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In 2017, Sri Lanka set a goal to increase its forest cover to 32% by 2030 (Sri Lanka UN‐REDD, 2017). However, on November 4th 2020, the government published circular MWFC/1/2020 revoking the circular 5/2001 of August 10th 2001, one of the country's most crucial forest protection directives. The revocation of the 5/2001 circular could severely hamper this target, posing a threat of deforestation to a variety of ecosystems which are not part of any formally designated protected areas (PA) in Sri Lanka, also known as Other State Forests. This includes forested areas adjoining PAs which are crucial for habitat connectivity and standalone state forest lands. Such a retrograde step could have potentially catastrophic ramifications on Sri Lanka's declining forest cover. It would also severely weaken the country's commitments to inter alia, the UNREDD Programme, Kyoto protocol and CBD. We therefore call on the Government of Sri Lanka to urgently reconsider and reverse this decision.

The “Global Safety Net” shows where nature could be conserved and connected to reverse biodiversity loss and stabilize climate., Global strategies to halt the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change are often formulated separately, even though they are interdependent and risk failure if pursued in isolation. The Global Safety Net maps how expanded nature conservation addresses both overarching threats. We identify 50% of the terrestrial realm that, if conserved, would reverse further biodiversity loss, prevent CO2 emissions from land conversion, and enhance natural carbon removal. This framework shows that, beyond the 15.1% land area currently protected, 35.3% of land area is needed to conserve additional sites of particular importance for biodiversity and stabilize the climate. Fifty ecoregions and 20 countries contribute disproportionately to proposed targets. Indigenous lands overlap extensively with the Global Safety Net. Conserving the Global Safety Net could support public health by reducing the potential for zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 from emerging in the future.

The Global Deal for Nature sets an ambitious agenda to protect our biosphere through ecosystem conservation and land restoration., The Global Deal for Nature (GDN) is a time-bound, science-driven plan to save the diversity and abundance of life on Earth. Pairing the GDN and the Paris Climate Agreement would avoid catastrophic climate change, conserve species, and secure essential ecosystem services. New findings give urgency to this union: Less than half of the terrestrial realm is intact, yet conserving all native ecosystems—coupled with energy transition measures—will be required to remain below a 1.5°C rise in average global temperature. The GDN targets 30% of Earth to be formally protected and an additional 20% designated as climate stabilization areas, by 2030, to stay below 1.5°C. We highlight the 67% of terrestrial ecoregions that can meet 30% protection, thereby reducing extinction threats and carbon emissions from natural reservoirs. Freshwater and marine targets included here extend the GDN to all realms and provide a pathway to ensuring a more livable biosphere.

The paper describes a new frog of the genus Nannophrys from Sri Lanka. The new species is distinguished from all other Nannophrys species by the following combination of morphological characters; distal subarticular tubercle and penultimate subarticular tubercles of 4th toe are well separated (vs. these two tubercles close in all other species of the genus). Supernumerary tubercle absent or smaller than penultimate subarticular tubercle on 4th toe. A hard sharp narrow symphysial knob and close pair of sharp apophyses on anterior edge of mandible and symphysial knob lower than two apophyses (vs. all other species with a blunt wider symphysial knob and wider pair of apophyes on anterior edge of mandible, and symphysial knob of same height or higher than two apophyses. Palmar tubercles comparatively smaller, inner palmar tubercle separated from outer palmar tubercle (vs. other relatives possess palmar tubercles comparatively large, inner palmar tubercle connected with outer palmar tubercle). Ecological and distributional notes for the new species are given.