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In an episode of , host Samata Pattinson engages with Ã…sa Degerman, Ben Selby, and Carlo Covini to delve into the urgent need for sustainability within the fashion and textile industry. The discussion centers on the pivotal role of forests and innovative technologies in fostering a more sustainable and circular fashion ecosystem.

With a focus on transformative practices, the conversation highlights how integrating forest-based materials and cutting-edge technologies can revolutionize the industry, promoting environmental conservation and reducing waste. The podcast aims to inspire industry stakeholders and consumers alike to embrace sustainable fashion practices for a greener future.

Photo: UNECE

Biodiversity conservation is the cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, empowering communities and securing a resilient food future. 

From extreme heat and rising sea levels to biodiversity loss and pollution, Mother Earth is in peril and making a clear call to action - a need to shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. This International Mother Earth Day, let’s mobilize for the planet and all the life it supports. There are steps every one of us can take to protect nature, tackle climate change, and promote harmony with the Earth. Speak up, log your actions, and help save our planet with the UN’s ActNow campaign!

Social forestry initiatives in Indonesia are playing a pivotal role in safeguarding the nation's precious forests, serving as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change.

Trees communicate and cooperate through underground networks of fungi known as the 'wood-wide web'. Mycorrhizal connections facilitate complex ecological systems that represent the best of innovation. , an effort between the Malaysian Government and international bodies to conserve biodiversity, worked to restore contiguous forest landscapes throughout the Central Forest Spine. As part of these efforts, a forest tree nursery programme was initiated in 2022 to support the national social forestry initiative. The indigenous community in Air Banun Orang Asli Resettlement, in Malaysia, was selected as the central village to host this initiative, where the main nursery holds 10,000 seedlings of forest tree species.

The  programme, launched by Food and Agriculture Organization of the 51³Ô¹Ï () and the UK government, aims to provide countries with technological means to combat deforestation and actively involve Indigenous Peoples in forest monitoring. The programme has already begun implementation in 11 countries, including Papua New Guinea, where it combines modern technology with traditional knowledge to halt deforestation and restore degraded land. Custodians like Besta Pulum can now monitor their forest area using high-resolution satellite imagery and Open Foris Ground, a tool that allows them to demarcate their forest and monitor it using Google Earth.

On the International Day of Forests (21 March), we recognize the transformative impact of innovation and technology on forest monitoring, enhancing tracking and reporting capabilities for countries. With 10 million hectares lost yearly to deforestation and 70 million hectares affected by fires, combating deforestation demands new technological advancements. These are crucial for early warning systems, sustainable commodity production, and empowering Indigenous Peoples. Join the Day's celebration and engage in the conversation on social media using the #ForestDay hashtag and the .

The Young Champions of the Earth initiative recognizes and celebrates ambitious young individuals worldwide, who demonstrate exceptional ideas and initiatives aimed at protecting and restoring the environment. 

Thousands of moto-taxi drivers in Togo are adopting electric motorcycles as the country aims to become a regional leader in e-mobility. The African country is among over 40 countries collaborating with to expedite the transition to low-emission transportation through the .

Part community exchange, part communion with the natural world, part experiential hospitality, ECO EGYPT answers the call to the innate human desire for freedom, exploration and wonderment. Ecotourism done well offers a heightened sense of discovery through awe-inspiring natural landscapes and authentic engagement with unique local cultures. With the goal of prompting natural rediscovery and boosting the importance of ecological conservation, ECO EGYPT Experiences sheds light on the myriad wildlife, plant diversity, and natural landscapes on offer throughout the country. This work is implemented by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency and Egypt, and financed by the Global Environment Facility.

As the , the 51³Ô¹Ï Environment Assembly aims to help restore harmony between humanity and nature, improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people. Its sixth session, UNEA-6, from 26 February to 1 March in Nairobi, Kenya, will focus on how multilateralism can help tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Backed by strong science, political resolve and engagement with society, the Assembly will be an opportunity to shape the global environmental policy.

The UN Environment Programme () and the Food and Agriculture Organization () of the UN have named seven initiatives from Africa, Latin America, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia as UN World Restoration Flagships. These projects aim to restore ecosystems at the tipping point of outright degradation resulting from wildfires, drought, deforestation, and pollution. The World Restoration Flagship awards are part of the which aims to restore one billion hectares – an area larger than China. The winning initiatives are expected to restore nearly 40 million hectares and create around 500,000 jobs. The World Restoration Flagships are chosen as the best examples of ongoing, large-scale and long-term ecosystem restoration.

promotes conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems including wetlands, because they contribute to food security and a transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life, leaving no one behind. Our diverse and extraordinary wetlands provide many benefits to both nature and communities.

The excessive release of nutrients like phosphorus from sources such as synthetic fertilizers, has plagued Florida's beaches, underscoring the urgent need for global cooperation to reduce nutrient pollution.

Ilaria is a single mother who lives with her four children and mother in a remote part of the Mbya Guarani indigenous territory in Santa Teresita, Paraguay. She faces the harsh realities of living in a community that is affected by deforestation and climate change, which forces her and other resilient women to leave their communities periodically to feed their families. The story of the Mbya Guarani community of Santa Teresita is similar to many other indigenous communities in South America who are struggling to protect their ancestral cultures and resilience in the face of deforestation and climate change. These communities need support, protection, and the international community's commitment to finding more solutions that allow people to remain in their communities despite their changing environment.