Daniel Beltrá describes himself as a “conservation photographer,” and activism plays an important role in his work. His images expose the consequences of humanity’s unrelenting exploitation of natural resources. In this video interview, Beltrá describes his body of work documenting the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.

Oil spills have a devastating impact on life within coastal and marine ecosystems. Wildlife and habitats suffer from the adverse effects of spills for many years after the oil is released into the environment. For example, this report from the National Wildlife Federation, which was produced five years after the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, documented the ongoing impact of the spill.

The flooded forest ecosystem of the Amazon contains an incredible diversity of creatures, each of which has adapted to this unique environment. Explore the fascinating world of the Amazon in this BBC nature documentary.

How do declines in the price of commodities affect forest conservation efforts? While declining prices may slow down deforestation activity in the near term, the longer-term impact is more complex. This article from Mongabay discusses the various factors to consider, including the impact on governments, corporations and individuals.

Indonesia’s rainforests are rapidly disappearing. Habitat loss is a major threat to its residents: the Sumatra tigers, rhinos, orangutans and elephants. Can activism make a difference in securing a better future for humans and our fellow creatures? Although ongoing campaigns by NGOs, activists and consumers to fight deforestation in Indonesia have led to sustainability commitments by paper companies, it is an ongoing challenge to create accountability for their failure to live up to those commitments. In addition to the pulp and paper industry, other commodity-producers, such as oil palm plantations and mining operations, are major factors in the destruction of Indonesian rainforests. In the case of deforestation due to coal mining, the loss of trees has a magnified impact on climate change: it directly affects our planet’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide emissions and the burning of coal by end users adds more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.     

Daniel Beltrá has worked with Greenpeace to document both pollution and declining levels of sea ice in the polar regions. Beltrá traveled with Greenpeace to the Southern Oceans in 2007, and to the Arctic circle in 2012. On both expeditions, Beltrá and the Greenpeace team encountered historically-low levels of sea ice.

Polar bears are not aquatic creatures and depend on sea ice as a platform from which to hunt seals, rest and breed. Their only access to seals is from the surface of the sea ice, and they travel long distances to forage by floating on low, flat masses of floating ice known as “floes.” As sea ice recedes in the Arctic, polar bears must travel longer distances to find sea ice and must endure longer summers with limited access to food. Will polar bears be able to adapt to these changing conditions or will the species die off as their habitat disappears? Unlike other populations of polar bears, Hudson Bay polar bears have been spending their summers on land for thousands of years. As the bears spend more and more time on land, they are turning to alternate food sources and developing other adaptive responses to changes in the Arctic environment. Learn more about polar bears in this video from Nat Geo Wild. How much do you know about polar bears? Test your knowledge with this polar bear quiz from World Wildlife Fund.

Some of the most visible impacts of global warming are occurring in the polar regions. This time-series map animation displays the progression of changing global surface temperature anomalies from 1880 through 2015. Scientists are studying Greenland meltwaters to determine whether the melting ice will contribute to a global rise in sea levels. Learn about this research and experience Greenland meltwater in this short video.

Climate change is often associated with a loss of land mass, as islands and coastal areas become submerged due to rising sea levels. But will climate change lead to an increase in land mass in some areas? According to recent research, Iceland may be such an area. As Iceland’s glaciers melt, the pressure on the ground beneath is reduced and the land pushes up from the Earth’s crust. This change may also spur additional volcanic activity, adding new igneous rock. Learn more in this article from The Washington Post.

Daniel Beltra’s work captures the beauty of the world’s natural landscapes and the adverse impact of climate change, deforestation and oil spills. If you are inspired by his work, you can take action in your own life. Select one or more pledges listed below and spread the word. You can also learn more by visiting our Pledge Center.  Let’s #EndOvershoot and save our #OneEarth.