SDG 15: Life on Land Dynamic Briefing Generated 09 October 2020 for Marco Antonio Gonzalez
SDG 15: Life on Land Last review on Tue 03 September 2019
About This dynamic briefing draws on the collective intelligence of the Forum network to explore the key trends, interconnections and interdependencies between industry, regional and global issues. In the briefing, you will find a visual representation of this topic (Transformation Map – interactive version available online via intelligence.weforum.org ), an overview and the key trends affecting it, along with summaries and links to the latest research and analysis on each of the trends. Briefings for countries also include the relevant data from the Forum’s benchmarking indices. The content is continuously updated with the latest thinking of leaders and experts from across the Forum network, and with insights from Forum meetings, projects communities and activities.
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Executive summary This Transformation Map provides a contextual briefing for one of the Sustainable Development Goals the United Nations’ framework for making real progress towards a more sustainable future by the year 2030 - by mapping related strategic issues and interdependencies. The content, including attached key issue headings and texts, is drawn from expert- and machine-curated knowledge on the World Economic Forum’s Strategic Intelligence platform; it is not a reproduction of the official text of the SDG. The UN introduces this Goal as follows: 'Forests cover 30.7 per cent of the Earth’s surface and, in addition to providing food security and shelter, they are key to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. By protecting forests, we will also be able to strengthen natural resource management and increase land productivity. At the current time, thirteen million hectares of forests are being lost every year while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares. Even though up to 15% of land is currently under protection, biodiversity is still at risk. Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty. Efforts are being made to manage forests and combat desertification. There are two international agreements being implemented currently that promote the use of resources in an equitable way. Financial investments in support of biodiversity are also being provided.'
1. Forest Communities
7. Governance of Nature
Improving land rights for local communities and Indigenous Peoples can help preserve forests.
Adequate governance of global biodiversity is beyond the scope of any single entity.
2. Forest Landscape Restoration
8. Nature-Based Solutions
An area equal to more than twice the size of China is considered suitable for restoration.
Better protecting nature can help us adapt to climate change and prevent disasters.
3. Forestry and Forest Products
9. Conservation, Restoration and Regeneration
Companies can be incentivized to pay closer attention to sustainability and supply-chain quality.
Ambitious collective action is required in order to preserve natural habitats.
4. Commodities and Supply Chains Zero-deforestation commitments and certification can address the social and environmental risk in supply chains.
5. Deforestation and Climate Change Tropical deforestation is increasing global greenhouse gas emissions.
6. Biodiversity Forests harbour the world’s most concentrated variety of plant and animal life.
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Forest Communities Improving land rights for local communities and Indigenous Peoples can help preserve forests The well-being of forest communities and Indigenous Peoples is closely tied to their environment; places where communities have strong land rights also have lower rates of deforestation and forest degradation. Few governments have established the legal protections needed to secure community land rights, however. As a consequence, Indigenous Peoples are losing their land to governments and corporations. Indigenous Peoples and local communities have the legal right to less than one third of the forests in low- and middle-income countries, according to Commodities and Forests Agenda 2020, published in 2017 by Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 and the World Economic Forum. Overall, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have legal rights to at least 513 million hectares of the world’s forests, or about one eighth of the total, according to the World Resources Institute’s 2014 report Securing Rights, Combating Climate Change. Much larger areas of forest are held by communities under customary rights, which are not legally recognized by governments. Most community-held forests are in low- and middle-income countries, where deforestation pressure is strong.
Related insight areas: Sustainable Development, Global Governance, Human Rights, Environment and Natural Resource Security, Values, Agile Governance, Global Risks, Indonesia, Green New Deals, Civic Participation
When Indigenous Peoples and local communities have weak or no legal rights, their forests tend to be vulnerable to deforestation. According to the World Resources Institute’s 2014 report, in Indonesia, high levels of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from deforestation are due in part to weak or absent legal rights for forest communities. Another study of 80 forest areas in 10 different countries in South Asia, East Africa, and Latin America showed that community-owned and managed forests produce greater community benefits and improve carbon storage (the storage of carbon after it is emitted into the atmosphere). We will therefore forfeit an important opportunity to combat climate change, if we do not strengthen land rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The Commodities and Forests Agenda 2020 report noted that a global consensus is emerging on the need for greater security of land tenure. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals commit member states to ensure that everyone has equal rights to ownership and control over land by 2030. In addition, nearly every country has endorsed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which guarantees land and territory rights. In some countries, communities have successfully lobbied for legal changes to recognize their land rights, while others are taking to the streets to voice their demands.
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Latest knowledge Science Daily
Frontiers
Seagrass restoration speeds recovery of ecosystem services
Improving Air Quality by Nitric Oxide Consumption of Climate-Resilient Trees Suitable for Urban Greening
07 October 2020
29 September 2020 The reintroduction of seagrass into Virginia's coastal bays is one of the great success stories in marine restoration. Now, a long-term monitoring study shows this success extends far beyond a single plant species, rippling out to engender substantial increases in fish and invertebrate abundance, water clarity, and the trapping of pollutioncausing carbon and nitrogen.
Nitrogen oxides (NO x ), mainly a mixture of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), are formed by the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen compounds in the air as a result of combustion processes and traffic. Both deposit into leaves via stomata, which on the one hand benefits air quality and on the other hand provides an additional source of nitrogen for plants. In this study, we first determined the NO and NO 2 specific deposition velocities based on projected leaf area (s V d ) using a branch enclosure system. We studied four tree species that are regarded as suitable to be planted under predicted future urban climate conditions: Carpinus betulus , Fraxinus ornus , Fraxinus pennsylvanica and Ostrya carpinifolia . The NO and NO 2 sV d were found similar in all tree species.
World Economic Forum
This project restores forest in Borneo to protect orangutang and gibbons, and empower locals 06 October 2020 Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
Malaysia: US Customs and Border Protection bans palm oil imports from FGV Holdings over concerns that workers face physical & sexual violence
SpringerOpen
Assessing farmers' contribution to greenhouse gas emission and the impact of adopting climate-smart agriculture on mitigation
05 October 2020
28 September 2020 The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the ban on palm oil imports from FGV Holdings following a year-long investigation yielding indications of physical and sexual violence, abusive working and living conditions or workers, among others. Moreover, the Malaysian government announced that action will be taken to rectify poor labour conditions. .
The adoption of climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices is expected to improve farmers’ adaptation to climate change and also increase yields while simultaneously curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Thi... Project Syndicate
How Climate Targets Can Help Economic Recovery
Project Syndicate
The COVID-Climate Nexus
24 September 2020
30 September 2020 Instead of delaying updates to nationally determined climate targets while the COVID-19 pandemic continues, governments should consider how these targets could be used to leverage the economic contribution of naturebased solutions. Chile offers an example of how that could work.
America’s upcoming election will take place against the backdrop of a dreadful pandemic and mounting climate threats. On both counts, US voters must choose whether to bring back respect for science and sensible public policy, and an awareness that we live in an interconnected world.
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Forest Landscape Restoration An area equal to more than twice the size of China is considered suitable for restoration Most countries have an untapped resource: forest landscapes that could be restored and revitalized. Forest landscape restoration can revive “ecosystem services” (like air purification and climate regulation) and enhance human well-being in areas that have been cleared or degraded. In Ethiopia, for example, a government initiative resulted in more than 350 million trees being planted in a single day in 2019. Efforts like this can result in the establishment of dense forests, or high-yield agroforestry systems, as well as so-called mosaic systems - where wooded areas are interspersed among fields used for farming. Forest landscape restoration should not increase tree cover beyond what would be ecologically appropriate for a particular location and should not introduce damaging, non-native species. More than two billion hectares of land have been identified as suitable for restoration around the world, which is an area equivalent to more than twice the size of China. Forest landscape restoration can diversify economies, reduce the damage caused by natural disasters, generate marketable forest and agricultural products, and support recreation and tourism. Restoration is therefore a growing investment opportunity; in Latin America and the Caribbean alone, related investments could yield roughly $23 billion in profit over a 50-year period, according to a report published in 2016 by the World Resources Institute. An additional $300 billion per year in global financing is needed for adequate forest restoration and conservation, which can in turn create jobs, help alleviate local poverty, and increase food security. Restoration can meanwhile improve soil and water quality, conserve biodiversity, and help mitigate climate change. For example, reforestation bids such as Ethiopia’s concerted effort can bolster carbon capture and storage - and reduce the impact of emissions. Forest landscape restoration can also help governments meet the requirements of international agreements, such as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Thanks to the New York Declaration on Forests, and the Bonn Challenge, there is now a global effort underway to bring 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested land into restoration by 2030. These efforts are supported by commitments that have been made as part of regional restoration initiatives, including AFR100 in Africa, and Initiative 20x20 in Latin America and the Caribbean. Related insight areas: Water, Future of Food, Global Risks, Sustainable Development, Environment and Natural Resource Security, Climate Change, The Great Reset
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Latest knowledge World Resources Institute
Asian Development Bank
Undermining Rights: Indigenous Lands and Mining in the Amazon
Flood risk and public health: An unlikely partnership in the fight against COVID-19
07 October 2020
30 September 2020 This new WRI report estimates that legal and illegal mining in the Amazon now cover more than 20% of Indigenous lands – over 450,000 square kilometers. It also finds that Indigenous lands with mining experienced higher incidences of tree cover loss than on those without – at least three times greater in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Yet national laws continue to favor companies over Indigenous communities, the study’s legal analysis reveals. It sheds light on this uneven playing field and offers recommendations for Amazonian governments and mining companies.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented disruptions to the world. The disease itself and the containing measures brought societies and many public services to an abrupt halt. Flood risk management is, without exception, affected by such disruptions. Infrastructure development, planning and coordination, monitoring, and capacity building activities are all suspended. The public sector, on which flood risk management heavily relies, has been forced to redirect attention and resources to manage the pandemic, where they are needed most immediately.
Center for International Forestry Research
Financing tree planting and proper valuation of natural assets and investments
Frontiers
Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services
05 October 2020
29 September 2020 Besides the few headline-grabbing big pledges from companies this year, tree planting and landscape restoration at scale have struggled to attract sufficient investment. And yet, investment opportunities abound with commitments by governments to restore hundreds of millions of hectares through agreements like the Bonn Challenge and the New York Declaration on Forests, in addition to growing willingness among companies to make their supply chains more sustainable. This session will consider where investments in tree planting are happening and where the opportunities remain untapped. Investors – public and private – will discuss their interests and their challenges.
Ruminants including domestic livestock, have been accused of causing damaging impacts on the global environment and human well-being. However, with appropriate management, ruminant livestock can play a significant role in efforts to reverse environmental damages caused by human mismanagement and neglect. Worldwide, at least one billion people living in grazing ecosystems depend on them for their livelihoods, usually through livestock production, and for other ecosystem services that affect human well-being. For long-term rangeland sustainability and ecological resilience, agricultural production policies are urgently needed globally to transform current damaging industrial inorganic input agricultural practices to resource conservation practices that enhance ecosystem function.
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
Brazil: Morgan Stanley linked to illegal deforestation activities in the Amazon: incl. company response 02 October 2020 Cases of illegal deforestation were found in suppliers of the two companies in which Morgan Stanley holds stakes. Documents obtained by Repórter Brasil show that Marfrig bought cattle from the family of one of the largest deforesters in the Amazon. The two meatpacking companies in which Morgan Stanley holds shares are also linked to farms that have been fined for illegal deforestation in their supply chains. The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre contacted Morgan Stanley to respond to these allegations; the response can be found below.
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Forestry and Forest Products Companies can be incentivized to pay closer attention to sustainability and supplychain quality The global forestry industry generates more than $60 trillion in annual revenue, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Demand for forest products is only increasing, due to population growth and improved living standards - which places added pressure on forest resources. While sustainable forestry efforts (including Ethiopia’s government-led initiative to plant more than 350 million trees in a single day in 2019) can help bolster and conserve resources, unsustainable practices persist. Illegal logging contributes to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions, while depriving governments of essential revenue. Logging in primary (old growth) forests and in intact forest landscapes typically leads to a cascade of human activity in remote regions, and eventual deforestation. Merely complying with existing laws could save almost 200 million hectares of natural forest in Brazil and Indonesia alone, according to a report published by the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020. Timber smuggling is not only an economic and environmental problem - it often involves criminal organizations and is tied to wildlife and drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, conflict, and human rights violations. An increasing number of countries have put measures in place to reduce imports of illegally-harvested wood. These have increased incentives for private businesses to pay closer attention to their supply chains. However, truly effective measures to reduce illegal logging require broad cooperation among governments, the private sector, and civil society; efforts such as the World Resources Institute’s Forest Legality Initiative, WWF’s Global Forest and Trade Network, and The Nature Conservancy’s Responsible Asia Forestry and Trade Network are successfully combating illegal logging by supporting government bids to implement related policies, and by working with the private sector to both exclude illegal wood and implement independent monitoring. Some of the tools for sustainable forest management that have been employed include forest certification and tree plantations; while these plantations can supply some, but not all of the “ecosystem services” (such as air purification) that natural forests provide, they will have to play an increasingly prominent role in providing forest products in the future. Ultimately, though, it is essential that plantations do not completely supplant natural forests. Related insight areas: Illicit Economy, Agriculture, Food and Beverage, Retail, Consumer Goods and Lifestyle, Environment and Natural Resource Security, Sustainable Development, Supply Chain and Transport
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Latest knowledge Land Portal
RAND Corporation
COVID-19, reverse migration, and the impact on land systems
Building Back Locally 30 September 2020
07 October 2020 In Puerto Rico's post-hurricane reconstruction, municipal governments face significant responsibility. The authors recommend ways to target government and other resources where they are needed most to help municipal reconstruction efforts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world abruptly, affecting nearly all of humanity with breath-taking speed. At the time of writing in mid-September 2020, almost 20 million people have contracted the disease and more than 900,000 have died. [1] Besides its tragic direct toll on human lives, the pandemic is triggering a cascade of unexpected and dramatic effects that will deeply impact the global economy, social inequalities, and human– nature relationships in the coming years. Here, we wish to draw attention to an ongoing process that could have important consequences for land systems: that of reverse migration , or the return of migrant workers from cities to their rural areas of origin, especially in low- and middleincome countries.
Center for International Forestry Research
Non-state certification of smallholders for sustainable palm oil in Sumatra, Indonesia 28 September 2020 Rapid expansion of oil palm plantations is one of the leading causes of Indonesia’s continued deforestation over the past decades. To reverse this trend against the wave of increasing global demand for palm oil, non-state certification programs, such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), have been promoted to ensure sustainable palm oil production. However, limited empirical studies exist for understanding how RSPO is perceived and practiced by various stakeholders along the palm oil supply chain, especially at the source by smallscale farmers. We surveyed 181 certified independent smallholders in two sites in Jambi, Sumatra to understand: (1) the challenges and benefits of participating in RSPO; (2) the willingness of independent smallholders to continue their participation; and 3) the factors affecting their willingness.
Center for International Forestry Research
From planting to natural regeneration: best approaches to tree growing 05 October 2020 Tree planting techniques and technology, from species selection to considering natural regeneration, can help reduce costs, improve survival rates while connecting communities. During the second session we will consider what trees make the most sense under different climate scenarios, the role of biodiversity, where do we plant which tree species – or let nature do the work through natural regeneration. New technologies, their applications to the future of tree planting and restoration will also be discussed.
Science Daily
Tree rings show scale of Arctic pollution is worse than previously thought
NextBillion
In Defense of Palm Oil: Why We Should Be Supporting the Industry’s Move Toward Sustainability – Not Demonizing It
25 September 2020 The largest-ever study of tree rings from Norilsk in the Russian Arctic has shown that the direct and indirect effects of industrial pollution in the region and beyond are far worse than previously thought.
05 October 2020 The scientific community has taken note of this progress, including the University of Gottingen , Germany, which released a report this year finding that “the rapid expansion of oil palm has also contributed considerably to economic growth and poverty reduction in local communities, particularly in Asia.
SpringerOpen
Selective logging enhances ecosystem multifunctionality via increase of functional diversity in a Pinus yunnanensis forest in Southwest China 24 September 2020 The impacts of selective logging on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) remain largely unexplored. In this study, we analyzed the response of nine variables related to four ecosystem functions (i.e. nutrient cy...
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Commodities and Supply Chains Zero-deforestation commitments and certification can address the social and environmental risk in supply chains The Consumer Goods Forum, an industry association, estimates that four agricultural commodities - beef, palm oil, paper and pulp, and soy - account for about half of all tropical deforestation. Demand for these commodities is only expected to increase, particularly in emerging markets. Public-private partnerships like the New York Declaration on Forests, which aims to halve the rate of deforestation by 2020, the 2010 Consumer Goods Forum, which pledges to achieve zero net deforestation by 2020, and the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 have set ambitious goals; however, a more precise understanding of related social and environmental risks presented by supply chains is required. More clarity is needed on links between agricultural expansion and forest impacts, for example. Monitoring systems can facilitate the implementation of protection efforts, while increased transparency can encourage accountability. Improved land tenure data, related to concessions, farm boundaries, and sourcing information can make environmental impacts clearer to everyone interacting with a supply chain. Meanwhile more frequently-updated data on forest changes (now available annually, or as often as weekly across the tropics), could provide a powerful tool to identify supply chain risk, and monitor compliance with deforestation commitments.
Related insight areas: Indonesia, Green New Deals, Circular Economy, Agriculture, Food and Beverage, Civic Participation, The Great Reset, Corporate Governance, Global Governance, Supply Chain and Transport, Brazil, Sustainable Development, Digital Economy and New Value Creation, Future of Food
Companies must actively monitor the areas where they are sourcing, and make related disclosures; where information proactively disclosed is unavailable, civil society groups and research organizations have filled in the blanks through their own investigations. Non-governmental organizations have been working with companies and governments to develop environmental assessment tools, while certification systems for anti-deforestation requirements have advanced the sustainability agenda. Moratoria on purchasing commodities grown on deforested land have been successful under some conditions, notably in the case of Brazil’s Soy Moratorium in the Amazon, though they have been difficult to extend sector-wide. Approaches that take into account the needs of producers, and are adapted to different geographies and supply chains, are necessary to foster agricultural production that minimizes forest impacts. Regional processes, such as those tied to Tropical Forest Alliance 2020, have showcased the power of collaborative efforts; a regional pledge signed by seven African governments to shift to sustainable palm oil production, called the Marrakesh Declaration, is one such example. Hastening the implementation of jurisdictional programs that have a state or regional focus could further bolster progress towards achieving sustainable development goals. A Tropical Forest Alliance 2020-commissioned study published in early 2017 identified 34 different jurisdictional programmes that were being planned or implemented.
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Latest knowledge Max Planck Society
World Economic Forum
Grassland in place of rainforest in prehistoric South East Asia
How investing in nature can help tackle the biodiversity and climate crises
07 October 2020
30 September 2020
Drastic changes of the habitats obviously promoted the extinction of large animal species and early humans in the Pleistocene - Southeast Asia, today renowned for its lush rainforests, was at various points in the past covered by sweeping grasslands. This has been shown by studies conducted by a research team from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena and the University of Griffith. The expansion and reduction of these grasslands had drastic effects on local megafauna, variously supporting success and inducing extinction.
The health crisis is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of overlooking biophysical risks on human wellbeing, businesses and economies. United Nations Environment
Green recovery post-COVID-19: Promoting healthy and restored forests 28 September 2020 Prepared for delivery at the webinar organized by the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat, UN DESA on the margins of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, titled “Forests at the heart of a green recovery from COVID-19.” Liu Zhemin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, UNDESA Munir Akram, President of the UN Economic and Social Council and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the….
Center for International Forestry Research
Busting the myths and tackling the realities of tree planting 05 October 2020 Planting a trillion trees: a feel-good exercise or an important mission to save the planet? What does it take to make tree planting successful? The discussion will investigate some of the misconceptions about treeplanting and look at the pathways to restoring landscapes and growing trees that provide the greatest chance of success – for people and the planet. We will hear from researchers, community representatives and tree planting leaders who seek to build sustainable communities and business models.
Asian Development Bank
The health of Asia’s rivers lies both in the cities and on the farms 25 September 2020 Several of the Sustainable Development Goals are closely linked to or dependent on river health rather than simply on water. River health relates to the condition and viability of ecosystems in river corridors, generally defined as the land adjacent to rivers. Maintenance of river health depends on river flows, water quality, and the general environment of these corridors. Of the 10 worst polluted large rivers in the world, nine are in the Asia Pacific region. Most of the region’s rivers where ecosystems have collapsed are those passing though highly urbanized areas.
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
Morgan Stanley response 02 October 2020 ... With respect to Morgan Stanley’s holdings referenced in the article, the shares are not held as a strategic or proprietary investment on behalf of Morgan Stanley. To put the Firm’s holding of Minerva and Marfrig common shares into context, we would like to provide you with a high-level overview of our institutional sales and trading business. Morgan Stanley has a broad, diversified institutional sales and trading business that makes markets, and facilitates trading with clients, in thousands of securities and financial instruments globally. In connection with this business, Morgan Stanley regularly maintains inventory and/or hedge positions in a broad array of global securities and financial instruments.
SpringerOpen
Comparison of the local pivotal method and systematic sampling for national forest inventories 24 September 2020 The local pivotal method (LPM) utilizing auxiliary data in sample selection has recently been proposed as a sampling method for national forest inventories (NFIs). Its performance compared to simple random sam...
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Deforestation and Climate Change Tropical deforestation is increasing global greenhouse gas emissions The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions result from tropical deforestation. Because of the role that forests play in regulating climate, sustaining livelihoods, and supporting biodiversity, increasing deforestation in the tropics is a critical issue. Ten thousand years ago, forests covered about half of earth’s land. Roughly a third of these forests have since disappeared, converted for agriculture and other uses. Most forests still standing are degraded or fragmented; less than 20% are intact. Deforestation is concentrated in tropical, developing countries and is driven by the expansion of human settlement and the production of commodities such as palm oil, soy, and beef. International initiatives to reduce deforestation include the New York Declaration on Forests, which has had 180 nations, companies, indigenous groups and other organizations commit to cutting global natural forest loss in half by 2020 - and ending it completely by 2030. The Consumer Goods Forum, which includes global agricultural commodity companies and consumer goods firms, has pledged to work with suppliers and governments to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains by 2020.
Related insight areas: Environment and Natural Resource Security, Air Pollution, Global Governance, Future of Food, Supply Chain and Transport, Climate Change, Indonesia, Sustainable Development, Brazil
Forests are increasingly recognized in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. A related, voluntary program, REDD+, incentivizes developing countries to reduce emissions related to deforestation and degradation, and to increase conservation and sustainable management in exchange for results-based payments. The Paris Agreement, entered into force in 2016, has participating countries set voluntary targets to combat climate change; land including forests was accounted for in targets set by 82% of tropical countries. The Nature Conservancy has estimated that better land stewardship could achieve 30% of the climate mitigation needed to limit global warming to less than 2oC, an overarching goal behind the Paris Agreement. Eliminating deforestation in the tropics, particularly in places such as Brazil and Indonesia, would be a relatively low-cost, effective and natural way to address climate change. Despite decades of investment in combating deforestation, however, 2016 saw the largest amount of annual global tree cover loss in the 21st century to date, according to Global Forest Watch. Climate feedback triggered by climate change, such as a high incidence of wildfires, makes the need to reduce deforestation urgent. For efforts to succeed, however, greater vigilance on the part of governments, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations is required.
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Latest knowledge Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Overseas Development Institute
Global reset: a stronger, greener recovery
Climate Smart Agriculture: Loss of Biodiversity and the Uncertainties associated with Climate Change
24 September 2020 2020 was set to be the year when governments upped their ambition for action on climate and biodiversity. Yet, we know the reality – exacerbated by the coronavirus – has been different. The world has only a few years left to deliver drastic greenhouse gas emission reductions and stem the loss in biodiversity, or we lose any realistic chance of addressing the climate crisis successfully. While policy makers wrestle with the challenges of Covid-19 and economic recovery, the climate emergency continues and cannot be put on hold. While there is recognition of possible trade-offs between the different pathways of recovery, there is little concrete discussion to pin down the level of ambition for a green recovery and the political, social and economic space to achieve that ambition.
07 October 2020 Chatham House
Imagine a world where we pay the true cost of food 05 October 2020 World Resources Institute
4 Questions About China's New Climate Commitments 30 September 2020 President Xi Jinping's announcement at the UN that China intends to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality before 2060 is one of the most significant signs of progress on tackling climate change since the 2015 Paris Agreement. Here are answers to four key questions about it.
World Resources Institute
Young Forests Capture Carbon Quicker than Previously Thought 23 September 2020 New research shows that natural forest regrowth, as opposed to reforestation through tree planting, can capture more carbon dioxide from the air than previously thought.
International Crisis Group
Watch List 2020 – Autumn Update 30 September 2020 Every year Crisis Group publishes two additional Watch List updates that complement its annual Watch List for the EU, most recently published in January and May 2020. These publications identify major crises and conflict situations where the European Union and its member states can generate stronger prospects for peace. The Autumn Update of the Watch List 2020 includes entries on Afghanistan, Colombia, Kosovo-Serbia, Lebanon and Somalia. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
One Answer to California’s Fires Lies in the Amazon 28 September 2020 Major fires along the U.S. West Coast partly result from ecological disintegration in the Amazon. So, North and South American states should work together toward their shared interest in protecting the rainforest.
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Biodiversity Forests harbour the world’s most concentrated variety of plant and animal life Forests cover nearly one-third of Earth’s land area, and house more than 80% of terrestrial biodiversity. Tropical forests are home to the highest number of species per unit of land area, with particularly high rates of biodiversity in the Amazon basin of South America, the Congo basin of Central Africa, and the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. In addition, forests with unique compositions, such as those on isolated islands, or with varied topography, host high numbers of endemic species that are found nowhere else in the world. Any change to these habitats can lead to the extinction of the species that depend on them. Regions rich in both biodiversity and endemic species include Madagascar, the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region stretching from Afghanistan to Myanmar, and the highlands of Borneo. According to Enough is Enough, a report published by Eyes on the Forest in 2018, forest blocks in Indonesian Borneo and Sumatra, which were some of the last remaining habitats of critically endangered species like tigers, elephants, and orangutan, continue to be converted to palm oil plantations. Detailed information about the location of areas with rich biodiversity, as well as highly threatened areas, can be used to better prioritize conservation and protection efforts. Biodiversity may be best conserved by minimizing human intrusion into intact and relatively un-fragmented habitats, and by restoring biodiverse areas that have been highly altered. If areas like this can be identified, continuous monitoring of them could measure progress towards greater biodiversity conservation. Many efforts are already underway to protect biodiversity and mitigate the destruction of forested habitats. International mechanisms designed to help conserve species include the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets designed to be met by 2020, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015. Others, such as The Consumer Goods Forum, Tropical Forest Alliance 2020, and the New York Declaration on Forests, are focused on achieving zero net deforestation by 2020, and focus on the production of commodities (such as beef and palm oil) that is driving deforestation within tropical forest regions rich in biodiversity. Related insight areas: Brazil, Africa, Biodiversity, Sustainable Development, Indonesia, ASEAN, Environment and Natural Resource Security, Latin America
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Latest knowledge Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Asian Development Bank
Forest Data and Transparency 'Zoom in' on the Experience of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Assessing the Impact of the United States–People’s Republic of China Trade Dispute Using a Multiregional Computable General Equilibrium Model
07 October 2020
30 September 2020 ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THE UNITED STATES– PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TRADE DISPUTE USING A MULTIREGIONAL COMPUTABLE GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MODEL Elisabetta Gentile, Gen Li, and Mahinthan Joseph Mariasingham 620 September 2020 ADB ECONOMICS WORKING PAPER SERIES ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK ADB Economics Working Paper Series Assessing the Impact of the United States– People’s Republic of China Trade Dispute Using a Multiregional Computable General Equilibrium Model Elisabetta Gentile, Gen Li, and Mahinthan Joseph Mariasingham No. 620 | September 2020 Elisabetta Gentile (egentile@adb.org) is an economist in the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department (ERCD), Asian Development Bank (ADB). Gen Li (li.gen@nies.go.jp) is a research assistant at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan.
Nature
Environmental drivers of megafauna and hominin extinction in Southeast Asia 07 October 2020 Southeast Asia has emerged as an important region for understanding hominin and mammalian migrations and extinctions. High-profile discoveries have shown that Southeast Asia has been home to at least five members of the genus Homo1–3. Considerable turnover in Pleistocene megafauna has previously been linked with these hominins or with climate change4, although the region is often left out of discussions of megafauna extinctions. In the traditional hominin evolutionary core of Africa, attempts to establish the environmental context of hominin evolution and its association with faunal changes have long been informed by stable isotope methodologies5,6. However, such studies have largely been neglected in Southeast Asia. Here we present a large-scale dataset of stable isotope data for Southeast Asian mammals that spans the Quaternary period.
Land Portal
A 150-year old obstacle to land rights 28 September 2020 This year marks the 150th birthday of one of the most consequential laws in Indonesian history. In 1870 the Dutch adopted the Agrarische wet or undang undang agraria. This law contains the provision that would become known as the domein verklaring : ‘all land not held under proven ownership, shall be deemed the domain of the state’. With this ‘domain declaration’ the Dutch colonial rulers claimed ownership of most of the land in Java.
World Resources Institute
The Road to Restoration: 3 Steps For Transforming Landscapes 01 October 2020 With proper planning, government restoration pledges to the Bonn Challenge and Initiative 20x20can turn into highimpact work. Although every landscape and country is different, these three steps to land restoration can help avoid pitfalls and accelerate success.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Wildlife conservation by Indigenous People in Guyana 24 September 2020 World Resources Institute
Forests Near or Far Can Protect Water for Cities 23 September 2020 Forests everywhere alter the movement, quality and availability of water. The world’s urban leaders need to account for the role of forests in securing clean water for residents and the agricultural lands that cities rely on.
15 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
Governance of Nature Adequate governance of global biodiversity is beyond the scope of any single entity Policy decisions can have a deadly impact on biodiversity. So it is worth carefully considering who, exactly, is in a position to govern the use of land, the oceans, and biodiversity - all of which we rely upon for survival. While the governance of nature was traditionally the domain of governments, a diverse mix of corporate and grassroots groups, along with both supranational and municipal governments, now play prominent roles. This multistakeholder governance arose in response to a recognition that complex global issues like biodiversity loss, species extinction, climate change, and the melting of polar permafrost cannot be tackled by national policy alone. In light of increased populism in many parts of the world, it is particularly important that these governing stakeholders now complement rather than compete with each other, in the interest of preserving biodiversity. A single piece of land with a river running through it might represent different things to different stakeholders, for example, based on potentially valuable natural resources like fresh water; while those interests must be accounted for, it must be done in a way that protects and preserves resources. The globalization of natural resources often results in a “tragedy of the commons,� whereby resources are exhausted and accountability for their use does not firmly lie with any single governing group or individual. One example of this is overfishing in the oceans; in regions with lax monitoring and ineffective regulation, fish stocks have been depleted. Off the coast of West Africa, several fish species risk becoming extinct - which in turn threatens entire marine ecosystems and fish-based economies. According to the World Bank, the proportion of fisheries that are fully fished, overfished, depleted, or recovering from overfishing increased to nearly 90% of the total by 2013, from about 60% in the mid-1970s. Additionally, the New Economics Foundation, a think tank, estimates that overfishing is resulting in a loss of more than 100,000 jobs and $4.3 billion annually (the World Bank estimates that exploitative fishing in general costs the global economy at least $80 billion every year). Better publicprivate cooperation is urgently needed to address related issues, because the way that nature is governed today will determine how much is available tomorrow. Related insight areas: Agile Governance, The Ocean, Arctic, Justice and Law, Climate Change, Corporate Governance, Future of Economic Progress, Global Governance, Civic Participation
16 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
Latest knowledge Land Portal
United Nations Environment
Sahar Jallad on indigenous land rights and COVID-19
New virtual journey highlights benefits of peatlands
06 October 2020
01 October 2020
Sahar Jallad shares her views on how indigenous land rights can contribute to improved public health, climate change, and biodiversity, or a 'green recovery.
According to the latest Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services assessment, 75% of land, 66% of oceans and 85% of our planet’s wetlands have been negatively impacted by human activity. The United Nations reports are also raising alarm bells on the climate crisis and tipping points from which we may not be able to rehabilitate our planet’s ability to deliver life supporting….
Frontiers
I Am Ocean: Expanding the Narrative of Ocean Science Through Inclusive Storytelling 06 October 2020
United Nations Environment
Halving food waste and raising climate ambition: SDG 12.3 and the Paris Agreement
Over the past twenty years of my career, writing and producing science and natural history content for such broadcasters as PBS/NATURE, National Geographic, Discovery and the BBC, I have served to tell another's story, whether human, animal or ecosystem.
30 September 2020 Food loss and waste generate an estimated 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions while using land and water resources needlessly and increasing pressure on biodiversity. Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 calls for a halving of food waste at retail and household level, and a reduction of food loss across the supply chain. Champions 12.3, a high-level coalition formed to deliver this strategic target, counts….
Frontiers
Microplastic Pollution in Deep-Sea Sediments From the Great Australian Bight 05 October 2020 Interest in understanding the extent of plastic and specifically microplastic pollution has increased on a global scale. However, we still know relatively little about how much plastic pollution has found its way into the deeper areas of the world’s oceans. The extent of microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments remains poorly quantified, but this knowledge is imperative for predicting the distribution and potential impacts of global plastic pollution. To address this knowledge gap, we quantified microplastics in deep-sea sediments from the Great Australian Bight using an adapted density separation and dye fluorescence technique. We analyzed sediment cores from six locations (1–6 cores each, n = 16 total samples) ranging in depth from 1,655 to 3,062 m and offshore distances ranging from 288 to 356 km from the Australian coastline.
World Economic Forum
How Germany and Costa Rica are putting nature at the heart of their recoveries 30 September 2020 Here's how governments around the world can maximise the economic opportunities that lie in nature – as examples from Costa Rica and Germany demonstrate.
World Economic Forum
This fish farm regenerates the environment around it 02 October 2020
17 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
Nature-Based Solutions Better protecting nature can help us adapt to climate change and prevent disasters While conventional development often depletes natural resources and uses up vast amounts of energy-intensive materials, nature-based solutions can be applied to related problems in a sustainable way that benefits both people and biodiversity. For example, protecting and restoring forest ecosystems in upper river catchments (where rainfall collects) can reduce the risk of floods and landslides, prevent soil erosion, and improve water quality. This type of natural flood management can also be combined with engineered infrastructure in order to deal with severe rainfall events. Other nature-based solutions include “biomimicry,� or using nature as the inspiration or blueprint for products like medicines and advanced materials; self-cleaning paints inspired by the natural ability of the lotus leaf to remain pristine, for example, now generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. This harvesting of knowledge from nature is a key element of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In a distinct but related way, nature-based solutions can also play a vital role in mitigating climate change - by locking up stores of carbon in the biomass making up forests, wetlands and other ecosystems. Nature can also help absorb the impacts of climate change via urban parks, street trees, and green walls and roofs that can cool cities, reduce flooding, and filter out pollution - with less environmental impact than traditional solutions like air conditioning and concrete flood defences. While engineered solutions can be costly and require long-term maintenance, the costs of nature-based solutions are offset by multiple benefits. Coral reefs protect hundreds of millions of people from coastal flooding, for example, so their restoration is ultimately significantly cheaper than building and maintaining artificial breakwaters. In the US alone, coral reefs provide $1.8 billion-worth of free flood risk reduction every year, according to a report published by the US Geological Survey in 2019, while also serving as fish nurseries, tourist attractions, and carbon stores. Still, the potential for naturebased solutions to enhance natural habitats and restore and regenerate ecosystems is not always fully realized; carbon storage strategies often involve monoculture planting of nonnative tree species, for example, which have little-to-no benefit for biodiversity. Only through evidence-based project design, sound governance, and greater awareness can we use nature to cost-effectively tackle both climate change and the biodiversity crisis. Related insight areas: Insurance, Cities and Urbanization, Biotechnology, Agile Governance, Climate Change, The Great Reset, Sustainable Development, Advanced Materials, The Ocean
18 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
Latest knowledge United Nations Environment
Duke Fuqua School of Business
Sudan launches first-ever State of the Environment and Outlook report to help guide peace and sustainable development
Encouraging Action to Benefit Future Generations 01 October 2020 Professor Kimberly Wade-Benzoni discusses why the interests of present and future generations are not always aligned.
07 October 2020 Khartoum, 7 October 2020 – The Government of Sudan and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today jointly launched the first-ever State of the Environment and Outlook Report for the Republic of Sudan under the theme of Environment for Peace and Sustainable Development. This report’s launch comes as Sudan works to improve its political and economic systems to further economic and social progress following the country’s….
United Nations Environment
The future is circular: what biodiversity really means 30 September 2020 Subtle shifts aren’t good enough, says Doreen Robinson, Chief of Wildlife at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It’s time for a system-wide transformation. On the day of the UN Summit on Biodiversity, Robinson explains where we’ve gone wrong and how we can do better. .
SpringerOpen
Maritime supply chain sustainability: South-East Finland case study 06 October 2020
United Nations Environment
Emphasis on sustainability practices is growing globally in the shipping industry due to regulations on emissions from transportation as well as increasing customer demand for sustainability. This research aim...
UN Biodiversity Summit 29 September 2020 We need nature if we want to build a more prosperous world Our societies are intimately linked with and depend on biodiversity. Biodiversity is essential for people, including through its provision of nutritious food, clean water, medicines, and protection from extreme events. Biodiversity loss and the degradation of its contributions to people, jeopardize progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and….
Project Syndicate
The Promise of Decarbonization 05 October 2020 The world before the COVID-19 pandemic was deeply dysfunctional, unstable, unfair, and ultimately unsustainable. Now that we have been shaken from our complacency, we can recognize more clearly that what's good for our future on a warming planet is also good for social and economic justice. United Nations Environment
Biodiversity takes center stage at the 75th session of UN General Assembly 02 October 2020 From action on climate, biodiversity, health, gender equality and more, world leaders, academics, young activists and others turned their attention to the United Nations in September with the need to work together for a sustainable future a common refrain. For the first time in the history of the annual event, global leaders were not able to meet in person for the General Assembly’s annual debate, but the 193-Member….
19 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
Conservation, Restoration and Regeneration Ambitious collective action is required in order to preserve natural habitats About 82% of all mammal biomass has been lost since prehistory, while the average abundance of native species in most major land-based habitats has fallen by at least onefifth (mostly since 1900). In addition, more than one-third of all marine mammals are now threatened, according to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The IPBES now estimates that in total, roughly one million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction - the most in human history. While nature is under severe threat, conservation, restoration, and regeneration present potential solutions. The restoration of degraded landscapes can improve ecological integrity and human well-being. In Switzerland, for example, restoration has increased the capacity of that country’s forests, rivers, and lakes to provide water purification services; other examples include Ethiopia’s effort to plant more than 350 million trees in a single day in 2019, and the $1 billion invested in areas of the Catskills Mountains that provide water for New York City. Unlike restoration, regeneration allows landscapes to recover their richness and functionality without active intervention. Regardless of their differences, both restoration and regeneration require comprehensive planning in order to be effective; non-native species should not be introduced via planting, and isolated areas of protected habitat cannot maintain viable populations unless surrounding areas are also made hospitable to wildlife that might cross over to find food or mates. This type of responsible planning can be achieved by establishing networks of wildlife corridors within areas dedicated to different land uses - like crops or livestock. Restoration efforts often require costly initial investments, but are cost-effective when considering the long-term benefits to society; studies show that the natural regeneration of tropical lowland pastures can help store large additional amounts of carbon, for example. In addition, costs can often be reduced by allowing landscapes to regenerate naturally. While the cost-benefit ratio of restoring ecosystems is usually positive, in order to maximize related benefits both restoration and regeneration need to have well-defined goals. While some projects aim to return landscapes to pre-disturbance conditions - by establishing a baseline before a system was degraded, damaged, or destroyed - this is not always possible. Related insight areas: Global Health, The Ocean, Green New Deals, Forests, Values, Environment and Natural Resource Security, Infrastructure, Sustainable Development, Public Finance and Social Protection, Water
20 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
Latest knowledge SpringerOpen
Project Syndicate
Determinants that influence the performance of women entrepreneurs in micro and small enterprises in Ethiopia
The Way We Could Live Now 02 October 2020 Now that the scientific "debate" about climate change has finally been put to rest, the conversation has shifted to questions of technical and political feasibility. There are grounds for hope on both fronts, but much will depend on whether we can dismantle the behavioral obstacles standing in the way of collective action.
07 October 2020 The purpose of this study was to explore determinants that influence women entrepreneurs’ performance in micro and small enterprises in Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia, and in turn contribute to entrepreneursh...
United Nations Environment
Historic UN Summit on Biodiversity sets stage for a global movement toward a green recovery from COVID19
Science Daily
40 percent of Amazon could now exist as rainforest or savanna-like ecosystems: Larger part of the Amazon at risk of crossing tipping point than previously thought
01 October 2020 New York, 30 September 2020 — Recognizing that the continued deterioration and degradation of the world’s natural ecosystems were having major impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people everywhere, world leaders called for increased resolve to protect biodiversity at the UN today. A record number of countries - nearly 150 countries and 72 Heads of State and Government addressed the first ever Summit held on….
05 October 2020 Rainforests are very sensitive to changes that affect rainfall for extended periods. If rainfall drops below a certain threshold, areas may shift into a savanna state. "In around 40 percent of the Amazon, the rainfall is now at a level where the forest could exist in either state -- rainforest or savanna, according to our findings," says lead author Arie Staal, formerly a postdoctoral researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Copernicus Institute of Utrecht University. The conclusions are concerning because parts of the Amazon region are currently receiving less rain than previously and this trend is expected to worsen as the region warms due to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Staal and colleagues focused on the stability of tropical rainforests in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
Center for International Forestry Research
Classification of Active Fires and Weather Conditions in the Lower Amur River Basin 30 September 2020 Most wildland fires in boreal forests occur during summer, but major fires in the lower Amur River Basin of the southern Khabarovsk Krai (SKK) mainly occur in spring. To reduce active fires in the SKK, we carried out daily analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) hotspot (HS) data and various weather charts. HS data of 17 years from 2003 were used to identify the average seasonal fire occurrence. Active fireperiods were extracted by considering the number of daily HSs and their continuity. Weather charts, temperature maps, and wind maps during the top 12 active fire-periods were examined to clarify each fire weather condition. Analysis results showed that there were four active fireperiods that occurred in April, May, July, and October.
Mother Jones
Fish species communicate with one another in coral reefs. Can they save these threatened ecosystems? 04 October 2020 Among the many egregious scientific inaccuracies in Finding Nemo —fish can talk, sharks form support groups, turtles wax their shells —perhaps none is more glaring than the conceit of fish maintaining friendships.
21 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
References 1. Forest Communities
4. Commodities and Supply Chains
Seagrass restoration speeds recovery of ecosystem services, Science Daily, www.sciencedaily.com This project restores forest in Borneo to protect orangutang and gibbons, and empower locals, World Economic Forum, www.youtube.com Malaysia: US Customs and Border Protection bans palm oil imports from FGV Holdings over concerns that workers face physical & sexual violence, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, www.businesshumanrights.org The COVID-Climate Nexus, Project Syndicate, www.project-syndicate.org
Grassland in place of rainforest in prehistoric South East Asia, Max Planck Society, www.mpg.de Busting the myths and tackling the realities of tree planting, Center for International Forestry Research, www.youtube.com Morgan Stanley response, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, www.business-humanrights.org How investing in nature can help tackle the biodiversity and climate crises, World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org Green recovery post-COVID-19: Promoting healthy and restored forests, United Nations Environment, www.unenvironment.org The health of Asia’s rivers lies both in the cities and on the farms, Asian Development Bank, blogs.adb.org Comparison of the local pivotal method and systematic sampling for national forest inventories, SpringerOpen, forestecosyst.springeropen.com
Improving Air Quality by Nitric Oxide Consumption of Climate-Resilient Trees Suitable for Urban Greening, Frontiers, www.frontiersin.org Assessing farmers' contribution to greenhouse gas emission and the impact of adopting climate-smart agriculture on mitigation, SpringerOpen, ecologicalprocesses.springeropen.com How Climate Targets Can Help Economic Recovery, Project Syndicate, www.project-syndicate.org
5. Deforestation and Climate Change
2. Forest Landscape Restoration
Climate Smart Agriculture: Loss of Biodiversity and the Uncertainties associated with Climate Change, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, www.youtube.com Imagine a world where we pay the true cost of food, Chatham House, www.youtube.com 4 Questions About China's New Climate Commitments, World Resources Institute, www.wri.org Watch List 2020 – Autumn Update, International Crisis Group, www.crisisgroup.org One Answer to California’s Fires Lies in the Amazon, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, carnegieeurope.eu Global reset: a stronger, greener recovery, Overseas Development Institute, www.youtube.com Young Forests Capture Carbon Quicker than Previously Thought, World Resources Institute, www.wri.org
Undermining Rights: Indigenous Lands and Mining in the Amazon, World Resources Institute, www.wri.org Financing tree planting and proper valuation of natural assets and investments, Center for International Forestry Research, www.youtube.com Brazil: Morgan Stanley linked to illegal deforestation activities in the Amazon: incl. company response, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, www.business-humanrights.org Flood risk and public health: An unlikely partnership in the fight against COVID-19, Asian Development Bank, blogs.adb.org Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services, Frontiers, www.frontiersin.org
3. Forestry and Forest Products COVID-19, reverse migration, and the impact on land systems, Land Portal, landportal.org From planting to natural regeneration: best approaches to tree growing, Center for International Forestry Research, www.youtube.com In Defense of Palm Oil: Why We Should Be Supporting the Industry’s Move Toward Sustainability – Not Demonizing It, NextBillion, nextbillion.net Building Back Locally, RAND Corporation, www.rand.org
Acknowledgements Cover and selected images throughout supplied by Reuters. Some URLs have been shortened for readability. Please follow the URL given to visit the source of the article. A full URL can be provided on request.
Non-state certification of smallholders for sustainable palm oil in Sumatra, Indonesia, Center for International Forestry Research, www.cifor.org Tree rings show scale of Arctic pollution is worse than previously thought, Science Daily, www.sciencedaily.com Selective logging enhances ecosystem multifunctionality via increase of functional diversity in a Pinus yunnanensis forest in Southwest China, SpringerOpen, forestecosyst.springeropen.com
22 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
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23 SDG 15: Life on Land Briefing, October 2020
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