Environmental Investigation Agency US

05/21/2026

Today, President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the Administration’s rollback of requirements under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020 to reduce U.S. consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – potent greenhouse gases hundreds to thousands of times more harmful to the climate than carbon dioxide.

This decision will dampen U.S. innovation in energy efficient refrigeration technology and potentially defer that innovation to foreign competitors, increase GHG emissions from legacy equipment, and increase the likelihood of illegal HFC imports flowing into the country.

All of which will increase costs to the American consumer.

Learn more about EIA’s work on supermarket leaks at climatefriendlysupermarkets.org

05/19/2026

Recent reporting from Mongabay.com highlights escalating tensions in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining regions, where community leaders have been arrested following protests over mining impacts.

These events reflect growing concerns raised by EIA and partners in a recent joint letter calling for urgent attention to the situation and stronger protection for affected communities.

Read more on the situation:

Civil society groups have denounced the “arbitrary” arrests of 11 community leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo following a peaceful protest over the impacts of mining operations on local communities. Authorities made the arrests on May 1 in the country’s southeastern Lualaba province,...

05/18/2026

New research from the University of Washington reveals a heartbreaking threat to Alaska’s endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales. Shipping noise could disrupt the communication bond between mothers and their calves.

The study analyzed 1,700 calls and identified a unique combination of vocalizations used when calves were present - a special set of vocalizations that are essential in the silty waters of Cook Inlet, where visibility is near zero. A previous study found that these very calls are the most easily masked by commercial shipping noise.

“If a mother can’t acoustically keep in contact with her calf, that could be a huge problem,” said Arial Brewer, a doctoral student in aquatic and fishery sciences at the University of Washington and lead author of the study.

Even more concerning, some key foraging areas overlap with the loudest shipping zones.

This research is not only essential in deepening our understanding of beluga behavior in the inlet but also for identifying potential solutions. Simple measures like slowing ships near whales could reduce noise and help mothers and calves stay connected.

Read more:
Study: https://ow.ly/XhIK50Z1ezi
University of Washington Research: https://ow.ly/hTEu50Z1ezk
Oceanographic Mag feature: https://ow.ly/H1X850Z1ezh

Learn about EIA’s efforts to protect Cook Inlet belugas and bring down the noise. https://ow.ly/85RZ50Z1ezj

Industrial shipping noise may be drowning out the calls beluga whale mothers use to stay in contact with their calves.

05/15/2026

Our recent report reveals how a game reserve owner and rhino breeder is trying to circumvent the international ban on rhino horn trade by suing the South African government to compel it to authorize the export of at least 502 rhino horns to eight different locations.

Who are these prospective buyers? After reviewing documents containing their names and contact details, EIA was left with more questions than answers - and concerns that horn may be destined for illegal trade.

If rhino horn is exported from South Africa for commercial and medicinal purposes, it would have devastating consequences for wild rhino populations around the world. For , get the scoop on each prospective buyer and learn more about this reckless gambit to open up global rhino horn trade in our interactive report: https://interactive.eia.org/sidestepping-the-ban/

05/14/2026

Marine mammals are under constant threat from increased human activity throughout the ocean; many cannot adapt in time when our patterns of behavior change. That's why more vessel traffic means a higher risk of deadly ship strikes for whales living off the coast of South Africa.

Whales are increasingly exposed to traffic - and ship strikes.

05/14/2026

EIA welcomes the guilty pleas entered by UK luxury yacht manufacturer Sunseeker International Ltd and its US subsidiary Sunseeker USA Sales for violations of the US Lacey Act linked to the use of illegally sourced teak from Myanmar.

The case marks one of the most significant US enforcement actions involving Myanmar teak since the country’s 2021 military coup and demonstrates the continued importance of robust environmental laws.

EIA Forests Campaigns Leader Faith Doherty said: “The Myanmar teak trade is not a victimless environmental crime. Revenues from this trade have helped sustain a brutal military regime linked to widespread human rights abuses and violence against civilians.

“Given that the two yachts involved in the US case were priced at approximately $2.98 million and $1.07 million, the $200,000 fine is effectively little more than a financial slap on the wrists – nevertheless, this outcome still sends a clear message that companies cannot ignore the risks associated with sourcing teak from Myanmar.”

Read the full story now - link in our post below 👇

05/13/2026

EIA joins other civil society organizations in condemning the arrest of 11 community leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for protesting a displacement process they found unjust. The displacement was triggered by the expansion of one of the largest copper-cobalt mines in the world, controlled by the largest cobalt producer in the world - CMOC Group.

In 2020, CMOC Group subsidiary Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) built a lime plant near the community of Kabombwa. Scientific analysis suggests that the facility caused air, water, and soil pollution. Displaced community members are reportedly still dealing with serious health problems while living in deeply precarious economic circumstances.

“The arrests of the leaders from Kabombwa are deeply concerning,” says Jean-Pierre Lwamba of Afrewatch. “To be clear, these arrests were arbitrary, and according to sources we have spoken with, appear to have taken place following a complaint lodged by TFM, and according to our information with the possible participation of TFM’s agents.”

EIA and its civil society partners are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the leaders who are still in detention. Learn more at https://eia.org/press-releases/11-community-leaders-jailed-in-drc/

05/12/2026

In recent years, rhino poaching and horn seizures have become less visible in the news – but that doesn't mean these majestic creatures are free from the threats posed by poachers and illegal trade.

In the latest episode of EIA’s ‘What on Earth?’ podcast, we dive into two recent reports from our colleagues at EIA US which shed light on the complexities of rhino horn trafficking, particularly focusing on an analysis of enforcement efforts in China and the ongoing push in South Africa for a legalised trade to allow exports of horn to other countries.

Taylor Tench, a Senior Wildlife Policy Analyst at EIA US, joins EIA UK Senior Press and Communications Officer Paul Newman to talk about the key findings of both reports.

Listen now - link in the first post below 👇

Environmental Investigation Agency US

05/11/2026

Our recent report exposes how a game reserve owner is trying to circumvent the global ban on commercial rhino horn trade by using problematic captive breeding exemptions to export at least 502 horns to eight locations.

Most of the prospective destinations would receive three to five horns, but there was one notable exception: 479 rhino horns destined for Canada.

"We were shocked to see Canada as the main prospective importer for these horns," our Senior Wildlife Policy Analyst Taylor Tench told The Globe and Mail. Learn more about the case at:

05/11/2026

Underwater noise pollution is an often overlooked source of behavioral stress for belugas and other marine life that depend on sound for survival.

Chronic noise exposure is a growing problem across our ocean, but it's particularly disruptive for the Cook Inlet beluga population. Living alongside Alaska's largest port city means that these whales have to navigate, hunt, and communicate over the constant din of ship traffic, oil and gas exploration, and other coastal development projects.

Learn why we need to keep Cook Inlet quiet to protect this critically endangered beluga population at http://savecookinletbelugas.org/