New Scientist - USA (2021-02-20)

2 | New Scientist | 20 February 2021

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Newsletter

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A note from the

executive editor

Richard Webb

New Scientist executive editor

This year is an absolutely crucial moment

for the environment. In November, pandemic

permitting, the UK will host the COP26 climate

change conference, in which the world’s nations

must finally come good on the commitments

made in Paris a little over five years ago to limit

global warming to 1.5 ̊C. In May, a crunch meeting

in China has been planned to establish global

targets for conserving biodiversity over the next

10 years, which the UN has declared to be the

“Decade on Ecosystem Restoration”.

As you would expect, New Scientist

will be ramping up its coverage of all

things environmental over the year,

examining the issues, talking to the

people who matter and seeking the

solutions that work.

The special feature in this issue,

“A rescue plan for nature” (page 34),

is just the start. We are pleased to

announce that this is the first of

five articles to appear in the coming

weeks in association with the United

Nations Environment Programme

(UNEP). New Scientist retains full control of,

and responsibility for, the content. Look out for the

second feature in the series, on the links between

our incursions into nature and the covid-

pandemic, in two weeks’ time. And stay tuned

for a special virtual event on preserving biodiversity

organised together with UNEP on 15 April, which

will be free for all to attend.

In addition, this week, we are proud to present

the first Planet Boost page, featuring the charity

Butterfly Conservation. Part of our already well-

established Signal Boost project, this will provide

a platform for charitable organisations dedicated

to conserving biodiversity and the natural world

to talk about their work, free of charge.

That isn’t the end of our ambitions, with

further special feature series on all aspects of the

environment and climate change planned for later

in the year. As ever, with a New Scientist subscription,

you won’t miss a thing.

“ New Scientist

will be ramping

up its coverage

of all things

environmental

over the year”