From deforestation to the destruction of coral reefs, ecosystems across the globe are being decimated. The worlds most vulnerable populations are the ones paying the highest price, with rural people experiencing the effects on their livelihoods, their food security and their ways of life. Through s and , farmers have access to irrigation and seeds suitable to the regions semi-arid conditions. By planting various types of trees, such as Pistachio, which have a strong root system, the soil is not swept away by rain, in turn conserving arid ecosystem and avoiding degradation
Natural Resources and the Environment
From the air we breathe to the water we drink to the soil that grows our food humanitys health depends on the health of our planet. Yet we seem hellbent on destruction. We must enhance our harmony with nature, accelerate climate action and implement the to ensure that 30% of the Earths land and water are protected by 2030. On Mother Earth Day (22 April), the UN Secretary-General urges people everywhere to raise your voices and demand leaders make peace with nature. Lets act now. Follow the Mother Earth Day event on (24 April, 10 am EDT).
The is the Central American Dry Corridor is a 1,600-kilometre-long expanse through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama home to 11.5 million rural people, who largely depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Known for its erratic rainfall patterns, the Dry Corridor is one of the worlds most exposed and vulnerable regions to climate change. s RECLIMA project aims to restore degraded ecosystems in El Salvador and the Dry Corridor in general to regenerate the land and replenish water sources that people depend on for their food, income and well-being.
A healthy planet is one with clean water, fresh air, a nourishing ecosystem, and a stable and predictable climate. The health of our planet is all the more urgent today, as an ongoing global food crisis leaves nearly 350 million people facing high levels of food insecurity. The (WFP) works with communities to strengthen their resistance to worsening climate effects, through early-warning systems, physical and financial protection, and nature-based solutions. Between 2014-2021, WFP has supported communities in rehabilitating 1.6 million hectares of degraded land, building 111,000 water ponds and planting 60,000 hectares of forests. In Haiti, mother-of-three Rose participated in a WFP project to reduce landslides and conserve soil. Here are to help the planet.
To save our land, we must save our ecosystems. One million species are threatened with extinction, soils are turning infertile and water sources are drying up. presents which is reviving lost land and forgotten villages as innovators marry science and tradition to bring rural economies and landscapes back to life.
presents peatlands, which are effective carbon sinks, absorbing more carbon from the atmosphere than they produce. The Congo Basin peat swamp forest stores around 29 billion tons of carbon and cover only 3% of the Earth's surface. However, despite their importance, the worlds peatlands are disappearing at an alarming rate.
Plastic is predominantly produced from oil and gas, both of which are fossil fuels. The more plastic we make, the more fossil fuel is required, the more we intensify the climate crisis. Also, plastic products create greenhouse gas emissions across their whole lifecycle. If no action is taken, greenhouse gas emissions caused by plastic could account for to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Read more about climate change.
The world traded about in 2021 enough to fill over 18 million trucks. The queue would wrap around the globe 13 times! Since , most of the products will end up littering our streets and flooding our seas. But nature abounds in sustainable materials (bamboo, sand, banana plants, algae) that could be used to make eco-friendly versions of straws, shopping bags, bottles, food wrappers and other plastic products.
Plastic substitutes could cut global plastic waste by about 63 million tonnes less, or 3.5 million fewer trucks in the queue. Besides the benefits to the planet, the shift offers economic opportunities, said Henrique Pacini, an economist working on trade and environment issues. But countries and companies have to work together and across borders to and reduce trade barriers."
Systemic change is needed to stop the flow of plastic waste ending up in the environment. Plastic waste whether in a river, the ocean, or on land can persist in the environment for centuries. highlights how innovation in plastic recycling, waste collection, and trade is key to beating the plastic pollution crisis.
Traditional knowledge serves
Irans wetlands, the ab-bandaans, serve as vital environments for the protection of biodiversity, indigenous culture, and related environmental and economic functions. highlights how the locals are having challenges conserving this important ecosystem as a result of overlooking traditional conservation methods leading to the rise of fertilizer runoff, toxic waste pollution and the presence of invasive species. Through the UNDP ICCA-GSI partnership, they have embarked on a project to document wetlands biodiversity, traditional conservation knowledge and practices, and the factors leading to biodiversity loss.
Meet Apollo, an influencer from the Metaverse with a message to share! The and Apollo have partnered to raise awareness about how we can combat climate change and protect Earth's environment. Here, youll learn about the , the difference between HFCs and CFCs and how we can take action to save our planet.
Wetlands cover only around 6% of the Earths land surface, but 40% of all plant and animal species live or breed in them. Wetland biodiversity matters for our health and our food supply, tourism, and jobs. But they disappear three times faster than forests and are Earths most threatened ecosystem. We must raise global awareness about wetlands to reverse their rapid loss and to conserve and restore them. World Wetlands Day (2 February) is the ideal time to increase peoples understanding of these critically important ecosystems.
Natural gas has long been billed as a good steppingstone to replace coal with renewable energy. As solar arrays and wind farms are being built, the theory goes, natural gas can be a stand-in for dirtier fuels, like coal and, in some cases, oil. But research indicates that emissions of methane the main constituent of natural gas that occur during its extraction and transport mean natural gas isnt as climate-friendly as once thought. tells us about the role natural gas should play in reducing emissions and the transition to a renewable energy future.
reports that the ozone layer is on track to recover within four decades, with the global phaseout of ozone-depleting chemicals already benefitting efforts to mitigate climate change. A UN-backed panel to the on Ozone Depleting Substances , published every four years, confirms the phase out of nearly 99% of banned ozone-depleting substances has succeeded in safeguarding the ozone layer, leading to notable recovery of the ozone layer in the upper stratosphere and decreased human exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.
reports on the landmark agreement to guide action on nature through to 2030 resulting from the 51勛圖 Biodiversity Conference (). 188 governments adopted the aiming to address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and protect indigenous rights. The plan includes concrete measures to halt and reverse nature loss, including putting 30 per cent of the planet and 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems under protection by 2030. It also contains proposals to increase finance to developing countries a major issue during talks.