The National Biodiversity Authority has released a new set of rules to manage sharing of benefits generated through the use of biological resources. The Biological Diversity (Access to biological Resources and Knowledge Associated thereto and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits) Regulation 2025 was approved by the Central government and …
The scientific and policy debate on the potential benefits and risks of biotechnologies remains polarized. As more genetically modified crops, insects, and fish are developed, the 2000 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity provides a forum to monitor developments and address risk assessment and risk management …
The varied agro-climatic conditions of the transboundary Kangchenjunga Landscape support rich agrobiodiversity. However, despite its tremendous social, economic, and ecological significance, agrobiodiversity has been declining in the landscape in recent years. Key factors behind this include changes in people’s food preferences; replacement of traditional crops and varieties by high yielding …
The post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) will be a major milestone in global agreements on biodiversity conservation, setting international ambition for the next decade. This guide is intended to support Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) who wish to see strengthened equity provisions in the draft GBF. It …
This research report provides an overview of the Social Assessment for Protected and Conserved Areas (SAPA) methodology and describes the results of SAPA’s application at six protected areas in Kenya and Uganda. These case studies provide a practical illustration of the kind of information generated by SAPA, and integrate outcome …
Beyond the Gap: Placing Biodiversity Finance in the Global Economy, a joint effort between an international team of researchers and Third World Network, addresses two questions: how does the organisation of the global economy drive biodiversity loss, and how has existing biodiversity finance performed? Trade, investment and financial regulation (or …
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has developed a State of the Environment (SoE) report for the Pacific islands, the first of its kind. It reveals areas of progress as a result of conservation efforts, as well outstanding and newly emerging issues. The report focuses on 31 …
Conflict and conservation focuses on armed conflict and nature. The theme is highly timely as armed conflicts cause great economic and social harm, as well as environmental damage around the world. Conflicts have stretched societies to their limits in terms of financial and human resources. Lives and property have been …
As humanity’s demand on natural resources is increasingly exceeding Earth’s biological rate of regeneration, environmental deterioration such as greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere, ocean acidification and groundwater depletion is accelerating. As a result, the capacity of ecosystems to renew biomass, herein referred to as ‘biocapacity’, is becoming the material …
Agriculture is one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events, so managing climate risks across agricultural investment projects is fundamental. The new guidance document, Climate resilient practices: typology and guiding material for climate risk screening, is a reference manual to support FAO’s climate risk screening …
Greater understanding of the ocean is essential if the world is to recover better from the COVID-19 pandemic and achieve agreed targets on sustainable development and climate action, UN Secretary-General said in launching a major study on what called “the life support system of our planet.” . The second World …
A new report shows that Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in tropical forest countries are not getting enough funding to preserve ecosystems despite their key role as environmental guardians. Not only are local communities underfunded, but some of the donations from the OECD club of rich countries do not …
Working with nature can help prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and biodiversity and ecosystem loss. Nature-based solutions offer ways to do this. Science and policy have begun to recognise their potential. The knowledge base is expanding rapidly, with gaps identified and plans to fill them. However, challenges for …
The report contextualises the current status of water quality and biodiversity in the Rio Doce watershed, providing selected data and information on the physical, chemical and biological quality of the water and an overview of the terrestrial, freshwater and marine biodiversity since the dam rupture. A review of the integrated …
In the framework of World Soil Day 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), and the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) launched a children's book contest on Soil Biodiversity with the motto "Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity". The book …
Environment statistics enumerate various aspects of the environment and human interactions with it. The scope of environment statistics encompasses all dimensions of the environment, be it Earth, Water or Air, the biotic and abiotiv matter found within the natural environment, and various concerns arising out of impacts of human footprints …
Climate change and loss of biodiversity is seen as the most pressing challenge over the decade, according to the World in 2030 Survey report published by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). More than 15,000 people worldwide contributed to the survey, which was held online between May and …
Globally, biodiversity is imperiled. The 2020 Living Planet Index reported a 68 percent average decline in birds, amphibians, mammals, fish, and reptiles since 1970; one third of the world’s terrestrial protected areas are under intense human pressure and about two-thirds of the world’s oceans suffer from human impact, as habitat …
The Western Indian Ocean is comprised of productive and highly diverse marine ecosystems that are rich sources of food security, livelihoods, and natural wonder. The ecological services that species provide are vital to the productivity of these ecosystems and healthy biodiversity is essential for the continued support of economies and …
Achieving a climate-resilient future requires rapid, sustained and far-reaching transformations in energy, land-use, infrastructure and industrial systems. Large-scale expansion of renewable energy can play a critical role in meeting the world’s growing energy demands and in the fight against climate change. However, even ‘clean’ energy sources can have significant unintended …
In most places around the world, people are an integral, sometimes dominant, part of the environment. This has two implications. First, a key requirement for sustainability success lies in finding ways to meet the dual goals of conserving nature and providing for the well-being and quality of life of people. …
