• Environmental groups are celebrating a victory in Albania, where the government has blocked the construction of a dam on one of Europe’s last wild rivers. The Vjosa River will be declared a national park, protecting it from development.
• In a report released last week, scientists called for world leaders to do a better job of managing phosphorus, a nutrient commonly used in farm fertilizer. Overuse of the nutrient has had far-reaching consequences for human health and the environment.
• In Chile, a major mining company says that by 2030, it will no longer use freshwater in its operations at a large copper mine. Anglo American intends to shift to desalinated water and recycled water for mining operations at Los Bronces by 2030.

This week, Circle of Blue reports on the spillover effects of drought in the American West.