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Spotlight on nature and biodiversity

Nature is humanity’s lifeline. Human health, food, economies and well-being depend on nature. Yet nature is in crisis. One million of the world’s estimated 8 million species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction. Meanwhile, ecosystem degradation is affecting the well-being of 40 per cent of the global population.

The spotlight on nature and biodiversity highlights updates from around the UN System, from partners and others, helping to call attention to the need for a just, prosperous and sustainable future for all.

18 Dec 2024 16:25

Nature Insight: Speed Dating with the Future

Illustration of a leaf

Speed dating is about having a short time to communicate things that could change your life. That’s exactly what the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is doing on their podcast, Nature Insight: Speed Dating with the Future, by introducing you to people with unique insight into our relationship with nature.

Listen to the podcast.

12 Dec 2024 15:09

Meet the 2024 Champions of the Earth laureates

2024 Champions of the Earth laureates
Credit: UNEP

 

Today, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the recipients of the 2024 Champions of the Earth, honoured for their outstanding leadership, brave actions and sustainable solutions to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification. This year’s laureates include a minister of Indigenous Peoples, an environmental defender, a sustainable agriculture initiative, an Indigenous rights advocate, a scientist focused on afforestation and a pioneering ecologist.

View the 2024 laureates

12 Dec 2024 09:06

Quiz: How much do you know about biodiversity loss?

Intertwined branches among several trees
Credit: UNEP/Jose Andres Ignacio

 

Biodiversity is in crisis. As land degradation threatens essential ecosystem services such as regulating climate and providing benefits to people, experts are turning to what they dub the world’s boldest plan yet to make peace with nature, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Take this quiz to test your knowledge of the framework.

09 Dec 2024 10:31

Explore the virtual peatland pavilion at UNCCD COP16

Peatlands in the Isle of South, UK
Photo: Unsplash/Walter Frehner

 

Step into an immersive virtual reality space dedicated to peatlands worldwide, a collaboration between the UNEP-led Global Peatlands Initiative and the IUCN UK Peatland Programme.

This cutting-edge digital experience offers a dynamic platform to discover the importance of peatlands through interactive multimedia content. Engage with the latest research, case studies, and innovative projects while fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Peatlands, covering only 3 to 4 per cent of Earth's surface, store one-third of global soil carbon—twice as much as all forests combined. These vital ecosystems also support biodiversity, buffer against environmental disasters, purify water, regulate clean water sources, and sustain local livelihoods.

07 Dec 2024 12:00

Rethinking ecosystem restoration from the ground up: a celebration of indigenous and community stewardship

Indigenous peoples' activist
Photo: UNEP/Duncan Moore



The planet is home to over 476 million Indigenous people spread across 90 countries. Together, they own, manage, or occupy roughly one-quarter of the world’s land—a territory that has consistently outperformed much of the rest of the planet in terms of environmental health.

Indigenous communities are often at the forefront of conservation efforts worldwide. Their deep connection to the land positions them uniquely to provide invaluable insights into local biodiversity and environmental changes. This makes them critical contributors to biodiversity governance.

Today, at UNCCD COP16, an event will spotlight the vital role of Indigenous Peoples in ecosystem restoration. It also seeks to emphasize to policymakers and Member States the need for meaningful representation and active involvement of Indigenous Peoples in restoration agendas.

07 Dec 2024 09:00

Restoration for resilience: greening beyond borders with evidence-based research

Greening Saudi Arabia project
Photo: UNEP/Duncan Moore


Taking place today at UNEP’s pavilion at the UNCCD COP16 is an event highlighting the crucial role of evidence-based research in advancing restoration initiatives while facilitating the transfer of knowledge and best practices among nations.

By showcasing Saudi Arabia’s contributions and aligning these efforts with Vision 2030, the event will emphasize how global partnerships and innovative approaches can accelerate progress toward ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation.

06 Dec 2024 13:30

Funding call for proposals available now

The Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF) is a new Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) which aims to support developing countries in accelerating implementation of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

At the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16) in Cali, Colombia, in October, the KBF announced its first full-size Call for Proposals, as well as an Expression of Interest (EoI) process to form the Fund's Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG), an independent expert body which provides technical support to the Fund's decision-making body.

We are pleased to announce that the guidance and application documents under the Call for Proposals and ITAG EoI have now been published and are available. Share these widely with your networks and appropriate individuals.

06 Dec 2024 10:17

UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Your ideas for the next 5 years

UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration sign in Ireland

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration has made remarkable strides, uniting 280 global partners, establishing 17 UN World Restoration Flagships, and setting an ambitious goal of restoring 200 million hectares of degraded land. Its initiatives span various sectors, from the Freshwater Challenge to the innovative Generation Restoration Cities program.

Launched alongside World Environment Day in 2021, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration has reached hundreds of millions worldwide, transforming "ecosystem restoration" from a niche concern into a trending global movement.
 

05 Dec 2024 18:14

Five reasons why soil health is declining worldwide

land restoration project in Senegal

Photo: UNEP/Jack Hewson

Today is Agra-food system day at the UNCCD COP16. Soil is the foundation of the global food system. And, according to a recent study in the journal Nature, it is home to nearly 60 per cent of all species. But every year, the world loses billions of tonnes of topsoil to overgrazing, deforestation, pollution and other threats. 

At the UNCCD COP16, negotiators are slated to discuss commitments that nations have made to stem the loss of soil and achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030.

On World Soil Day, celebrated annually on 5 December, here are five key reasons for the decline in soil health and potential solutions

05 Dec 2024 13:23

Building resilience through restoration: partnering for climate


At a UNCCD COP16 side event today, stakeholders explored the intersection of land restoration and climate adaptation. The discussion emphasized the role of land restoration in building climate resilience and addressed challenges such as funding limitations, policy barriers, and community engagement. 

Ecosystems face severe pressures, including biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and deforestation, which intensify climate impacts. Integrating land restoration with climate adaptation offers a powerful solution to these crises.

Restoring degraded lands not only revitalizes ecosystems but also strengthens their resilience to climate shocks, supporting sustainable development for vulnerable communities. By rebuilding natural systems, these efforts reduce climate risks, enhance food security, and foster biodiversity.