Forest, desertification, land degradation & biodiversity

Photo: A snow petrel near an iceberg in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Source: China Dialogue.

UN Talks Fail to Finalise High Seas Biodiversity Treaty

This article was originally published on China Dialogue under the Creative Commons BY NC ND licence.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (IDN) — While many had hoped this would be the session to do it, after two weeks of talks at the UN headquarters in New York, from August 15 to August 26, member states have failed to conclude a legally binding agreement to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity on the high seas.

Now, governments will have to keep bridging their differences until a new meeting, for which a date has not yet been set.

: UN Bureau; SUSTAINABILITY; Forests, desertification, land degradation & biodiversity; 02 September 2022

Image: Desertification and drought. Credit: UNCCD

Study Supports Reparations in Climate-Damaged African Nations

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — The African continent of 1.2 billion people, which represents 17% of the world's population, contributes less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions but suffers from extreme weather events, which scientists have warned will become more frequent due to climate change.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 02 August 2022

Photo: A mother and her child pass by carcasses of goats and sheep in Luuq, Somalia on 21 March 2022. UN Photo/Fardosa Hussein

Deep Cuts in Funds for African Drought Victims as Money Flows to Europe

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) — The war in Ukraine is draining millions of dollars away from crises in Africa as funds are being redirected to Europe.

Somalia, facing a food shortage largely driven by the war, could be the most vulnerable. Its aid funding is less than half of last year’s level, while Western donors have sent more than $1.7 billion to respond to the war in Europe.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 25 July 2022

The World is in Deep Trouble—& the Sustainable Development Goals in Jeopardy

By Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The warnings came from the highest echelons of the United Nations, from UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the 193-member General Assembly Abdulla Shahid.

The message was clear: the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) desperately need help for their very survival, eight years ahead of their 2030 deadline for full implementation.

: Thalif Deen; SUSTAINABILITY; Quality Education; 18 July 2022

Making Visible the Diverse Values of Nature

By Rita Joshi

BONN (IDN) — The way nature is valued in political and economic decisions is both a key driver of the global biodiversity crisis and a vital opportunity to address it, according to a four-year methodological assessment by 82 top scientists and experts from every region of the world.

: Rita Joshi; SUSTAINABILITY; Forests, desertification, land degradation & biodiversity; 12 July 2022

Photo: Former Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, addresses the 1972 Stockholm Conference. Credit: UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata.

Stockholm Conference to Help Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

By Devendra Lamarajan

NAIROBI (IDN) — An international meeting to drive action towards a healthy planet for the prosperity of all will take place on June 2 and June 3 in Stockholm, Sweden. Participants will be world leaders and representatives from government, business, international organizations, civil society and youth.

The significance of the event comes at a crucial time as the Earth is in emergency mode, and urgent action is needed to address the triple planetary crisis.

: Devendra Kamarajan; UN INSIDER; 28 May 2022

Global Leaders Call for Urgent Action to Stem the Loss of Lives and Livelihoods

By Devendra Kamarajan

ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire (IDN) — Government leaders meeting at the United Nations global conference on land have called on the international community to take urgent action to stem the loss of life and livelihoods that communities all over the world are experiencing due to the increasing and devastating impacts of desertification, land degradation and drought.

: Devendra Kamarajan; UN INSIDER; 09 May 2022

Kenya's Nomads Hit by Longest Dry Spell in Memory

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | NAIROBI (IDN) — Kenya’s crucial rainy season came up short this year with only a few showers, wiping out livestock and putting millions of people at risk.

Photographs from Wajir County, near the border with Somalia, show dying and dead cows in a desert dotted with thorn trees. The longest dry spell in memory is pushing pastoralists nearer to starvation. “If they die,” said one herder referring to his camels, “we all die.”

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 20 December 2021

Photo: "We are learning how to manage our crops better,” say farmers Malvin Ortiz and Felipe Martínez, “and we are teaching our children how to do it, too.” Now, the future is looking more hopeful." Credit: Oxfam International

Latin America's Unique Biodiversity Can Help Boost Post-Covid Recovery

By Fermin Koop*

LONDON (IDN) — Protecting and restoring natural areas in Latin America, home to 50% of the planet’s biodiversity and over a quarter of its forests, could help the region achieve a ‘green’ post-pandemic recovery and meet biodiversity conservation targets, experts say. Doing so could even create thousands of jobs in key economic sectors such as agriculture.

: Europe Editor; THE WORLD; Latin America & the Caribbean; 13 July 2021

Photo: Virtual One Planet Summit: Credit: First Channel of German TV

One Planet Summit on Biodiversity Pledges Action Commitments

By Jaya Ramachandran

PARIS (IDN) – The global health crisis of the COVID 19 came as a dramatic reminder of the importance of Nature for our daily lives and economies: biodiversity is our life insurance. Yet, the damage to ecosystems is unprecedented and will have major consequences on our lifestyles in the decades to come.

According to knowledgeable sources, reversing this trend is a major challenge for the coming decade. This global challenge requires concerted action at all levels (international, national, local) and by all actors (governments, international organizations, businesses, associations, citizens, etc.).