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Spotlight on nature and biodiversity

Ocean Image Bank/Gregory Piper

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.

05 Dec 2024 13:03

Land Restoration Moonshot: Success Stories - UNCCD COP16

Mangrove restoration in Sri Lanka

Photo: UNEP/Todd Brown

Watch this session and take you on a journey across the globe, spotlighting groundbreaking land restoration initiatives and flagship projects. Through compelling video footage and a dynamic panel discussion with on-the-ground implementers, gain unique insights into transformative efforts to restore our planet's ecosystems. Don’t miss this opportunity to see impactful stories and innovations in action. 

Last updated at
05 Dec 2024 11:45

Experience the beauty of ecosystem restoration at UNEP’s pavilion

 

Man engages with virtual reality

Visitors from over 190 countries can experience the impact of ecosystem restoration through virtual reality.

At the UNEP pavilion, two immersive films bring these efforts to life: one highlights the return of mountain gorillas in East Africa, while the other focuses on snow leopards in Central Asia.

If you're attending UNCCD COP16, visit the UNEP pavilion to explore these stories firsthand!

Last updated at
04 Dec 2024 15:11

Fashion4Land: Unravelling the environmental impact of fibres

Event poster
A side event at UNCCD COP16 will feature a panel of experts and high-level speakers to explore the link between fashion and land degradation. The discussion will examine how fiber choices—natural and synthetic—affect land use and soil health.

The panel will also address the fashion value chain’s environmental impact, showcasing sustainable practices and emphasizing the role of policies, market mechanisms, and innovations in promoting land-friendly fashion.

The fashion industry significantly influences land use, soil health, and degradation. Different fibers pose distinct challenges: cotton depletes soil resources, wool and cashmere contribute to overgrazing and desertification, synthetic fibers pollute through microplastics, and wood-based fibers can drive deforestation.

While alternative materials like agricultural waste fibers hold promise, they remain niche and lack widespread adoption. The industry's scale, fast-paced consumption, and reliance on resource-intensive materials strain natural systems, intensifying land degradation and challenging sustainable production practices.

Last updated at
04 Dec 2024 13:26

Freshwater Challenge gains major funding as membership reaches 50

Nepal River restoration

Photo: UNEP/Rajendra Suwal

Today in Riyadh at the UNCCD COP16, the Freshwater Challenge celebrated major milestones at the One Water Summit in Saudi Arabia, securing catalytic funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). 

The Fresh Water Challenge reached 50 members after Kazakhstan and Australia officially joined the world’s largest ever freshwater restoration and protection initiative which will accelerate action by addressing some of the most critical needs and challenges identified by the Member countries.

The Freshwater Challenge is a country-led initiative that aims to leverage the support needed to conserve the intact freshwater ecosystems and bring 300,000 km of rivers and 350 million hectares of wetlands under restoration by 2030.  

Last updated at
03 Dec 2024 11:06

Ministerial dialogue to unlock finance for land restoration and drought resilience

Today at UNCCD COP16, a ministerial dialogue on finance addresses the urgent need for increased investments to tackle land degradation, desertification, and drought. Together, these crises cost the global economy an estimated $10 trillion annually.

Public finance supports long-term restoration projects, while private finance introduces innovative tools such as green bonds and impact investing. By collaborating, public and private sectors can bridge funding gaps and scale up sustainable solutions.

This dialogue serves as a platform for ministers, stakeholders, and investors to champion transformative approaches to land restoration and drought resilience on a global scale.

“On public-private partnerships, UNEP – including through the Finance Initiative, or UNEP FI – can encourage financial institutions to integrate land-related sustainability goals into their portfolios,” said Susan Gardner, director of the Ecosystems Division at UNEP.

Last updated at
03 Dec 2024 10:45

Nature-Based Solutions for Peace: Emerging Practice and Options for Policymakers

Event poster

Bringing together senior-level participants and officials from countries, this event on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for peace will explore findings from the NBS4Peace policy brief, including emerging practice in the application of NbS supporting peace in fragile contexts. 

Coinciding with the official launch of the new UNEP policy brief, Nature- based Solutions for Peace - Emerging Practice and Options for Policy Makers, the event will focus on centering peace within climate and nature action 

Last updated at
02 Dec 2024 20:30

UN summit puts global spotlight on land degradation

A grid of partition forests in the reforested desert

Photo: UNEP/Justin Jin

The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) opens from 2 to 10 December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  

The summit has been called a moonshot moment for protecting and restoring land, and building drought resilience. It coincides with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, one of the three so-called Rio Conventions that aim to address the interconnected environmental crises: the crisis of climate change and the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss.  

Up to 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, according to the UNCCD. That directly affects half of humanity and disproportionately harms those who are least equipped to cope: rural communities and the poor. 

Learn more about some of the key topics expected to shape discussions in Riyadh.  

Last updated at
02 Dec 2024 15:04

Ministerial dialogue on drought resilience

Today at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, a ministerial dialogue is taking center stage to explore innovative solutions for tackling the escalating impacts of drought.

“The decision on drought at this COP represents a pivotal moment in global environmental governance,” said Susan Gardner, director of the Ecosystems Division at UNEP. “By addressing drought comprehensively, we have an unprecedented opportunity to lay the groundwork for long-term resilience and sustainability.”

The session offers ministers and stakeholders a platform to unite around bold, actionable commitments. Key focus areas include scaling up successful practices like national drought plans and integrated management strategies; mobilizing sufficient financial resources to support resilience-building; and ensuring gender-responsive approaches.

Last updated at
02 Dec 2024 13:56

A green wall to promote peace and restore nature in Africa’s Sahel region

Africa's Great Green Wall

Photo: UNEP

Supported by UNEP, the Great Green Wall is an ambitious initiative launched by the African Union in 2007 to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification in Africa’s Sahel region, one of the world’s poorest areas. 

Originally envisioned as a literal wall of trees to prevent the Sahara Desert from encroaching further south, it has evolved into a transformative rural development project aimed at creating a mosaic of productive landscapes across 11 countries.

Spanning over 8,000 kilometers, the initiative has already restored nearly 18 million hectares of degraded land, providing food and water security, preserving habitats for wildlife, and creating sustainable livelihoods. By 2030, it aims to restore 100 million hectares of land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon, and generate 10 million jobs, offering hope to a region plagued by poverty, drought, and environmental degradation.

Last updated at
29 Nov 2024 15:57

Seven ways to restore land, halt desertification and combat drought

UN Decade on ecosystem restoration project in Ethiopia

Photo: UNEP/Frank Machiya

Land sustains life on Earth. Natural spaces such as forests, farmlands, savannahs, peatlands and mountains, provide humanity with the food, water and raw materials it needs to survive. Yet, more than 2 billion hectares of the world’s land is degraded, affecting more than 3 billion people. 

Vital ecosystems and countless species are under threat. In the face of more severe and prolonged droughts, sandstorms and rising temperatures, it is crucial to find ways to stop dry land from becoming desert, fresh water sources from evaporating and fertile soil from turning to dust. 

Read more about the seven ways to restore land, halt desertification and combat drought. 

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Topics

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1

Goal 1: No Poverty
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Goal 2

Goal 2: Zero Hunger
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Goal 3

Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being
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Goal 6

Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
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Goal 8

Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
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Goal 12

Goal 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production
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Goal 13

Goal 13: Climate Action
+

Goal 14

Goal 14: Life Below Water
+

Goal 15

Goal 15: Life on Land
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