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For the last decade, bioenergy has been confined to the sidelines of climate-policy debates, owing to the environmental problems associated with its production. But recent innovations have made this option for supplying sustainable, renewable energy not just viable, but necessary. BONN – In the face of climate change, providing reliable supplies of renewable energy to all who need it has…

How secure resource rights help communities in Africa restore forests and build local economies “Landscape restoration is not new,” said Steven Lawry, former director of CIFOR’s Forests and Governance Research portfolio. “But global and national commitments such as the Bonn Challenge and AFR100 and the urgency of addressing climate change mean that a qualitatively different approach…

As a new year and a new decade kick off, WHO is releasing a list of urgent, global health challenges. This list, developed with input from our experts around the world, reflects a deep concern that leaders are failing to invest enough resources in core health priorities and systems. This puts lives, livelihoods and economies in jeopardy. None of these issues are simple to address, but they are…

The world’s survival depends on children being able to flourish, but no country is doing enough to give them a sustainable future, dozens of highly respected international health experts said on Wednesday. In a UN-backed report assessing the capacity of 180 countries to ensure that their youngsters can survive and thrive, the authors highlight numerous “immediate” threats to their health,…

Many coffee and cocoa farmers earn a pittance even as these products generate huge profits in global markets. For instance, coffee farmers earn only 0.4% of the price consumers pay for a latte or cappuccino. The situation for cocoa farmers isn’t much better. In the 1980s, they got about 18% of the value of a chocolate bar. Today their share is less than 6%. …

Trading under the historic African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is scheduled to begin on 1 July 2020. Hailed as a game-changing agreement, with the potential to propel Africa’s socio-economic transformation, the AfCFTA will play a significant role in anchoring the 17 SDGs. The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has recognized the unparalleled opportunities inherent in the…