No. 82, May 30, 2019

Hello Revelator readers,

As the world grapples with the global biodiversity crisis, there's a new wave of science obstructionists getting air time: extinction deniers. Not surprisingly they have much in common with climate deniers, and their lies are just as dangerous. Find out more.

Recent news from the United Nations that as many as 1 million species could go extinct in the coming decades caught a lot of people by surprise. That's because we don't regularly hear about extinctions — and the reasons for that are complicated, as we explain in a new story.

One of the biggest threats to biodiversity is overfishing, but there are ways to balance ocean conservation with economic needs. A new op-ed says the solution begins with empowering coastal communities.

States that share the Colorado River just came to a big agreement, but there's little time for celebration. An even larger challenge lies ahead to establish a new plan to manage the river in the age of climate change. We talk with expert John Fleck about what's to come.

Subscriber bonus: The Wild 5

Let's go a little deeper. Here are five stories from around the web that we're watching this week.

1. In its most recent attack on science, the Trump administration has mandated that climate assessments model impacts only until 2040 — and not the end of the century.

2. U.S. inaction on climate change, though, isn't halting global efforts: 80 nations are planning to increase their climate pledges.

3. Many of the world's major rivers are swimming in antibiotics, a new study found, boosting concerns about an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria that could thwart the treatment of deadly infections.

4. The aftermath of last year's deadly Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif., is changing the conversation about disaster preparedness and where it's safe to live.

5. Rewilding continues in the Chernobyl disaster zone, as a new wildlife tour in Belarus showed that wolves, bison, birds and bears appear to be thriving — although the health impacts from lingering radiation are still unknown.

In case you missed it:

The last known male Sumatran rhino in Malaysia died this week. We wrote about this critically endangered species when Malaysia's population fell to two.

What should we cover next?

Drop us a line anytime. We welcome your ideas and inside scoops.

Coming up:

We have some amazing new articles and essays coming your way in the next few weeks, including more on the extinction crisis, the latest science protecting sharks and a look at whether we have a constitutional right to a safe climate.

Look for our links in next week's newsletter — or follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the headlines as they go live. We share other interesting news there, too!

As always, thank you for reading.