing housing to former inmates will help keep them from reentering the criminal justice system.

Source: Denver7

Conservationists seek to reduce bird deaths associated with city life

Bright lights and building collisions lead to bird deaths in Chicago. Individuals and activist groups are working to reduce them by bringing the issue to architects, politicians, businesses and homeowners.

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

Rice could be Indian farmers’ tool against climate change

Conservation efforts have led to the resurgence of more resilient rice varieties.

Source: Yes!

Cambodian women are using theatre to speak out against domestic abuse

One in five women in Cambodia report experiencing domestic abuse – now a theatre group in Battambang is producing shows that help survivors talk about what is still a taboo subject.