Here are some of this week’s environmental news headlines…

New Group of Endangered Lemurs Found in Madagascar

Researchers in Madagascar have confirmed the existence of a population of greater bamboo lemurs more than 400 kilometers (240 miles) from the only other place where the Critically Endangered species is known to live, raising hopes for its survival. For years, scientists believed, but could not prove, that greater bamboo lemurs lived in the area where this group was found.

Scotland Leapfrogs Europe’s Wind Energy Industry

Europe’s largest onshore windfarm, able to generate enough power for 320,000 homes, has been approved by the Scottish government. Announcing the new windfarm approval ahead of the World Renewable Energy Congress in Glasgow, First Minister Alex Salmond said the 152-turbine Clyde windfarm near Abington in South Lanarkshire is “another step towards making Scotland the green energy capital of Europe.”

Avoiding Deforestation to Limit Climate Change ‘Cheap and Practical’

Wealthy nations could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally by paying landowners in developing nations not to clear forested land for agriculture, finds a new study by a research team from Austria, Brazil and the United States. The research attaches estimated dollar amounts to each metric ton of carbon that could be saved through avoided deforestation in Africa, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia.

DR Congo Announces World’s Largest Protected Wetland

The Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe area in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the world’s largest Wetland of International Importance, officially recognized by the Ramsar Convention, a treaty protecting designated wetlands. More than twice the size of Belgium, the site is located around the Lake Tumba region in the Central Western Basin of the DRC and contains many species of conservation concern.