Whale and gorilla recoveries show what the world needs is a Paris agreement for nature

Analysis: A rare piece of good news shows us that international commitments are key to preserving wildlife, says Josh Gabbatiss

Mountain gorillas have bounced back in recent years thanks to concerted conservation efforts (AFP/Getty)

Reading about the environment can be a depressing affair.

Between the existential threat posed to humanity by climate change, air pollution poisoning children from London to Lagos, and the mass extinction of global wildlife, there is plenty to be miserable about. It’s also very easy for the kind of complicated, incremental work that makes a difference to get lost in the tide of dire warnings.

But the latest bulletin from the International Union for Conservation of Nature offers a glimmer of hope. The global body tasked with assessing the status of the planet’s wildlife has announced that populations of fin whales and mountain gorillas are, if not booming, at least returning to their former glory.