In today’s edition, we’re talking about the creation of the world’s largest marine protected area in French Polynesia, the decriminalisation of rough sleeping across England and Wales, and how semiaquatic rodents might be the secret to winning the fight against wildfires.
French Polynesia creates world’s largest marine protected area
The area will cover the entirety of the country’s exclusive economic zone, which is roughly 5 million square kilometres, and will restrict damaging extractive practices such as bottom trawling and deep sea mining.
30% of Samoa’s ocean to be protected under new marine spatial plan
As part of the government’s mission to sustainability manage 100% of its seas by 2030, the country has also created nine new marine protected areas, prohibiting fishing along humpback whale migration routes.
Rough sleeping to be decriminalised in Wales and England
Homeless charities have long called for the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act to be scrapped, clearing the way for a more constructive approach to helping those living on the streets.
Portugal’s roads have become much safer over the past three decades
In the 1990s, Portugal had the second highest death rate from road injuries in Europe. Since then, this figure has fallen by 84%, largely thanks to seatbelt laws, speed limits, stricter drink-driving enforcement, better road design and pedestrian zones.
Record number of river-blocking barriers removed in Europe, report says
Europe dismantled 542 river-blocking dams, weirs, culverts and sluices in 2024, a report has found, helping a record number of waterways resume their natural course. The number of removals grew 11% from the year before, according to an annual report from Dam Removal Europe.
TikTok redirects searches for “skinnytok” to mental health services
The “skinnytok” hashtag directs users to content which critics say “idolises extreme thinness”. People using the hashtag will now be redirected to resources advocating for mental health support instead.
Beavers could be the secret to winning the fight against wildfires
In a recent study, researchers found that beaver canals and ponds irrigate the landscape so thoroughly that they can turn crisp, flammable plants into lush, fireproof ones, essentially forming green refuges in which wildlife and livestock can retreat.
