May 17, 2012
- FAO and partners have launched the "Organic Soils and Peatlands Climate Change Mitigation Initiative" at the UNFCCC Climate Talks in Bonn, Germany. At the launch event, FAO released the initiative's first publication on guidance for mitigation from peatlands, which includes summaries of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions quantification methodologies.
- The FAO soil survey project for Tanzania was presented at the UNFCCC Climate Talks in Bonn, Germany. FAO noted that while soil carbon models are available for Europe, the US, Canada and Japan, the assessment will allow the testing and calibration of soil carbon models for applicability in East Africa.
- The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has released the first Africa Human Development Report, which examines why hunger continues to be so prevalent in the region and puts forward a series of policy recommendations across the development agenda.
- A new World Bank report on Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Soils presents a review of knowledge and methodologies to assess the impact of different land management practices on soil carbon sequestration rates across the world.
- The Food and Agriculture Organization's 31st Regional Conference for the Near East is focusing on food waste, climate change impacts and the creation of a regional trust fund for agricultural development. Climate change discussions are expected to focus on freshwater, fisheries, and forestry and land use management.
May 14, 2012
- UNDP has released its regional human development report for the Asia-Pacific region, with a special focus on LDCs, including several SIDS, and their climate change-related challenges. The environmental vulnerability index, developed by the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and their partners, describes Kiribati, Maldives and Tuvalu as among the most vulnerable countries to extreme environmental shocks.
May 4, 2012
- The Executive Summary of the brief indicates that the proposed "Zero Net Land Degradation" goal can be achieved when land degradation is either avoided or offset by land restoration, with related targets suggested as follows: zero net land degradation by 2030; zero net forest degradation by 2030; and drought preparedness policies implemented in all drought-prone countries by 2020.
- The World Bank is providing a loan and GEF grant to the Republic of Moldova to implement a sustainable farming programme focused on promoting agricultural exports through the enhancement of sustainable land management practices.
May 3, 2012
- A grant agreement was signed by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the EU and the African Union (AU) for support of the ClimDev Africa programme, a flagship initiative in the Africa-EU Partnership on Climate Change and Development.
- The UNCCD Secretariat is inviting submissions in the form of short video clips, pictures of field activities, and short articles. The best contributions from each region will be compiled and broadcast during the World Day to Combat Desertification, which will take place on 17 June, on the sidelines of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).