Humans are driving large marine species to extinction

A new analysis of the previous five big extinction events as compared to the current "sixth extinction" finds a big difference between them: In the earlier events, either the smaller species were the ones to vanish or the wasn't a pattern to which marine species were lost; today, we're losing the sea's largest species—and that could have a disproportionate effect on ecosystems for millions of years. The Guardian

President Obama creates Atlantic's first marine national monument

Today the president is announcing the designation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, an area of ocean about the size of Connecticut.  The monument, located 130 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, is home to diverse sea life and its new protections will help make this spectacular stretch of sea more resilient to climate change. New York Times

Climate change is a national security threat

There are few easy answers, but one thing is clear: the current trajectory of climatic change presents a strategically-significant risk to U.S. national security, and inaction is not a viable option.

A statement from the Center for Climate and Security, signed by more than a dozen former military and national security officials, calls on the president to establish a cabinet position to address climate change's threat to our country.

Brazil just ratified the Paris Agreement

In order for the landmark deal to enter into force, 55 countries representing 55 percent of global emissions must ratify it. Not counting Brazil, the totals so far are 27 (mostly small, with the exception of the United States and China) countries and 39.08 percent. There's hope that the addition of the world's 7th-largest emitter will encourage other countries to get a move on. Washington Post

International body votes to ban the domestic ivory trade

Delegates at the International Union for Conservation of Nature congress in Hawaii are calling on countries around the world to save elephants by shutting down legal markets for ivory. Though the motion is not legally binding, conservationists hope it will help curb poaching, which killed nearly a third of Africa’s savanna elephants between 2007 and 2014. The Guardian

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