News and success stories
Stay in the loop with news of ongoing campaigns and successes in the fight against rainforest destruction.
EU: glyphosate causes serious eye damage and is toxic to aquatic life
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has not classified glyphosate as a carcinogen. The substance does cause serious eye damage and is toxic to aquatic life, however.
Recent successes
Current petitions
Half of all species facing extinction
The worldwide loss of biodiversity is accelerating at an alarming rate. Half of all species could disappear by the end of this century.
Nigeria: governor partly repeals Ekuri Forest land grab
The struggle of the Ekuri people is paying off: the governor of Nigeria's Cross River state is returning 5,200 square km of rainforest land to the community.
Toxins in palm oil: EU planning limits
The European Commission is considering regulations to limit levels of genotoxic and carcinogenic contaminants occurring in products containing palm oil.
Hydropower projects in Balkan lynx habitat canceled
The Balkan lynx can breathe easier: Mavrovo National Park in Macedonia is safe after international banks axed two potentially disastrous hydropower projects.
Laying the groundwork for a national park: researchers chart chimpanzee forest
Until now, little was known about Gbi Forest. Following the initial charting expedition, members of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation are now studying its biodiversity.
Our successes, thanks to your support!
Does our work make a difference? Absolutely! International awareness has a major impact on the struggles of our partners on the ground.
A wave of protest saves EU nature conservation laws
The EU Birds and Habitats Directives are safe: a wave of grassroots action across Europe prompted the EU to drop its plans to weaken these key nature laws.
265,000 signatures help save pangolins
Great news for pangolins: the member states of the CITES convention have decided to afford them the highest level of protection by banning trade in all eight species.
Nigeria: Ekuri stepping up the fight for their forest
The Ekuri people in Nigeria are rallying ever more international support for their struggle to save their forest from destruction.
Nigerian conservationist receiving death threats – speak out for his safety!
Nigerian environmentalist Odey Oyama is receiving death threats for his opposition to Big Palm Oil and the planned Cross River superhighway.
Sulawesi: 250 mining operations shut down
Mining operations are being shut down and the rainforest and its inhabitants can breathe easier – a big success for our Indonesian partner JATAM.
Brazil: environmentalists stop dam on the Tapajós river
The tenacity of the indigenous Mundurukú and a wave of international support paid off in the end: the Tapajós megadam project has been scrapped.
Nigerian police harass Goldman Prize-winning conservationist
Nigeria’s police is increasing pressure on opponents of the planned superhighway through Ekuri Forest. “I am more resolved than ever,” says the coalition's leader, Odigha.
Indonesia: your donations are preventing forest fires
Smoke and forest fires turned Borneo into a living hell in the summer of 2015. Your donations are enabling activists to rewet peatlands and prevent future fires.
Scales of more than 1,000 poached pangolins found
Hong Kong customs officials made a gruesome discovery onboard an incoming freighter: four tons of pangolin scales, with a street value of $1.25 million.
Austria: Schweighofer stripped of FSC seal over illegal timber
Pressure by conservationists has put an end to greenwashing by Austrian timber giant Schweighofer. The company has been stripped of its FSC seal.
Activists in danger after killing in Malaysia
Land rights activist Bill Kayong was killed in a drive-by shooting in broad daylight in Sarawak on June 21, sending shockwaves across the state.
Justice for the people of Sierra Leone
The NGOs Green Scenery and Rainforest Rescue delivered a petition with 120,000 signatures to the government of Sierra Leone in a coordinated action.
New trees for Indonesia’s orangutan forest
Devastating forest fires in Indonesia in 2015 destroyed parts of Tanjung Puting National Park. Our partners have since planted 6,000 seedlings to reforest the area.
South Africa maintains ban on rhino horn trade
South Africa has given up its heavily criticized proposal to legalize international trade in rhino horn. Swaziland, however, has now advanced such a plan.
Major dam project canceled: a win for the rainforest in Malaysia
For more than five years, indigenous communities have been fighting the construction of a 1200 MW dam on Baram River in Borneo. At last, they can breathe easier! The project was canceled and the rights to 400 km2 of rainforest were returned to the villagers evicted for the project.
World Pangolin Day events in Berlin and Leipzig
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world. Join us in taking action to protect them on World Pangolin Day in Berlin and Leipzig, Germany.