T he Armenian capital Yerevan is chock-a-block right now with officials, scientists and environmentalists from all over the world gathering for Cop17. Everyone is here to try to rescue a historic deal to end the destruction of nature.

The pressure is on. Targets set for 2030 are woefully off track , and the nearly 200 countries present need to agree on a plan to speed things up. All this is happening at a time when national budgets are tight and leaders are distracted by conflict, protests and the global energy crisis.

But first, this week’s most important reads.

Essential reads

This Norwegian village is one of the fastest-warming places on Earth. How can its people save it?

What does the UK’s approval of the Jackdaw gasfield mean?

US extreme weather survivors are a growing group – now they want to be a political force

In focus

The Persian leopard, spotted on a camera trap in Gndasar Community Conserved Area. Photograph: Gndasar Environmental-Social NGO

There have been snippets of positive news.…