Big Ag's Big Investment in Global Climate Talks
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From Stephanie Feldstein, Population and Sustainability Program Director |
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This month world leaders gathered in Brazil for COP30, the annual United Nations’ climate conference. The Trump administration wasn’t there, but industry lobbyists were out in force. More than 300 agriculture industry lobbyists swarmed the conference — even more than last year. The Center for Biological Diversity and our partners in the Just Food Transition Network debunked the industry’s spin in a series of briefs on false solutions, biodiversity, and blue foods. The Network is part of a growing movement pushing back against industry influence at the talks and calling for a just transition away from industrial animal agriculture.
Read on for the latest news on bird flu, a new bill to protect access to contraception, and a wildlife-friendly alternative to Black Friday. |
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Crowded Planet: Birding is one of the most popular recreational activities in the United States, with more than 90 million enthusiasts. But as John Yunker wrote for The Revelator, many bird lovers have a blind spot when it comes to the birds on their plates. Those who care about wild birds should extend that concern to all birds — and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start by putting plant-based foods at the center of your table.
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Celebrate Secondhand Sunday on Nov. 30 |
The pressure to buy more stuff is at its highest this time of year, and wildlife pay the price for the habitat loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution that go into producing all those gifts. One way to help is by making secondhand your first choice this holiday shopping season. Giving secondhand gifts keeps good items out of landfills and helps avoid the destructive extraction and production of raw materials. This Thanksgiving weekend, skip the Black Friday rush and celebrate Secondhand Sunday instead — a day to support resellers and highlight the benefits of shopping secondhand. Vintage or thrifted items can make the perfect gifts for your friends and family — and for wildlife. Here's one thing you can do: Learn more about how to make the most of your next thrift trip. |
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Legalizing the Right to Contraception |
People already face barriers to accessing contraception in the United States, and the ability for families to choose if — and when — to grow is under attack. Nine million Americans live in contraceptive deserts, and it’s legal for some healthcare and pharmacy organizations to refuse to provide services related to contraception. The Right to Contraception Act of 2025 would establish people’s ability to obtain contraceptives and more broadly seek care to prevent pregnancy as a legal right. This would include all methods, from fertility awareness and over-the-counter products to prescription drugs and sterilization.
Here’s one thing you can do: If you're in the United States, urge your members of Congress to support the Right to Contraception Act. |
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A person in Washington state was recently infected with a strain of bird flu previously undetected in humans. While officials say the public health risk remains low, bird flu continues to hit industrial agriculture hard. More than 5 million hens and 2 million turkeys were culled over the past two months after the bird flu virus was detected at nearly 50 big poultry operations. The impact of these latest developments on wildlife isn’t yet known, but more than 180 species of wild birds and mammals — including federally protected wildlife — have contracted bird flu in recent years.
It's not surprising that bird flu is back: Like other seasonal illnesses, bird flu often comes in waves, with a quieter summer followed by a resurgence in the fall. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture has failed to authorize vaccines for flocks or tighten its biosecurity protocols, increasing the risk of spread among flocks and to wildlife and people.
Here’s one thing you can do: Read about the Center’s work on bird flu and its connection to factory farming and biodiversity loss. |
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Smaller Families Change the World |
Birth rates have been declining as people choose smaller families due to a combination of greater access to reproductive healthcare, increased education and economic opportunity for women, and skyrocketing costs of raising families. In societies designed for endless growth, these trends can have profound changes in realms from childcare to eldercare and from small towns to religious communities. NPR explores these dynamics in its recent series Population Shift: How Smaller Families Are Changing the World, including an article on how smaller families can help rewild the planet — and improve human happiness.
Here's one thing you can do: Share this newsletter with friends and family and encourage them to subscribe to join the conversation about how common-sense solutions can create a better world for people and wildlife. |
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How to Plan a Cozy Winter Wedding |
The average wedding creates as much climate pollution as powering more than seven homes for a year and produces more than 400 pounds of trash. Instead of fueling the excess consumption of a multibillion-dollar industry, your wedding can reflect your love of nature. And you don’t have to sacrifice style to do it. If you’re in the throes of planning a winter wedding (or other celebration), our Wildlife-Friendly Wedding Blog has tips on how to choose venues, embrace winter wonderland decor, and serve foods that will warm up your guests without warming the planet. Here’s one thing you can do: If you’re planning to pop the question over the holidays, check out our ideas for wildlife-friendly rings. |
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Wildlife Spotlight: Humpback Whale |
Humpback whales are known for the distinctive hump on their backs, the wart-like bumps on their skin, and acrobatic surface behaviors like breaching and tail-slapping that make them whale watchers’ fan favorites. Below the waves they can travel thousands of miles migrating between summer feeding grounds and warmer waters for the winter. But along the way, they need to dodge deadly fishing gear.
Every year dozens of humpback whales are entangled in fishing gear off the Pacific Coast. The sablefish fishery alone kills or seriously injures about three humpbacks every two years. Following a legal victory by the Center, NOAA Fisheries announced plans to form a federal task force to curb the fishery’s Pacific humpback entanglements.
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Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702
United States |
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