Biodiversity is often presented as this kind of ascetic, very nice to have thing, but that is not actually crucial. Species are currently going extinct at the highest and fastest rate in human history. Biodiversity also plays an unbelievably critical role in stabilizing the planet. Plants and animals absorb about half of the carbon dioxide that humans produce each year. They are instrumental in offsetting the worst excesses of human behaviour.
The Congressional committee probing the riot at America’s Capitol recommended that the Justice Department bring four charges against Donald Trump. But the road to indictment and prosecution of the former president is long and winding. The UN’s biodiversity summit ended with a historic but still unsatisfying agreement. And our language columnist presents his choice for word of the year.
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