Energy crisis revives push to drill in Philippines largest intact wetland
| | MINDANAO, Philippines, 17 April 2026 (Mongabay) - Liguasan Marsh is the largest intact wetland in the Philippines, a key area for both resident and migratory birds, and a source of livelihood for the thousands of families who live there. Since the 1990s, the marsh has been known to hold vast reserves of oil and gas, but decades of armed conflict in the region prevented exploration from progressing. |
Animals pay the price for overcrowding and speeding jeeps
| | YALA, Sri Lanka, 17 April 2026 (Mongabay) - Spotting a leopard at Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s most famous wildlife park located in the deep south, tops the list of priorities for many local and foreign wildlife enthusiasts. Block 1 of Yala National Park attracts the most number of visitors, as it is known to have the highest density of leopards, with at least one leopard per square kilometer. Due to this pressure, many visitors flock to Yala Block I all year round, with the hope of spotting one or more leopards, resulting in overcrowding, “leopard jams” and speeding jeeps, posing significant threats to its wildlife. |
Vanuatu communities unite against invasive species
| | TANNA ISLAND, Vanuatu, 17 April 2026 (SPREP) - Invasive species like weeds and predators, like rats, ferral pigs and cats, are not just nuisances, they threaten food gardens, water sources and the delicate ecosystems that sustain island life. For families in rural Vanuatu, the unchecked growth of invasive weeds can mean reduced harvests, compromised biodiversity and weakened resilience in the face of climate and environmental pressures. |
EU deforestation law nudges timber trade
| | JAKARTA, Indonesia, 17 April 2026 (Mongabay) - Several European timber firms have cut ties with suppliers linked to deforestation in Indonesia following a 2025 investigation, suggesting that an upcoming European Union regulation is already influencing behavior ahead of its implementation at the end of 2026. |
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NAF |
 | | North Atlantic Forum bi-annual international conference 17-21 June, 2024, Connemara, Ireland, |
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IWRA |
| | 1st Islands Water Congress 4-6 Sept, 2024, Torshavn, Faroe Islands |
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ANATOMY OF ISLANDS |
| | 12th Anatomy of Islands symposium 26-28 Sept, 2024, Jelsa, Hvar Island, Croatia |
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CIS |
| | Critical Island Studies 4th international conference 3-4 Oct, 2024, Manila, Philippines |
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CBD |
| | COP16 21 Oct-1 Nov, 2024, Cali, Colombia |
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UNFCCC |
| | COP29 11-22 November, 2024, Baku, Azerbaijan |
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ISLAND DYNAMICS |
| | DARKNESS II conference, 20-23 January 2025, Nuuk, Greenland |
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JICAS |
| | Islands And Island Studies conference 3-7 June, 2025, Jersey, Channel Islands |
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UNITED NATIONS |
| | UN Ocean Conference 9-13 June, 2025, Nice, France |
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UPEI |
| | 3rd international conference on SIS and SNIJs 16-20 June, 2025, Charlottetown, PEI |
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SICRI |
| | Island Studies International Conference 25-28 June, 2026, Tacloban City, Leyte Islands, Philippines |
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ISISA |
| | 20th Islands of the World Conference 7-11 July 2026, Shinan County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea |
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SPREP |
| | 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas, 7–11 September 2026, Noumea, New Caledonia |
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