The United States has announced it is withdrawing from 66 international organizations, many of them linked directly or indirectly to the United Nations system. The decision, announced by President Donald Trump and reinforced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reflects a renewed “America First” approach to foreign policy and multilateral engagement. The full list of cut funding is here. Given the pro-terror stance for organizations funded by the UN Green Prophet sympathizes with the US and understand that what appear as cleantech or environmental projects is money sent to support countries that are anti-environment, such as Qatar. Read our article on the Union for the Mediterranean.

“Today, President Trump announced the U.S. is leaving 66 anti-American, useless, or wasteful international organizations,” Rubio said. “These withdrawals keep a key promise President Trump made to Americans — we will stop subsidizing globalist bureaucrats who act against our interests. The Trump Administration will always put America and Americans first.” The administration added that its review of additional international organizations remains ongoing.

Although the full list has not yet been released, the move has immediate relevance for sustainability, climate policy, science, and culture, where the US has historically been one of the largest financial contributors. Several UN bodies central to environmental governance are widely expected to be affected, either through full withdrawal, funding cuts, or reduced engagement.

Among the most consequential is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which oversees global climate negotiations including the annual COP summits. This year the COP31 event will be held in Antalya, Turkey. The US has already exited the Paris Agreement once under Trump and rejoined under President Biden; this announcement raises fresh uncertainty about America’s long-term role in global climate coordination.

The United Nations Environment Programme is another body closely tied to sustainability. UNEP coordinates international research, policy guidance, and monitoring on biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate adaptation. Critics in Washington argue that UNEP promotes regulatory frameworks that conflict with US economic and energy interests, while supporters say it provides essential scientific coordination that no single country can replicate alone.

Cultural and scientific organizations are also in focus. The UN’s UNESCO, which works on education, heritage protection, and science cooperation, has long been criticized by US conservatives for what they see as politicization and perceived institutional bias, particularly in resolutions related to Israel and the Middle East.

Sustainability advocates note that UNESCO’s work on water resources, ocean science, and heritage conservation often intersects directly with environmental protection. This is true, but the UN funds organizations that seem harmless, but which take a very clear political point of view that contradicts American policies and allies.

Other bodies potentially affected include the Food and Agriculture Organization, which addresses food security and sustainable farming, and the World Health Organization, whose work increasingly links environmental degradation, pollution, and climate change to public health outcomes.

Related: The UN and EU fund anti-west biases in Spain

The administration and its supporters argue that many UN and EU-aligned institutions have developed ideological and structural biases that reflect European policy preferences more than American priorities. In the EU and UN funded Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the organization operates like a pan-Arab support network instead of servicing actual countries in the Mediterranean. These critiques often point to heavy emphasis on precautionary regulation, climate mandates, and social frameworks that are seen as misaligned with US energy production, industrial competitiveness, and national sovereignty.

On the other hand, critics warn that disengagement from UN sustainability institutions risks reducing US influence over global standards that will shape markets, trade, and technology regardless of American participation.

For sustainability advocates, the moment highlights a deeper tension: whether environmental governance is best pursued through global institutions or through national and regional strategies. I personally believe that more power should be put into the hands of local organizations. The bigger and more bloated EU and UN organizations become (with non-elected leaders), the more political biases and racism creep into global policies and perception. The world needs a reset and to restart well intentioned cooperation projects from start. Because right now the UN and EU projects look like software built on code from the 80s, rickety, patched, slow to adapt, and prone to crashing under the weight of outdated assumptions.

Karin Kloosterman – Green Prophet

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I have my own little slice of paradise in a forest in Canada. It would be unsettling to say the least if the developers started carving up and developing the Crown Land, protected by law, around my land.

But this is what’s happening now in Iran, an a world-protected forest.

The story starts in a village called Sark, located in the Ponel–Khalkhal area, where road construction has begun to connect a newly built villa complex, and part of the UNESCO-protected Hyrcanian forests has been destroyed according to local reports in Iran.

Environmentalists speak of trees being cut down and heavy machinery entering the area. They say this organized destruction threatens the future of the Hyrcanian forests.

“I am an Architect and Restorer and an Urban Regeneration Expert working in the field of sustainable development, and I have spent years advocating for the preservation of my country’s heritage,” says Green Prophet contributor Ronak Roshan. (She’s called out the Aga Khan and their ecological award out for greenwashing in Iran).

“Recently, we were informed by the local community that road construction is underway in the Hyrcanian Forests to enable the development of luxury villas. Our field observations and initial documentation show clear signs of land-use change, unauthorized construction, and the expansion of private holding companies into forested areas, agricultural lands, and the buffer zones of this fragile ecosystem,” she says.

“Such activities pose a serious threat to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site, endangering its ecological integrity, landscape continuity, and long-term conservation,” says Roshan,

While in just the past few months new warnings have been issued about the intensifying destruction of the Hyrcanian forests, field reports from the village of Sark in the Ponel–Khalkhal corridor in Gilan show that large-scale road construction has begun in the heart of the region’s ancient forests.

According to environmental activists, this work is being carried out in order to create an access route for a villa complex known as “Behesht Complex” (Paradise Complex).

According to information from informed sources, in order to obtain permits to continue construction of the Behesht villa complex, a road is being built so that afterwards the responsible authorities can justify construction “within the road corridor” and issue permits for the expansion of the complex.

Following this request, the felling of thousand-year-old Hyrcanian trees and the destruction of pristine vegetation has begun. Only a few families live in Sark village, and for years they have used a wooden bridge for their comings and goings. But now, parts of the forest are under pressure from road construction and site preparation for building, including earth removal, mountain cutting and alteration of the topography.

At the same time, environmental activists have sent a formal letter to UNESCO, warning about the planned destruction of the Hyrcanian forests, a World Heritage site, and calling for urgent international action.

In their letter, environmental activists write that this destruction is not limited to Gilan. They say this trend has been continuously ongoing for several decades and, especially after events such as the “Gilan, Capital of Construction” conference, has accelerated under the influence of certain individuals.

The activists have asked UNESCO to order an immediate halt, send a fact-finding mission to the affected areas, and issue an official statement of condemnation.

In Shahrivar (August–September) of this year as well, road construction from Tarom County to Shaft County, along the Dayleh-Sar highlands, began with tree cutting and destruction of the natural terrain, without obtaining any legal permits from the relevant authorities. As a result, 8.5 kilometres of rangeland and forest land in Shaft were destroyed.

The Hyrcanian forests form a long belt of about 850 kilometres, stretching from the Gorgan plain to parts of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Nineteen percent of the total area of the Hyrcanian forests registered with UNESCO—about 58,000 hectares—belongs to Gilan.

Environmental activists in Iran often face significant personal risk when speaking out about illegal land grabs, deforestation, or the destruction of protected areas. In recent years, several high-profile environmentalists have been detained, interrogated, or imprisoned on broad national-security charges, sometimes without transparent legal proceedings.

International human rights groups have repeatedly expressed concern that environmental advocacy in Iran can be treated as political dissent, leaving local activists vulnerable to surveillance, harassment, and pressure from security institutions. This has created a climate in which many citizens are afraid to report ecological damage, making the documented cases of forest destruction even more alarming given the courage required to bring them to light.

The post UNESCO forest being developed in Iran appeared first on Green Prophet.

It’s full of rare and endemic species, and it’s a UNESCO heritage site. Iran’s natural treasure, a 1000-kilometer forest, the Hyrcanian forest has been on fire for several days. It stretches from the Caspian Sea and into neighboring Azerbaijan and is home to more than 3,200 kinds of plants. It is home to the Persian leopard and the Steppe eagle.

Related: Iran’s dams and water reservoirs have dried up

Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah, deputy to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, wrote Friday on X that “faced with the impossibility of containing the fire,” Iran had “requested urgent assistance from friendly countries.”

“Two specialized water bomber planes, a helicopter, and eight people will be dispatched from Turkey,” Shina Ansari, head of the Iranian Environmental Protection Organization, said on Saturday.

“If necessary, we will also seek assistance from Russia,” she added on state television.

The forest is also home to the Rudkhan Castle, a fortress to defend against Arab invaders during the Muslim conquest of Persia.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the fire was allegedly started by hunters in the rocky area of Elit in the province of Mazandaran, in northern Iran. This goes in parallel with climate change and the most severe droughts that Iran has seen since records began 60 years ago. Some clerics have blamed Israel for stealing the clouds. But it’s known that Iran’s lack of water management is to blame. See our story on the Aral Sea, an inland lake. It’s only gotten worse since we wrote the first article in 2014.

The country is currently facing one of its most severe droughts since records began six decades ago.

The director general of crisis management for Mazandaran province, Hossein Ali Mohammadi, described the operation to extinguish the fire as “one of the most complex in recent years.”

UNESCO says on its website that the Hyrcanian forests contain a “high degree of rare and endemic tree species” and are home to “many relict, endangered” plant species.

According to UNSESO, the forest contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation. It also contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.

“Iranians are losing a natural heritage that is older than Persian civilization,” Kaveh Madani, a UN scientist and former Iranian environmental official, wrote on X.

Green Prophet contributor Ronak Roshan, a sustainability architect in Iran says that climate change and bad planning is likely the cause for the fire.

“We should not look for distant and wrong addresses to find the founders of the Hyrcanian forest fires,” she says. “The roots of this crisis were planted years ago in the heart of our forests with irregular constructions, uncoordinated interventions, and the dancing of some branded architects and urban planners against land speculators. These decisions and plans, which ignored the capacities of the ecosystem and the fragility of the ecosystem, gradually undermined the natural structure of forests.

“Alongside these human factors, climate change—from unprecedented droughts to rising temperatures—has made Hyrcanian forests more vulnerable than ever. However, the issue is not only climate; we have not prioritized natural heritage and Hyrcanian forests as a “national and public value” in any period. The protection of this million-year-old heritage has never been seen among the urgent needs of the country.

“Today, when fires are burning in several parts of the Hyrcanian region at the same time, the main question is before us with unprecedented clarity: If we want to control this fire, what should we do with this danceable pattern of architects and urban planners (who have recently become environmentalists) against short-term interests? And how do we deal with the fire that has risen softly and silently from the heart of negligence, wrong policies, and profit-oriented interventions?”

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The damage appeared on Google Earth, and then was somehow scrubbed: but we have obtained a before and after photo of Qatari development on Assomption Island in the Seychelles. The same images appear on the landsat open source data supplied by EU’s Copernicus. Why this matters? Assomption Island, one of Seychelles’ Outer Islands lying just 25 miles from Aldabra Atoll, is being rapidly transformed by large-scale construction despite global concern over its ecological importance.

Once lightly inhabited and largely recovering after decades of limited human activity, Assomption is now the site of major earthworks, dredging, and runway expansion for an ultra-luxury development on the beach –– that conservationists say could permanently alter the island’s environment and threaten nearby Aldabra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “outpost of evolution.”

Photographs and satellite images taken between approximately 2023 and June 2025 show widespread clearing of dunes and vegetation, the extension of the airstrip across the center of the island, and the preparation of foundations for as many as 40 villas. The development, backed by Qatari investors through a company Assets Group, aims to create a luxury resort enclave marketed to the ultra-wealthy. Only the ultra wealthy can hope to dive around the atoll. Getting there means a small plane into Assomption and then a charter boat to the island. Guests need to sleep on the boat. Read this personal account of being a dive master at Aldabra Atoll.

Conservation groups, including Friends of Aldabra and Seychelles at Heart, say the project has proceeded without proper environmental oversight and in violation of Seychelles’ own constitutional protections guaranteeing citizens the right to a healthy environment.

Environmentalists have warned that Assomption’s beaches are vital nesting sites for green and hawksbill turtles and that dredging and construction will destroy their breeding grounds. One widely circulated photograph released by Friends of Aldabra shows a dead turtle crushed in the sand by machinery.

Researchers who have studied the island for decades describe it as a key ecological buffer for Aldabra, helping to protect the atoll from pollution, invasive species, and light disturbance. If Assomption’s natural systems collapse, they warn, Aldabra could be next.

In September, two Seychellois citizens, Victoria Duthil and Lucie Harter, filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court of Seychelles to halt the project, arguing that it undermines the country’s environmental laws and its international obligations under UNESCO conventions. The petition targets the government, which granted the development lease and continues to issue work permits despite the legal challenge. The lawsuit has become a rallying point for citizens alarmed by the scale of change occurring on the remote island and by the lack of transparency surrounding the project. This issue will probably determine the next election in the Seychelles.

An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the resort identified major long-term risks to turtle nesting, dune stability, and coastal habitats, yet many of its recommendations appear to have been ignored. Conservationists say the new lighting and air traffic alone will devastate nocturnal wildlife. Beach dredging, they add, has already altered currents and sediment flows, increasing the risk of erosion and devastating turtle nesting sites. Pollution and runoff from the site in water and by air are expected to travel toward Aldabra, which hosts 100,000 giant tortoises and some of the most diverse coral ecosystems in the world. Every visitor to that island must have their clothing and shoes checked for the tiniest of seeds.

Developers have advertised the Assomption project as a sustainable tourism venture that will bring jobs and foreign revenue to Seychelles. They have hired a British PR firm called the PC Agency headed by Paul Charles and a Swedish “environmentalist” photographer Jesper Anhede to scout locations and to court buyers and “eco” builders. We reached out to Charles and Jesper to which there has been receipt of our inquiries, but no comments made. Jesper blocked us on Instagram.

Environmental groups like Friends of Aldabra are worried because they counter that the resort’s marketing materials promise exclusive access to Aldabra, a strict conservation zone closed to mass tourism. They warn that the development of Assomption creates an open channel—physical and economic—between Aldabra and the luxury market, undermining decades of conservation policy designed to keep the atoll isolated from human disturbance.

The controversy comes at a politically fragile moment. National elections remain undecided, with about 10 candidates facing pressure to define their positions on the Outer Islands. We spoke with one candidate, Marco Francis, candidate of the Seychelles United Movement, who has pledged to strengthen protections for Seychelles’ marine reserves and eradicate corruption. The outcome of the election may determine whether construction on Assomption is paused, reversed, or expanded.

Until recently, Assomption had been protected under national environmental frameworks, serving as a controlled buffer to Aldabra’s strictly protected ecosystem. Conservationists say that status has now been effectively removed. What began as a quiet island has become a construction hub for a luxury enclave which will give access to Aldabra and other isolated islands that most Seychellois, a nation of 120,000, will never see.

Environmental observers argue that the issue is larger than Assomption alone. It symbolizes the growing global tension between development and conservation in fragile island states.  If this project continues unchecked, the “outpost of evolution” may be destroyed.

Aldabra faces another global problem — plastic pollution washing up from across the Indian Ocean. Cleaning it up would cost millions. Even a lost flip-flop from Zanzibar can end up on its beaches.

Get educated about protecting Aldabra Atoll:

• Seychelles activists sue government for Qatari development on turtle nesting sites
• Seychelles’ Assomption Island Sold to Qatar: An Alleged $50M Deal Sparks Uproar
• Seychelles’ UNESCO island under threat from luxury development and Qatari-linked terror funds
• Seychelles and the battle with royalty, rats, and the last truly wild places left on Earth
• Q&A: Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah on Assomption Island, Qatar, and the state of conservation in the Seychelles
• “They Knew They Shouldn’t Be There”: Journalist Kevin Gepford on rising pressures at Aldabra
• They Call Her Madam Torti. She Might Be the Only One Who Can Save Seychelles Turtles
• Yaniv Levy’s lifelong quest to protect sea turtles in a time of war and greed
• Light pollution on animals
• Flip flops take over shores of the Seychelles

The post Images of Assomption Island development show extensive beach development appeared first on Green Prophet.

Headlines in Europe have celebrated Carnac and the Morbihan coast’s recent inscription as UNESCO World Heritage sites. But a quieter, arguably more significant victory was unfolding at the same time in Madagascar. Earlier this month, the island nation had its Atsinanana rainforests removed from UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger, ending a nearly two-decade struggle and marking notable progress in environmental governance.

In a world where international accolades are often seen as the ultimate goal, Madagascar’s achievement shows that sometimes the most important recognition comes from overcoming deep-rooted challenges rather than collecting new honours.

A long road to safety

The six rainforests of Atsinanana (Marojejy, Masoala, Zahamena, Ranomafana, Andringitra, and Andohahela) were first designated a World Heritage site in 2007 because of their extraordinary biodiversity and high number of endemic species. They are home to endangered lemurs, rare amphibians and birds, and unique flora found nowhere else on Earth. But by 2010, the site had been placed on the “in danger” list, after illegal logging surged in the aftermath of political instability. Rosewood and ebony, highly prized on international markets, were extracted at unsustainable rates. Protected areas were raided; wildlife trafficking increased, and enforcement systems collapsed.

Being on the World Heritage list is usually framed as a badge of honour, but obtaining the “in danger” designation is very different. It is a warning, indicating a systemic failure of enforcement and stewardship. For countries already facing economic and political stress, this label can damage reputations, discourage investment, and undermine domestic confidence.

Getting a site removed from the danger list is not a simple matter of drafting a better policy or running a few workshops. It requires sustained political commitment, long-term planning, and the ability to rebuild local trust, something which makes Madagascar’s achievement all the more striking.

Strong national leadership

While international support from partners such as UNESCO and the World Bank was important, the core driver of Madagascar’s recovery effort was national resolve. The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), Madagascar National Parks, and local authorities introduced stronger frameworks to control forest exploitation. Protected area surveillance was increased, anti-poaching patrols were restructured, and penalties for illegal logging were made clearer and more enforceable.

Just as importantly, the strategy extended beyond forest boundaries. The government invested in reforestation and ecological restoration, with satellite data showing significant gains in forest cover. But it also focused on tackling the social and economic drivers of environmental degradation. In rural communities near the protected areas, youth were trained in ecotourism, fish farming, and sustainable agriculture. Infrastructure investments — including a new dam and irrigation systems — enabled triple harvests on rehabilitated land, improving livelihoods and easing pressure on forests.

At the international level, Madagascar’s diplomatic and technical coordination was notable. The Ministry of Culture helped prepare the case file submitted to UNESCO, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs activated diplomatic channels in support of the outcome. And at the 47th UNESCO General Assembly in Paris, a high-level Malagasy delegation, led by Minister Max Andonirina Fontaine, presented the government’s results with evidence of on-the-ground progress.

The initiative is part of a broader vision set out by President Andry Rajoelina, who has made the protection of Madagascar’s natural heritage and biodiversity a national priority. His administration has increasingly linked environmental governance to national development, positioning conservation as a pillar of economic recovery and international credibility.

Speaking after the decision, Max Fontaine said, “For Madagascar, this decision is more than a technical or political ruling. It represents a true acknowledgment of the government’s efforts over the past decade. First and foremost, it began with political will at the highest level. President Andry Rajoelina prioritized biodiversity conservation. This commitment then translated into strategy, and that strategy into concrete actions… It has been a long journey, requiring genuine political courage. That is why we can now speak of recognition; it is a huge relief for the Malagasy government.”

The removal from the danger list also carries geopolitical weight. It signals to funders and NGOs that Madagascar can deliver. The country has often struggled to attract long-term investment in environmental projects–but this success may help reframe perceptions, showing that national authorities are capable of leading complex, multi-stakeholder environmental initiatives — a point President Rajoelina and his ministers have been keen to emphasize.

A broader movement

Madagascar was not alone. In the same session, UNESCO removed two other African sites from the danger list — Abu Mena in Egypt and the Old Town of Ghadamès in Libya. Each case differs — Abu Mena faced threats from rising groundwater, and Ghadamès from conflict and climate — but together they send a powerful signal. At a time when heritage sites in Africa and the Middle East are under siege from war, urban sprawl, and environmental shocks, these removals show that progress is possible when political will and international cooperation align.

The shift is also part of a broader evolution within UNESCO. Director-General Audrey Azoulay called the removals a “great victory,” noting that the organisation is placing special emphasis on heritage protection in Africa — and that those efforts are beginning to deliver results.

For African nations often treated as passive recipients of aid or attention, this moment reframes the narrative. These are not stories of external rescue, but of domestic capacity, policy innovation, and resilience.

Important implications

UNESCO designations are more than symbolic. They influence tourism flows, attract development aid, shape national identities, and drive local economic opportunities. According to UNESCO data, World Heritage status can boost tourism by up to 20%, especially in ecologically unique areas. In Madagascar, where ecotourism is one of the country’s most promising but underdeveloped sectors, the potential is considerable.

President Andry Rajoelina’s administration has emphasized this point repeatedly: heritage protection must also create jobs and strengthen local economies. The removal of Atsinanana from the danger list is expected to help Madagascar attract new partnerships, boost tourism revenues, and build stronger links between conservation and community development. For a country where over 75% of the population lives on less than $2 a day, this linkage is critical.

Madagascar’s achievement is not just about restoring a forest. It is about proving that conservation can be part of a national growth strategy. Madagascar has done what few countries in its position have managed to do: reverse environmental decline, regain credibility, and reclaim agency over its environmental narrative.

The post UNESCO confirms danger to Madagascar’s forests is fading, cementing environmental commitment of President Andry Rajoelina’s government appeared first on Green Prophet.

On May 28, 2025, the tranquil Alpine village of Blatten in Switzerland’s Lötschental Valley, about 75 miles west of Geneva, faced a catastrophic event. A massive section of the Birch Glacier, estimated at 1.5 million cubic meters, collapsed, unleashing a torrent of ice, mud, and rock that engulfed the village. Some 90% of the village was destroyed, and one man is missing. Climate change is to blame.

Prior to the disaster, authorities had evacuated approximately 300 residents and livestock due to warnings about the glacier’s instability. Swiss Authorities here issued a warming, 6 days ago. You can count on the Swiss for being prepared. Despite these precautions, a 64-year-old man remains missing, and search operations involving drones with thermal imaging are ongoing hoping to find him.

The landslide also buried the nearby Lonza River bed, raising concerns about potential flooding from dammed water flows. The Swiss army has been deployed to assist with rescue efforts and to monitor the evolving situation.

Having hiked the glaciers of the Italian area of the Swiss Alps, I recall the serene beauty and the sense of permanence these ice formations exuded. But I also sensed the danger when hiking on them. One wrong step could make me slide off a cliff. Passages are often intersected by glacial runoff. This tragic event in Blatten underscores the fragility of such landscapes in the face of climate change. The increasing frequency of glacier collapses is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address global warming.

Switzerland, home to the most glaciers in Europe, has witnessed significant glacier volume losses—4% in 2023 and 6% in 2022. The collapse in Blatten is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of glacial instability linked to rising global temperatures, Swiss glaciologists and scientists believe.

People go to Blatten bei Naters for its breathtaking views of the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a haven for hikers, skiers, and nature lovers, offering dramatic alpine scenery, tranquil trails, and access to the Belalp resort. The village also appeals to families and photographers drawn to its panoramic lookouts over the glacier.

Visitors could reach Blatten by taking a train to Brig or Naters, then a local bus or car up the winding mountain road. No doubt all tourism in the area should be avoided at this time.

The post Swiss village Blatten is flattened by freak glacial melt appeared first on Green Prophet.

Portland-based environmental journalist Kevin Gepford, currently researching a book on global tortoise conservation spent two months on Seychelles’ Aldabra Atoll between December and January, living at the island’s remote research station with 16 other people. It’s so isolated out there—about 1,000 miles from Seychelles’ main island Mahé—that it might as well be Mars. He agrees that change will be coming fast.

Aldabra’s nearest island neighbor, Assomption, is becoming a playground for Qatari royalty and affluent Middle Eastern tourists. A Qatar-based investment company called the Assets Group, and a reported $25 million USD land-lease agreement with the Seychelles government, means that developers, against public concerns, have extended the landing strip to accommodate international flights, and about 1,000 construction workers are on the island currently laying out plots for 40 high-end villas—touted as a luxury resort. Most suspect they will become private villas.

Conservationists we spoke with from Mahé say that no one knows what’s happening on Assomption right now. Access and photos are not allowed. Presidential candidate Maarco Francis says they are building as fast as possible because the current president Wavel Ramkalawan believes construction will be irreversible once the elections are held in September. 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Aldabra is one of the most ecologically pristine places left on Earth—home to more than 100,000 giant tortoises and the last surviving species of flightless rail in the Indian Ocean. It is managed by the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) and is considered an outpost of evolution. Gepford says what he witnessed there shows how fragile that isolation has become.

“I went there to understand how tortoises live—talk with experts about their ecology, and really understand what pressures they and the atoll are facing.”

He observed these pressures in real time:

“I went along with the island staff on a trip around the atoll for an inspection—a part of the day—and unexpectedly came across a catamaran at the edge of the reef,” despite prohibitions on coming close. 

Maritime maps say not to approach within a 40 km radius around the atoll or Assomption Island, says turtle expert Dr. Yaniv Levi who lived and worked as a divemaster on Aldabra for more than two years in the late 1990s. Skippers know that these islands are protected, he tells Green Prophet. 

“It was a really nice yacht,” says Gepford. 

The skipper of the boat hailed the vessel. “We shouted to talk to us on their hand-held radio on a certain channel—and asked, ‘What are you doing here?’ 

“We expected them to blame either the weather or engine trouble,” says Gepford, 

“They said, ‘We just got blown off course because of the cyclone and thought we’d come by for a look. We’re sailing  to Mahé.’”

Gepford said it was clear the crew knew they had crossed a line, and SIF’s skipper warned them to be prepared for a biosecurity inspection when they reached Mahé.

“We took pictures of the yacht  and reported it back to the authorities in the Seychelles—to be aware,” Gepford said.

The concern isn’t symbolic. Aldabra’s team enforces one of the most rigorous biosecurity protocols in the Indian Ocean.

“They picked out seeds from my shoes with tweezers, and made me wash the blades of my handheld fan. Look through everything—and look at it twice,” said Gepford. “It’s invasive species, seeds, pathogens—anything that could damage the ecosystem.”

The chartered yacht, he later learned, had come from Zanzibar. Its passengers appeared to be South African or European tourists. As for the charter companies: “That’s their business—to take wealthy people to the ocean and see different things.”

A Growing Worry: Assomption Island

Gepford’s presence on Aldabra coincided with escalating concerns over the neighboring island of Assomption, the only access point to Aldabra by air. The Assomption runway, once a modest strip, has recently been extended, with signs of construction and development activity tied to Middle Eastern investment.

“Access to Aldabra is through Assomption. Historically, there’s been a runway on Assomption. It’s been extended at both ends  because of the development that’s happening,” Gepford said.

Assomption, long ignored by development, now appears poised to shift. That shift is deeply worrying to those stationed on Aldabra.

“From Aldabra’s perspective—they’re worried. Assomption is one of the last undeveloped islands in the Seychelles, and it’s less than 20 miles away. Assomption’s development  will bring a lot of commercial activity, people, boats, and airplanes very close. One of the things that historically helped save Aldabra along with its ecosystems and unique plants and animals has been its sheer inaccessibility.”

This isn’t just a hypothetical threat. The atoll’s recent conservation successes—especially for sea turtles—demonstrate how delicate these ecosystems are. Green turtles have been protected on Aldabra for more than 50 years.

“The green turtle recovery on Aldabra has been astounding—from less than 2,000 to 3,000 clutches per season in the 1960s to more than 15,000,” he noted. “Assomption may  be just as important as a nesting site. But that beach has not  been studied for sea turtle research.”

How a small team of Seychellois can defend that is anyone’s guess—but for now, Gepford doesn’t think that’s the biggest threat. 

A Book Rooted in Observation

Gepford is documenting this, from a tortoise perspective, for a nonfiction book for W. W. Norton & Company that follows the story of tortoises—and the people trying to save them—from Madagascar to Mauritius, the Galápagos, and now the Seychelles.

“Tortoises in the western Indian Ocean are a microcosm of the challenges facing the natural world today. What’s happening in Assomption reflects broader patterns globally.”

“The biggest challenge globally for nearly every wild species is habitat loss… Our cities are growing, and wildlands are converted to farmland—this crowds out animals of all kinds. Tortoises and turtles are hit really hard.”

The deeper message behind his project is about limits—what we encroach on, and what we choose to leave intact.

“What is our place in the world? Can we tread more lightly, and live with care and concern for all God’s creatures?”

Gepford’s book comes out in 2026.

::The Tortoise Project

The post “They Knew They Shouldn’t Be There”: Journalist Kevin Gepford Witnesses Rising Pressures on Aldabra Atoll appeared first on Green Prophet.

Second generation Seychellois conservation leader speaks candidly about the Qatar deal on Assomption Island, environmental secrecy, and the rising tide of neo-colonialism in the Indian Ocean

As controversy brews over a Qatari-backed development on Seychelles’ remote Assomption Island, questions are being raised about environmental transparency, geopolitical influence, and the future of conservation. I reached out to Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah, CEO of Nature Seychelles, for his unfiltered perspective. A second-generation Seychellois conservationist, Shah has led the rescue of endangered birds, worked with luxury hotels on reef restoration, and witnessed firsthand the transformation of his country’s ecological and political landscape.

Nirmal has talked extensively about the problems of managing 155 islands with a small population of 100,000 people. Some of the islands have been isolated for millions of years, but when settlers came 250 years ago they disrupted and devastated ecosystems for hardwood, and to plant coconuts and cinnamon. He is working to restore island ecosystems through his not-for-profit organization. 

This interview follows my previous reporting on the topic, including conversations with presidential hopeful Maarco Francis and longtime conservationist Adrian Skerrett.

Karin Kloosterman: You’ve worked with private island owners for decades in Seychelles. How does this current deal on Assomption compare?

Nirmal Jivan Shah: I’ve led some of the most successful island restoration and endemic bird rescue projects in Africa and Indian Ocean with 5 star properties on private islands in Seychelles over a period of more than 15 years. If it wasn’t the alliance we forged with these private owners, frankly birds that were on the brink of extinction such as the Seychelles Magpie Robin would have vanished by now. We’ve also been working with internationally branded hotels to restore coral reefs around Praslin island.

Now we are partnering with 5 star establishments on Mahe island and the Ministry responsible for Environment to restore and co-manage wetlands including mangroves. These are amazing examples of corporate responsibility and private investment in the environment.

However, developments wrapped in mystery and secrecy are not the way to go.

The high drama around the Assumption project would not have happened if there was transparency and independent conservation organisations like Nature Seychelles would have been involved from day one. 

I was not comfortable that the NGO Island Conservation Society which works very closely with the Island Development Co, a State Owned Enterprise leading the push for the Assumption project along with its allied company Green Island Construction, undertook the EIA.

I think the ICS should have been the independent, objective party to assess the EIA and monitor the development. As NGOs, I believe we should be watchdogs and honest-brokers.

Karin: Some argue Assomption Island was bound to be developed. Do you agree?

Nirmal: Assumption island itself was ecologically ruined with guano mining during colonial times and development there was inevitable at some point. The sensitivity of it though that is that it is the “gateway” to Aldabra. However, no international conservation organisation had expressed interest in it and the Seychelles Government doesn’t have the resources to maintain and monitor Assumption nor all the other far flung islands of the Seychelles.

Karin: The Seychelles Islands Foundation has raised concerns. Could they help restore oversight?

Nirmal: The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) responsible for Aldabra has said it was inadequately informed and consulted. If the SIF gains responsibility for biosecurity and monitoring over the operations, I would be more comfortable.

Karin: What about the broader trend of development in Seychelles?

Nirmal: In general in Seychelles it is obvious there is now overdevelopment of hotels on Mahe in particular but other islands as well. There has been resistance from environmental activists and members of the public which have been well covered by the local media. I believe that after so many years of quite good planning and environmental controls Seychelles has succumbed to big money development across the board.

Karin: You told me everything was approved through proper government channels?

Nirmal: As I understand it, the project was legally approved, by the Cabinet of Ministers, then an EIA was made and approved, and finally approval by the Planning Authority. This is the crux of the problem.

Karin: Your father, Kantilal Jivan Shah, was a legendary conservationist. What might he think?

Nirmal: My father was one of a handful of Seychellois who fought to prevent the British from building a naval base on Aldabra, and who was instrumental in getting the owner of Cousin Island to sell it to BirdLife International to save the Seychelles warbler. But I’m not sure what he would think about development on Assomption. His company supplied and bought copra from the outer islands, including as far away as Diego García, so the development of islands was normal to them to run the plantation-based economy.

Karin: You also revealed a surprising connection between Assomption and sand extraction?

Nirmal: Hundreds and hundreds of tonnes of sand have been taken from Assumption where aeolian dunes build up. In modern times this was done to, reportedly, build the beach at Sun City in South Africa, at the International Airport to welcome the Miss World contestants, and now apparently for the FIFA beach soccer competition this year. 

Karin: What are your thoughts on the Qatar connection? Some critics say this feels like neo-colonialism.

Nirmal: There are still neo-colonial forces dominating Seychelles. The EU tuna fisheries is an example that I personally have publicly contested. The difference today is that Seychellois are by and large well-off and successful and not slaves being worked to death or impoverished workers with no future. Which is why it’s difficult to get many people worked up about what’s going on in the far-flung outer islands where 95% of the population have never been. My conversations with people also reveal that quite a few Seychellois feel that a tiny country with few resources has to make trade-offs to remain actually viable in a hugely complex and increasingly difficult-to-navigate world.

Karin: You’ve said the country faces income inequality and a drug crisis. Can you elaborate?

Nirmal: It’s not to say that 100% of the population have been able to take advantage of economic opportunities and income inequality is a growing problem (as in all high income countries). As is a huge heroin addiction problem (but that also takes money to buy. Where are they getting the money?) Seychelles is the only High Income country in Africa and reports say it is also in a sort of narco-corridor in the Western Indian Ocean with Madagascar and Mauritius forming a nexus of drug trafficking and corruption.

Karin: Do you believe anyone—such as Maarco Francis or a new president—could reverse the Assomption deal?

Nirmal: My take is it would be difficult to halt it at this point. I’ve been told all the proper steps were taken, as per the laws, as I said before. Cabinet of Ministers approved it, EIA was submitted and approved, Planning Authority approved the plans.

Karin: Thank you, Nirmal, for being so candid. It’s clear the story of Assomption is not just about one island, but about how a nation balances sovereignty, ecology, and power.

For related reading see:

Seychelles’ Assomption Island Sold to Qatar: An Alleged $50M Deal Sparks Uproar Over Heroin, Corruption, and a Vanishing Paradise

Is UNESCO nature island being bought by terror-linked funds?

Seychelles and the battle with royalty, rats, and the last truly wild places left on Earth

The post Q&A: Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah on Assomption Island, Qatar, and the State of Conservation in the Seychelles appeared first on Green Prophet.

A remote coral island in the Indian Ocean is quietly being transformed into a luxury resort and international airstrip for Qatari royalty—allegedly sold off in a secretive $50 million deal to Qatar by Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan, without public consent or environmental oversight. The deal is linked to alleged terror funds. 

The backdoor deal, first rumored in Indian media and brought to light by opposition leader Maarco Francis, President of the Seychelles United Movement political party, threatens the fragile ecosystems of nearby Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to rare birds, turtles, and giant tortoises. The atoll is globally revered for its ecological importance, and the development of Assomption—just 27 km away—is igniting fierce resistance among locals and environmentalists. We interviewed a leading conservationist here.

“They built an international airport on a coral island with no environmental impact study,” Francis tells Green Prophet. “The president is pushing construction forward as fast as possible before elections this September, hoping future governments won’t be able to stop it,” he says.

Fragile Coral Island, Rare Nesting Site for Turtles 

Assomption Island, unlike granite-based Mahé, is a low-lying coral formation. It hosts vital nesting grounds for endangered green sea turtles and stretches of untouched white sand—the longest of any in Seychelles.

What makes the situation even more alarming is Assomption’s proximity to Aldabra, which lies within a marine protection zone created through a high-profile “debt-for-nature” swap meant to safeguard 30% of Seychelles’ ocean territory.

Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean is one of the largest raised coral reefs in the world. This atoll, consisting of coral islands ringing a shallow lagoon, is known for the hundreds of endemic species—including the Aldabra giant tortoise—that live there. According to UNESCO, Aldabra contains one of the most important natural habitats for studying evolutionary and ecological processes.

But according to Francis, secrecy and foreign influence have trumped conservation. Qatari construction and a 1,000-person crew from India and Bangladesh have already begun work on Assomption, despite local opposition.

Francis tells Green Prophet that he connected the dots when he heard about a Gulf royal bragging in an Indian newspaper that her husband had bought an island in the Indian Ocean for $50 million. At the same time the news came out President Ramkalawan of the Seychelles was in the Maldives. He claims the two incidents are connected. 

Conservationists like Adrian Skerrett, Chairman of the Island Conservation Society, have heard reports of damage already done to the dunes.

Francis says, yes, access is tightly restricted: drones are forbidden, photography is controlled, and independent visits to the island require Qatari authorization, he claims. You could take a boat out for a 3-day trip to the island but they won’t let you on it. Not even if you were the BBC, he says. 

A Locked-Down Island and a Silenced Nation

Environmentalists and journalists have been barred from visiting Assomption, says Francis. The Qataris, he claims, now effectively control the island.

“You won’t get permission. The government won’t grant it,” he claims. “They’ve built a dock. Foreign workers live in container housing. Diesel is shipped in and polluting the sea. The currents will carry that pollution straight to Aldabra.”

Locals also report that planes and supplies are landing directly on the island without passing through Seychelles’ immigration systems—suggesting an autonomous zone operating outside the nation’s legal framework. This worries Francis both now and for the future.

One in 10 Seychellois is addicted to heroin. This heroin is trafficked from Iran and Afghanistan. An international airport with no government oversight would be a free pass for the drug trade into the Seychelles and the rest of Africa where it can be transported out. Animals are at risk too –– Gulf countries lead the way with an appetite for illegal wildlife trade.

Terror Links and Unanswered Questions

Francis alleges the development is being fast-tracked with funds linked to Qatari investors—a case currently under investigation in the UK with connections to alleged terror financing and potentially tied to interests far beyond tourism. He questions why the President met Qatari officials in the Maldives instead of in Qatar or Seychelles, hinting at intentional secrecy.

“There are allegations of terror financing,” Francis says. “Our own political broadcasters reported it. The BBC is silent. Maybe it’s because the UK is bought by Qatar. Everyone’s turning a blind eye because there’s money involved.”

As for locating the alleged $50 million: “It’s backhand money—you don’t know where it goes,” says Francis. “He was trying to go somewhere he thought no one would notice. But we’re aware of the terror money links. He’s been silent on that, pretending he doesn’t know. This group is linked to terrorists. They are building an international airport, and we as a country won’t know who’s going there or what deals are being done.”

Francis also points to the President’s dual role as patron of the Seychelles Islands Foundation—a conflict of interest, he says, that lets him sidestep environmental protections.

“He appoints the chairman,” Francis says. “So of course, the study will say it’s okay. But scientists and the public are strongly opposed.”

Crisis at Home: Heroin, Despair, and a Stolen Future

While foreign elites carve out paradise for themselves, everyday Seychellois suffer. Youth unemployment is high. Over 10% of the population is addicted to heroin. Hope is vanishing as fast as the coastline on Assomption.

“Our youth have no opportunities to achieve their dreams. They get depressed and turn to drugs,” says Francis. “They need something to aspire to, something that makes them want to wake up in the morning and break the routine.”

Francis says agriculture development projects could help.

At 47, he presents himself as a businessman with a vision, offering a generational shift from an older, out-of-touch leader. He’s running for president this September and says he will win, appealing to younger voters who understand environmental sustainability.

“The current president is 65. We need leadership that protects the environment and creates prosperity.”

A New Chagos Moment?

The crisis draws comparisons to the Chagos Islands scandal, when Britain ceded land to the U.S. military, displacing its inhabitants. Back then, public resistance stopped the destruction. Francis believes the same can happen again. Seychellois also previously stopped India from developing a military base on Assomption that would have required a larger runway and heavy docks.

“This is our Chagos moment,” he warns. “Back then we fought. Now, our own president has sold us out.”

In the 1960s, Seychellois scientists and citizens protested U.S. military expansion, ultimately preserving foreign influence. Today, the threat comes not from a colonial power—but from within. 

“He’s an Anglican priest, but clearly this is not about faith. He is blinded by money.”

With elections looming and construction underway, the future of one of the planet’s last untouched ecosystems—and the soul of a nation—hangs in the balance.

President Ramkalawan’s press secretary acknowledged our request for comment. There is currently no comment from his office. 

Read our previous articles on the Seychelles scandal:

Rats and Royalty with conservationist Adrian Skerrett 

UNESCO-island development linked to terror funds

The post Seychelles’ Assomption Island Sold to Qatar: An Alleged $50M Deal Sparks Uproar Over Heroin, Corruption, and a Vanishing Paradise appeared first on Green Prophet.

A Fine Line in Paradise: Bird expert Adrian Skerrett on Cautious Development in the Seychelles

Off the powder-soft sands and turquoise waters of the Seychelles, a quiet storm is brewing—one that involves royalty, rats, and the last truly wild places left on Earth.

At the heart of it all is Assomption Island, what could be a jewel of an island in the remote Aldabra Group in the Outer Seychelles islands. While its neighboring atoll, Aldabra, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to rare flightless birds and thousands of nesting turtles, Assomption is scarred from a history of guano mining, a failed Indian army expansion plan, and is now the center of a controversial luxury development funded by Qatari investors –– linked to terror funding.

Adrian Skerrett, a long-time Seychelles resident on Mahé and a leading authority on its birdlife, has been watching over these islands for decades. He’s not against development but is for balance. As Chairman of the Island Conservation Society and editor of a number of definitive field guides on the region’s birds, he knows the tightrope between development and destruction better than anyone.

I know that if I am going to get any reliable information about the Seychelles, birders are the best choice. They are usually modest elders with experience, meticulous in documentation and they have a keen sense for the beautiful and fragile balance of life on earth. As a bonus, Skerrett is an accountant.

“We’re not against development,” he tells Green Prophet. “There are positives to come out of it. Some of our most successful conservation efforts are supported by tourism—eradication of rats, monitoring of turtles, even full-time conservation staff on islands like Alphonse.”

But Assomption is different, he says. And its development has roused a handful of international conservation organizations who believe that the development of Assomption will lead to a catastrophic downfall of nature. A lesson like that was learned in Thailand after The Beach movie turned Maya Beach into an over-touristed spot that devastated the nature around it. Thailand was able to roll back development, but will the Seychelles?

A Royal Playground Disguised as a Hotel?

Seychelles decided it wanted to develop and put out a tender which Qatar answered. It was the only group to answer. The proposed resort is being developed on Assomption Island by the Qatari Assets Development Company, part of the Assets Group, whose leadership—Moutaz and Ramez Al-Khayyat—are currently embroiled in UK lawsuits over alleged links to terrorist financing.

The development, Skerrett says, is “seemingly for private use, for members of the royal family.”

The concern? “There is no way this is a commercially viable hotel. The original plans were horrendous including jetties, construction and lighting right on top of the beach and development on the dunes creating nightmare risks of disturbance to nesting turtles and damage to fragile ecosystems. There was an apparent lack of concern for planning procedures.”

Despite early enthusiasm from the developers, Skerrett and his team were hired to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment—and what they found was alarming. (You can find the report here)

“We used our scientists and hired a number of other experts under the umbrella of ICS. I am Chairman, but the authors had a free reign to write what they saw without me,” he says.

“They wanted to build directly on the beach, on top of dune ecosystems. Some damage had already begun before we arrived.

“To be fair, following discussions, the developers made amendments to their original plans and agreed to a minimum 40-metre setback from the high-water mark while the proposed two jetties would be reduced to one, involving the rebuilding of the historical jetty to its former size and adding a floating pontoon to the end. The dune system had already been damaged prior to arrival of the ICS team and we are very concerned there will be further damage. We are also deeply concerned that the EIA beach set back will not be respected.

“Unfortunately we now have no access to Assomption to monitor the situation.”

In documentation and videos that Green Prophet found online through a hired “explorer” and which is being used to advertise the developer’s plans, we see photographers going on missions and walking around nesting sites on the islands while baby turtles are trying to make their way to the sea.

Who is overseeing the private explorations and fact-finding missions?

Assomption once boasted one of the most significant nesting beaches for endangered green turtles. Exploitation in the early 20^th century saw thousands taken. Every year thousands would be culled, until they crashed and disappeared. “Turtles take 30 to 40 years to mature. It was only much later that we started to see the impact of what happened decades ago,” says Skerrett.

He recalls a previous proposal to hand Assomption over to the Indian government for use as a military base—an idea that was met with strong public and environmental resistance. “It would have been an absolute disaster,” he says. “A deep-water port, heavy infrastructure—it was horrific.”

That plan was eventually scrapped due to public outcry, but now the concern is that tourism may be used as a political mask. “There is no way this is a commercially viable hotel.

“If the EIA is not respected, it will be an absolute disaster for the turtles.”

The development threatens a resurgence of turtles. Plans show construction stretching across the island’s best beaches, about a 3-mile stretch where turtles nest. Worse still, there’s currently no conservation presence.

“The Qataris want development along the entire stretch of beach,” says Skerrett.

“What we’re fighting for now is a model like Alphonse—where the investor pays a conservation levy, enabling year-round conservation presence, biodiversity monitoring and rehabilitation projects. Without it, this becomes a private playground with no accountability.”

Conservation Requires Teeth—and Cash

Skerrett and his colleagues have already created a foundation for Assomption, which has been merged with other existing foundations to create the Aldabra Group Foundation. Trustees would include government representatives, NGOs, and even Qatari stakeholders will be invited onto the board. The goal: fund full-time staff, implement rehabilitation programs, and, critically, eradicate invasive rats.

“If you’ve ever been to a rat-free island,” he says, “you feel the difference in the whole biodiversity. Lizards, birds—rats devastate everything.”

The rats on the outer islands, he adds with a dry laugh are “Arabic rats,” while those closer to Mahé are “French.”

The distinction is genetic—but poetic, given the geopolitical stakes.

Aldabra: What Could Go Wrong?

The ripple effects don’t stop at Assomption. Conservationists worry the project will increase traffic to Aldabra, potentially compromising biosecurity and fragile ecosystems.

“Motorised sports of any kind are strictly prohibited in the  Aldabra group for a reason,” says Skerrett. “But we have been advised that the promoters propose a comprehensive marine recreation facility on Assomption involving over two dozen boats and motorised water sports, as well as a marine workshop and repair facilities and additional accommodation, none of it envisaged under the initial masterplans which were subject to the EIA.

“We’re concerned this could bring pressure—more frequent helicopter visits, uncontrolled access, seeds on shoes, invasive species.”

The Seychelles Islands Foundation has promised oversight for biosecurity, but with no current supervision on Assomption and reports of construction crews already active, Skerrett is deeply uneasy.

“They initially wanted 1,500 workers. That’s insane. We said 500 max, but who knows what’s actually happening there right now.”

How You Can Help

The Island Conservation Society has established a UK-registered charity to support conservation in the Seychelles. Donations are tax-deductible, and funds go toward island-specific endowments—building a financial buffer for the future of biodiversity in the region.

For conservationists and ecotourists alike, Skerrett’s vision is clear:

“Tourism has brought us wealth, stability. You don’t see begging or homelessness here like in the West. But if we let private development run rampant, the cost will be our wildest places—and the creatures that call them home.”

Prior to the project, Assomption Island was not permanently inhabited by a civilian population. The only people who resided on the island were a small number of personnel from the Islands Development Company (IDC) who maintain the airstrip and oversee basic infrastructure.

The Islands Development Company (IDC) of Seychelles is a parastatal organization owned by the government, tasked with overseeing the sustainable development of the nation’s outer islands. The company plays a vital role in managing islands such as Alphonse, Assomption, and Farquhar, focusing on eco-tourism, conservation, and agricultural development.

The IDC is run by a board of directors: Cyril Bonnelame, who was appointed CEO in January 2025, leads the operational direction of the company, bringing over 25 years of experience in various sectors. The board, including directors such as Naadir Hassan (Chairperson) and Astride Tamatave (Vice-Chairperson), ensures strategic decision-making and policy implementation to align with national and environmental objectives.

IDC and ICS have signed an agreement, recognizing ICS as conservation advisors on all IDC islands.

The company plays a vital role in managing islands such as Alphonse, Assomption, and Farquhar, focusing on eco-tourism, conservation, and agricultural development.

There is no established community, and no public facilities like schools, hospitals, or stores on Assomption Island.

With limited oversight and major concerns voiced by local conservationists like Skerrett, this island will quietly become a playground for the ultra-rich without public scrutiny or ecological safeguards.

Green Prophet uncovered footage from Swedish photographer Jesper Anhede—hired by Qatari developers and now based in Qatar according to his LinkedIn profile —freely roaming turtle nesting sites on the islands during peak turtle season. He is also reaching out to his network on Instagram looking for developers who can help the Qatari investors build glamping sites for Qatari royalty.

This raises serious questions: who authorized these excursions? Who is regulating the access?

Green Prophet reached out to Anhede about environmental oversight when he is at the Seychelles and he quickly deleted his Instagram profile shortly thereafter and stopped replying to our messages.

If you believe in the power of transparency and storytelling to protect fragile ecosystems, reach out to the The Island Conservation Society. Let’s help them find the right allies —journalists, scientists, conservationists, and funders. Assomption may not have a population, but its silence doesn’t mean it has no voice.

It’s time we amplify it.

Send tips to seychelles@greenprophet.com

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