November 23, 2024 | 02:33 GMT +7

  • Click to copy
Friday- 08:46, 16/12/2022

At COP15 summit, UN announces nature restoration priorities through 2030

(VAN) The United Nations on Tuesday (Dec 13) announced its top priorities for restoring ecosystems from South America's Atlantic Forest to the Ganges River in India.
FAO_PO_MDG_2020_02

Growing rice in Madagascar.

With countries negotiating a global conservation pact at the UN nature summit in Montreal, the UN sought to boost momentum by naming 10 flagship restoration initiatives to receive funding and scientific expertise.

Without specifying how much money might be allocated, the UN said it hoped to add to the funds with private donations.

Inger Andersen, head of the UN Environment Programme, told Reuters she hoped the initiative would demonstrate that restoration is possible. The agency estimates about 40 per cent of the world's land is degraded.

"You can, with a little concerted effort and some wonderful leadership at all levels of society, actually turn this around," Andersen told Reuters.

While the COP15 negotiations aim for new conservation rules to prevent further nature loss, one of the two dozen proposed targets would see countries agreeing to restore 20 per cent to 30 per cent of degraded landscapes, including mountains, wetlands, deserts, and coastlines.

Altogether, the projects cover a total of some 68 million hectares (168 million acres) - an area bigger than France.

The UN selected its 10 projects for restoration through 2030 out of more than 150 applications. "We were looking for inspiration, we were looking for diversity, and we were looking for something that gives people hope," said the UNEP's Mirey Atallah, who helped coordinate the initiative.

There are efforts to regreen logged-out areas of the Atlantic Forest and clean the polluted Ganges; restore seagrass beds to protect endangered dugongs in the Persian Gulf around the United Arab Emirates; plant trees and savannahs for Africa's Great Green Wall; and supporting traditional farming throughout drought-prone Central America.

The other five involve restoring diverse ecosystems in China, shoring up low-lying coastlines against storm surges and erosion on Indonesia's main island of Java, building resilience in mountain communities of Europe and Africa, protecting three island nations' corals, forests and communities, and restoring grasslands to the Kazakh steppe.

A report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature found on Monday that restoration work is currently unfolding on 14 million hectares (35 million acres) across 18 countries, carried out with US$26 billion in funding.

The UN plans to monitor progress on the 10 projects through tools like satellite imagery, Atallah said.

Tr.D

(Reuters)

Gaza food production ‘decimated’ with 70% of farmland hit

Gaza food production ‘decimated’ with 70% of farmland hit

(VAN) Israeli attacks have destroyed huge areas of land used for crops, with 90% of cattle killed, analysis shows.

Improving safety at sea at a time of climate change

Improving safety at sea at a time of climate change

(VAN) Interview with Manuel Barange, Director of FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Division.

British farmers warn of bitter harvest

British farmers warn of bitter harvest

(VAN) Finances, politics and a cultural divide push the agriculture sector to the brink and stir up anger.

Small farms key to taking on hunger

Small farms key to taking on hunger

(VAN) Modest operations account for more than 90% of global food producers.

What the farmers' protest tells us about their argument with the government

What the farmers' protest tells us about their argument with the government

(VAN) The farmers' demonstration was best summed up in two images: real tractors being driven by farmers around Parliament Square, and beside them a collection of toy tractors being peddled around by their children.

FAO urges all its Members and partners to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty

FAO urges all its Members and partners to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty

(VAN) G20’s initiative is officially launched in Brazil. FAO will host the Global Alliance’s Support Mechanism.

COP29 showcases China’s progress in green transition

COP29 showcases China’s progress in green transition

(VAN) China has provided and mobilized more than 177 billion yuan of project funds since 2016 in support of other developing countries' climate response, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Read more