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The world’s food system, agricultural practices, and land use are a significant contributor to climate change — together emitting roughly a quarter of our current greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these emissions come from land use (especially deforestation), methane emissions (mostly from cattle), and nitrous oxide emissions (primarily from fertilizer overuse and manure). To help address climate…

Thirty years ago, UNDP created a new way to conceive and measure progress. Instead of using growth in GDP as the sole measure of development, we ranked the world’s countries by their human development: by whether people in each country have the freedom and opportunity to live the lives they value. The 2020 Human Development Report (HDR) doubles down on the belief that people’s agency…

The publication presents 16 SDG Good Practices from across the globe, received in response to the first open call for good practices, success stories and lessons learned in SDG implementation, promoted by UN DESA between 2018 and 2019. Sorted by geographical region, this publication describes the diverse examples in detail, featuring updates and reflections on the impact and adaptations to…

At the beginning of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, this 60th issue of ETFRN News is very timely, reflecting a focus on drylands that cover some 40% of the world’s land area and contain some of the most severely degraded landscapes on Earth. They are also home to a third of the world’s population and a disproportionate number of the poorest people, along with unique ecosystems and…

Land degradation – the reduction or loss of the productive potential of land – is a global challenge. Over 20% of the Earth’s vegetated surface is estimated to be degraded, affecting over 1.3 billion people, with an economic impact of up to US$10.6 trillion. Land degradation reduces agricultural productivity and increases the vulnerability of those areas already at risk of impacts…

Land degradation – the reduction or loss of the productive potential of land – is a global challenge. Over 20% of the Earth’s vegetated surface is estimated to be degraded, affecting over 1.3 billion people, with an economic impact of up to US$10.6 trillion. Land degradation reduces agricultural productivity and increases the vulnerability of those areas already at risk of impacts…