Anti-environmental diplomacy: Lula’s office confirmed to @mongabay.com that he and Macron spoke ahead of a crucial CITES vote in 2025. Following their conversation, Brazil dropped its push for maximum protection for the country’s iconic tree and accepted a less stringent proposal.

Alleged last-minute political maneuvers prevented Brazil from securing the highest protections from international commercial trade of Brazilwood at the 2025 meeting of CITES. ✍️ @nandawenzel.bsky.social, Spoorthy Raman, Emmanuelle Picaud on @mongabay.com news.mongabay.com/2026/02/braz...

My latest for @mongabay.com Brazil sought the highest global protection for its endangered national tree, pau-brasil. But negotiations shifted after diplomatic pressure from France. @spoorthyraman.bsky.social Emmanuelle Picaud, Andrew Lehman, Elisângela Mendonça. news.mongabay.com/2026/02/braz...

Extra-protection for sloths! More than 180 countries approved stricter rules for the trade of sloth species targeted by criminal organizations. The poor animals are often displayed as tourist attractions and sold as “exotic pets”, as we showed in @mongabay.com news.mongabay.com/2025/12/stri...

Do you know that sloths are known as the Miss Congeniality of the Amazon? However, their peaceful appearance and their apparent smile have turned them into one of the primary targets of animal trafficking organizations. More on that in my latest to @mongabay.com news.mongabay.com/2025/11/slot...

Last year, a group of landless people risked their lives in a conflict with land grabbers in one of the most dangerous parts of the Amazon, in the hope of securing a piece of land. This story is now revealed in a short documentary by @mongabay.com news.mongabay.com/video/2025/1...

Ótima matéria da @nandawenzel.bsky.social na @mongabay.com. Contribuí com uma entrevista: EU appetite for EVs drives new wave of deforestation in tropical forests news.mongabay.com/2025/06/eu-a...

A demora do governo Lula em retomar a reforma agrária está levando a uma nova onda de ocupações de terras na Amazônia, em situações que muitas vezes terminam em conflito.

While the world is focused on the threat of oil exploration in the Amazon River Mouth, the auction of oil wells near Indigenous lands goes unnoticed in another part of the Amazon. @mongabay.com @alexdesanti.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2025/06/unno...

My last contribution to @mongabay.com European efforts to become net zero may trigger carbon emissions in Brazil and Indonesia.

Six months from COP30, Brazil is about to approve what experts call the worst environmental setback in four decades.

Os garimpeiros ilegais da Amazônia são muito criativos. Anos atrás, um grupo criou uma mina subterrânea falsa para enganar as autoridades sobre a origem do ouro. Esse buraco da foto, pequeno demais para acomodar um homem adulto, foi a origem de 379,4 kg de ouro, segundo eles.

The Lula government's delay in unlocking agrarian reform is leading to a new wave of land occupations in the Amazon, in situations that often end in conflict.

Depois de projetos REDD terem ido parar nas páginas policiais, iniciativas de restauração florestal surgem como a nova aposta dos créditos de carbono na Amazônia. Até a mineradora Vale e a indústria de carne Marfrig entraram na onda. Leia no @mongabay.com brasil.mongabay.com/2025/05/rest...

Garimpeiros estão fugindo das operações em Roraima e no Pará e procurando novas fronteiras de exploração de ouro. Uma delas é o Amapá, onde eles estão perigosamente próximos de uma das maiores árvores da Amazônia. @mongabay.com brasil.mongabay.com/2025/05/gari...

Illegal miners in the Brazilian Amazon are very creative. Years ago, a group created a fake underground mine to cheat authorities about the origin of the gold. This small hole, too small to accommodate a grown man, was the origin of 379.4 kg of gold, according to them.

The Amazon's second largest tree is in danger, as illegal gold miners are operating just one kilometer from this 85-meter (279-foot) red angelim. My latest on @mongabay.bsky.social with @alexdesanti.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2025/04/ille...

Restoration projects in the Amazon are the carbon market's new bet after scandals involving REDD projects. Big techs, large banks, and even companies like Vale and Marfrig came on board. Find out more in my report for @mongabay.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2025/04/for-...

Pressure bears down around uncontacted tribes at the edge of Brazil’s arc of deforestation @nandawenzel.bsky.social reports for @mongabay.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2025/03/isol...

Estou no episódio da @radionovelo.com.br desta semana explicando os detalhes da minha investigação sobre Ricardo Stoppe, grileiro e madeireiro que posava de salvador da floresta e lucrava milhões com créditos de carbono. brasil.mongabay.com/2024/05/gran...

Impact: @mongabay.bsky.social reporter @nandawenzel.bsky.social suspected fraud in 2 Brazilian carbon projects & investigated for a year By shining a light on this crime, Mongabay’s award-winning 🏆 #nonprofit #journalism continues to protect the Amazon via greater scrutiny of global carbon markets:

The cutest video you will see today. What a nice work @mongabay.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xwg...

As the federal administration closes miners’ siege of Indigenous territories, the illegal miners are migrating to less-monitored areas, experts says. @nandawenzel.bsky.social on @mongabay.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2025/02/mini...

Legal advice, deforestation maps, fraudulent contracts. Know the tricks of one of the Amazon's largest deforesters in my last investigation for @mongabay.bsky.social / edited by @alexdesanti.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2025/01/prob...

In 2024, Brazil registered the highest number of fires in ten years. The prospects for 2025 are gloomy, especially for the Amazon. Local and federal governments should already be working to avoid another tragedy. My latest to @mongabay.bsky.social. news.mongabay.com/2025/01/afte...

Em maio, mostramos no @mongabay.bsky.social que a Carbonext se associou a madeireiros ilegais para criar um projeto de carbono no sul do Amazonas. Nossa investigação, em parceria com o CCCA, foi confirmada pela PF na Operação Greenwashing, e 5 pessoas foram presas. news.mongabay.com/2024/05/top-...

A convite do Pulitzer Center, vou compartilhar amanhã um pouco da minha investigação sobre projetos REDD+ na Amazônia, publicada pelo @mongabay.bsky.social. A reportagem antecipou a Operação Greenwashing, da PF. É amanhã às 9h. Inscrições no link! pulitzercenter.org/es/event/int...

I was so honored to see my presentation poster in the student lounge of Davidson College in North Carolina! Tomorrow, I will talk about my work as an investigative journalist in the Amazon. Thanks, Pulitzer Center, for the invitation!

Amid an extreme, unprecedented drought, almost all major Amazon rivers have registered their lowest levels in history. @nandawenzel.bsky.social for @mongabay.bsky.social news.mongabay.com/2024/09/extr...

Some of our journalists to follow 🙌 @nandawenzel.bsky.social @bykarlamendes.bsky.social @alexdesanti.bsky.social @geraldrflynn.bsky.social @shokes.bsky.social @mikedigirolamo.bsky.social @erikhoffner.bsky.social + freelance team including: @racheldonald.bsky.social @claireasher.bsky.social

Fighting illegal gold mining in the Amazon goes far beyond destroying backhoe loaders. We went to the gold capital, Itaituba, to show the real people behind this serious environmental crime. Feature to @mongabay.bsky.social edited by @alexdesanti.bsky.social 🖊️ news.mongabay.com/2024/09/resi...