Which of the world’s forests are natural, and which have been planted by humans? It seems like a simple question, but researchers have been struggling to answer it for years. Satellites can’t easily distinguish between primary and secondary forests, which occur naturally, and planted forests, which are created and managed by people to supply timber, […]
Joseph Zulu never uses the term “climate-smart agriculture,” even as he proudly points out the fertilizer trees he planted between rows of crops on his field in Zambia’s eastern province. But whether he uses the term or not, Zulu is a wonderful example of how climate-smart agriculture can be incorporated into traditional farming environments. Fertilizer […]
Results from Panama show that increases in carbon stocks, stakeholder incomes and forest cover can be achieved simultaneously through a landscape approach to REDD+ combining avoided deforestation/degradation, the promotion of silvopastoral and agroforestry systems, and tree plantations. In the presence of an appropriate monitoring system, a landscape approach can also create buffer reserves of carbon to […]
The role of healthy soils in climate protection and food security was a major focus of the COP21 international climate summit in Paris. More than half of the 158 submitted Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) ascribe importance to the agricultural sector. In particular African and Asian countries aimed for more sustainable use of soils and land. At […]
The replanting of forests – when considering local livelihoods and national growth – can play a major role in achieving the climate objectives that were agreed in Paris. It is now time for investors to make a move and the ‘Forests for the Future, New Forests for Africa’ initiative has received the support of H.E. […]
Pop quiz: how much land in developing countries do women own? A: Less than one per cent B: Two to five per cent C: Ten per cent D: I don’t know This was the opening question posed to the group gathered at the high session on gendered perspectives on land rights at this year’s Global […]
Each year, services provided by nature accumulate value in the trillions of dollars. Yet, many investors still tend to focus on unsustainable, short-term goals and strategies which exploits natural resources. As a consequence, the deployed financial capital often damages the environment as well as the economy. Considering the additional decline of natural resources due to […]
Wood energy is critical for many communities in Sub-Saharan Africa as a way to cook food, clean water, and produce and sell charcoal as a source of income. On the other hand, the utilization of wood energy is responsible for 50% of forest degradation and 10-20% of forest destruction in the region. For development practitioners […]
Equity is a broad term, and can sound like a tall order to fill for initiatives seeking to help communities mitigate and adapt to climate change. It includes land tenure, adequate benefit sharing, equal participation of all stakeholders, distribution of social benefits, open access to information, access to justice, and the protection of the rights […]
“…the capabilities and knowledge of locals is a fundamental part of any landscape restoration initiative, and must be factored into sustainable landscape initiatives moving forward.” Read more about local inclusion efforts here.
By 2050, the world’s population is expected to reach 9.7 billion. With population and income growth driving food demand—and climate change threatening to reduce crop yields worldwide—what can governments and civil society organizations do to fight hunger? One favorable approach is a thorough use of accurate data and information and communication technologies (ICT). On Saturday, […]
The concept of the commons is both old and new, pervasive and endangered, effective at restoring landscapes and under threat of disappearing. So were the views represented on 5 December at the Global Landscapes Forum in a panel titled Commons tenure for a common future that gathered tenure experts from Oxfam International, the Center for […]
In the launchpad of the Global Landscapes Forum in Paris, held alongside the UNFCCC COP 21, Seth Shames, Director of the Policy Program of EcoAgriculture Partners, and his colleagues released the Little Sustainable Landscapes book. This book represents the fruit of collaboration between major organizations—such as Global Canopy Programme, EcoAgriculture Partners, IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, The Nature […]
Seven billion people live on the planet. As populations grow our increasing need for food, goods, and services leads to deforestation on a scale difficult to comprehend. What’s the cost? In December, at the 2015 Global Landscapes Forum held in Paris alongside the UNFCCC COP 21, I attended a session entitled: industrial agriculture, ape conservation […]
At the UNFCCC COP 21 climate talks held in Paris in December 2015, it was announced that Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom discussed the great potential of the REDD+ program in achieving the two degree Celsius (2°C) limit on climate change and made an agreement to give US$5 billion over the next six years. The […]
