A review of experimental GM insect releases points to 'scientific deficiencies' and lack of openness in regulatory approvals.

Slash-and-burn agriculture is more sustainable than modern clearing methods and improves biodiversity, a study suggests.

A report by the UN secretary-general's panel on global sustainability adds weight to calls for more science in policymaking.

Engineers want the Rio+20 summit proposals to give more emphasis to the role engineering plays in driving sustainable development.

A bioprospecting project in Panama is the first to be funded by the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund.

Contrary to popular belief, locusts are hampered by nitrogen-rich food — a finding which could be exploited to control swarms.

Pacific islanders are at much higher risk of ciguatera fish toxins than previously thought, and the number of sufferers is increasing.

Nepal plans to expand its household biogas programme, a model for developing countries, into commercial use.

Traps that let juvenile and small fish escape have increased the sustainability of fisheries — without affecting fishers' livelihoods.

Biodiversity influences how well a dryland ecosystem functions, and therefore how it will respond to climate change, say scientists.

Cutting methane and soot emissions could quickly tackle climate change while boosting crops and health, says a study.

Campaigners welcome plenty of science in the first draft of the planet's environmental negotiations, but say there are omissions.

The complexity of Colombian laws on biodiversity and genetic resources has led over 90 per cent of scientists to work illegally.

The new model of sustainable development ― the 'green economy' ― could benefit large firms at the expense of the poor, warns a report.

Rice farming in South-East Asia is being urged to take better care in its use of potentially-damaging pesticides.

The production of frankincense may be 'doomed' as the resin-making Boswellia trees are being decimated.

A study reports that some birds in the developing world are dependent on traditional farming, raising debate on how to protect these habitats.

Indian Kashmir needs to prepare for a major temblor, going by new satellite data.

Man-made activity is contributing to pressures on an Indian biodiversity hotspots, says study.

African participants at an international meeting emphasise the need for continent-wide action to generate easy-to-access environmental data.