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Spotlight on nature and biodiversity

Nature is humanity’s lifeline. Human health, food, economies and well-being depend on nature. Yet nature is in crisis. One million of the world’s estimated 8 million species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction. Meanwhile, ecosystem degradation is affecting the well-being of 40 per cent of the global population.

The spotlight on nature and biodiversity highlights updates from around the UN System, from partners and others, helping to call attention to the need for a just, prosperous and sustainable future for all.

30 Apr 2024 09:53

Quiz: How much do you know about degraded land, deserts and droughts?

People standing in front of vegetation during daytime
Photo: UNEP

This year’s World Environment Day, held on 5 June and hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, focuses on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience.

More than 2 billion hectares of land are degraded, affecting billions of people and threatening over half of global gross domestic product (GDP). Restoration improves livelihoods, lowers poverty, builds resilience to extreme weather and slows the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste

Take a quiz to find out how much you know about the biggest crises facing our ecosystems. 

24 Apr 2024 20:17

Communities unite to save high Andean forests, for water & climate

In the high Andes of Latin America, hundreds of communities are uniting across five countries to secure water sources and mitigate climate change. Learn how they do it – and why an old tree is a secret weapon in their fight.

Acción Andina has been recognized as a World Restoration Flagship under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Watch the RESTORE documentary series to learn about winning solutions.

22 Apr 2024 12:56

Share your hopes, fears and actions this Earth Day

 

19 Apr 2024 18:09

Five ways you can help save the environment this Mother Earth Day

A young woman tends to a cacao plant in the Philippines as part of a project to combat deforestation.
Photo: UNEP

Humanity is breaking all the wrong records on global warming. Fragile ecosystems face enormous pressure. More than 1 million plants, animals and other living things are at risk of being wiped out. Dirty air and chemical pollution threaten our land, ocean and health.

But International Mother Earth Day, on 22 April, is a reminder that there is a lot we can do, as individuals, to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

Each step counts. Each choice matters. Explore toolkits for taking environmental action.

15 Apr 2024 16:08

Nominations open for 2024 Champions of the Earth Award with a focus on land restoration, drought resilience, combating desertification

A woman hold a plant
Photo: UNEP/Todd Brown

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today launched a call for nominations for the annual Champions of the Earth award – the UN’s highest environmental honour, which recognizes outstanding leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector for their transformative impact on the environment.

This year, UNEP encourages nominations of individuals and organizations developing and implementing sustainable policies and solutions to restore land, enhance drought resilience, and combat desertification.

Nominate a champion.

05 Apr 2024 18:09

Apply to become a UN World Restoration Flagship

Do you know or are you part of an initiative that is restoring nature?

Here’s the chance to be recognized as a United Nations World Restoration Flagship!

Don’t miss out and apply by 31 May for the most prestigious #GenerationRestoration award.

Apply here

04 Apr 2024 15:07

Young environmentalist helps to save the planet by charting religious landholdings

This archive photo shows founder of GoodLands, Molly Burhans, who was named a Young Champion of the Earth in 2019.

Molly Burhans founded GoodLands, where they work to bring Catholic conservation to the scale and impact of Catholic healthcare and education as the largest global network of its kind. For her pioneering work, Burhans was named a Young Champion of the Earth in 2019, the United Nations’ most prestigious award for environmental action by young people. 

Read this story to discover how Molly Burhans is using digital mapping to help faith groups manage their land for the good of the environment.

03 Apr 2024 10:06

Ms. Astrid Schomaker appointed as Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, following consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), has announced the appointment of Astrid Schomaker of Germany as the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the CBD.

Read the full statement.

22 Mar 2024 12:45

New virtual reality game for nature action

A screenshot of the Unearthed virtual reality game by Meta

Embark on an immersive adventure—interact with bears to protect your cubs, shrink in size to face marauding piranhas as a fish or ride beetles into gigantic Amazonian flowers.

This new Meta virtual reality game, Unearthed, allows players to experience nature in a new way and learn more about its vital role for people, for planet.

14 Mar 2024 08:09

Fighting fire with forests across the Mediterranean

Two firefighters in a cloud of smoke
Photo: UNEP/Celine Barakat

The non-profit Association for Forests, Development and Conservation in Lebanon is devoted to protecting and restoring forest landscapes, including Lebanon's famed cedar trees. 

The association’s work falls under the banner of the Restoring Mediterranean Forests initiative, an ambitious effort to revive woodlands that span from Morocco to Lebanon. The initiative has restored 2 million hectares of forest, creating economic opportunities and helping to counter devastating wildfires in the process.  

Read more

Related Sustainable Development Goals