Global Scans · Nature · Weekly Summary

WHAT''S NEXT?: Oceans, animals, and land are all under threat from climate change and human activities. The effective and efficient conservation of agricultural biodiversity is vital to meeting the global challenges of food and nutritional security for an expanding world population. But, the signs are of continued degradation of our global natural resources and environment.

• [New] Canada's slate of existing and announced projects could enhance its role as a major global supplier of nickel, lithium, graphite, cobalt and rare earth elements. IEA
• [New] The multifactorial nature of PSM reveals a complex interplay of stressors, ranging from anthropogenic disruptions to environmental challenges, including river and stream temperatures, stocking density, genetic factors, fish length, pathogen burden, and disease that may all interplay. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Climate threats now affect more than 40% of natural World Heritage Sites, some of the most outstanding places on Earth that support climate regulation and provide cultural and economic benefits to communities around the world. IUCN
• [New] Warming oceans, acidification and shifting species distributions are already disrupting fisheries worldwide, threatening the communities that depend on them. Inter Press Service
• [New] Forests and other nature-based solutions to climate change have the potential to sequester one-third of global emissions annually. ACR
• [New] The last ice area is projected to be the last place on Earth to retain year-round sea ice by 2040. The Conversation
• [New] Global demand for animal-based foods is projected to increase by nearly 70% by 2050 due to population growth and rising incomes, placing immense pressure on land and water resources. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Growing regulatory pressures around ESG compliance, increasing sophistication of cyber attacks and the interconnected nature of global supply chains are top concerns for many, as they have the potential to disrupt operations and erode stakeholder trust. Default
• [New] China's dominance in critical minerals, such as rare earth elements, and Russia's significant role in European gas supplies have highlighted vulnerabilities in global supply chains. GOV.UK
• [New] Sentinel-1NG will offer improved resolution and quad-polarization, plus a sea-ice mode and AIS for maritime surveillance, enabling day-and-night, all-weather monitoring for climate, land, oceans, and emergency-management applications. Cyclop SpaceTech
• [New] The European Commission has warned Albania that it must act now to avoid jeopardising its bid to join the bloc, which requires it to comply with EU environmental rules. Yahoo News UK
• [New] Dragon will return to Earth with thousands of pounds of cargo, carrying samples that could shape future space exploration and life on Earth. NASA
• [New] A weakening AMOC has serious environmental consequences, with its collapse considered a major potential tipping point, or key threshold within Earth's systems, beyond which substantial and irreversible environmental change will occur. Live Science
• [New] Vietnam's government has approved a five-year programme, running from 2026 to 2030, that aims to help 25,000 enterprises, business households, and cooperatives adopt sustainable practices balancing economic performance with social responsibility and environmental protection. SEWF
• [New] In Sweden, state-owned LKAB is receiving $86 million in funding to develop an industrial park that will extract rare earth elements and phosphorus from iron ore tailings. AZoMining
• [New] Earth Sciences New Zealand and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are both warning that an El Nino event is developing, fuelled by warmer than usual waters in the tropical Pacific. RNZ
• [New] The alternative approach will leave the UK hooked on expensive gas, exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis, harm nature and commit future generations to climate chaos. GOV.UK
• [New] A landmark Science paper finds that shifting away from animal products could sharply cut food-related emissions and reduce global agricultural land use by about 75%. Maui Vegan Life
• [New] Supply Chain Ethics: As consumer activism grows, Samsung could be targeted by campaigns on issues like planned obsolescence, labour rights at suppliers, or rare-earth mining ethics. Risk Intelligence Service
• [New] MetricStream can help organizations gain better visibility into their global supply chains along with ensuring comprehensive risk management processes to identify, prevent, and minimize risks pertaining to human rights and environmental protection. Metricstream
• [New] From climate-friendly propulsion systems and large scale-producible space technologies to satellite-based Earth observation systems, Fraunhofer will demonstrate research results that are not only enabling the transformation of the aerospace industry but also bringing it to fruition. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
• [New] As global demand for gold and critical minerals continues to grow, illegal extraction and trafficking are increasingly linked to organized crime, illicit financial flows, corruption, environmental harm, and broader governance vulnerabilities. United Nations Western Europe
• [New] Freshwater ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse yet highly threatened ecosystems on Earth. Frontiers

Last updated: 20 June 2026