Asia Pacific‘s leading platform for sustainable development
15. Life on land
Forests cover 30 per cent of the Earth’s surface and in addition to providing food security and shelter, forests are key to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. Thirteen million hectares of forests are being lost every year while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares.
Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty. Efforts are being made to manage forests and combat desertification.
Read our stories to learn more about SDG Goal 15: Life on land
To adopt SDG 15 Life on land, in support of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, please contact us at partners@eco-business.com
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Energy
Decarbonisation in the Philippines is a ‘balancing act’: First Gen strategy head Joel Jay Soriano
EB Studio
As well as adapting to intensifying climate impacts, the Philippines' largest renewable energy company must carefully weigh up how quickly it divests from natural gas, Soriano tells Eco-Business.
Food & Agriculture
Indigenous voices shape fight for climate, food sovereignty from COP30 to Sri Lanka
Indigenous protests at the recently concluded COP30 echo global climate-justice demands, calling for territorial rights, forest protection and an end to extractive industries – themes strongly reflected in the discussions at the Nyéléni Global Forum on Food Sovereignty held this August in Sri Lanka.
The United Nations Environment Assembly takes place this week in Nairobi, at a time when wars, protectionist economic policies and global divisions are undermining nations’ ability to reach consensus on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution – issues that require collective action.
A decision to drill at the mouth of the Amazon drew criticism at the UN summit. But Brazil’s oil production still soars, as it hopes to consolidate its role as an exporter.
Opinion
COP30 delivered gains on climate finance and forests but stalled on fossil fuel phaseout – exposing both the limits of consensus talks and the growing role of action outside negotiations.
Carbon & Climate
Sumatra’s flood crisis: How deforestation turned a cyclonic storm into a likely recurring tragedy
Forest loss and soil degredation resulted in Sumatra's natural ecosystem losing the ability to act as a natural sponge during Cyclone Senyar.
Singapore is facing diminishing forest cover from competing lands uses – but vulnerable secondary forests could play a key role in helping the city-state adapt to intensifying heat stress and flooding.
Carbon & Climate
COP30: five reasons the UN climate conference failed to deliver on its ‘people’s summit’ promise
From Indigenous exclusion to the absence of the United States, a range of factors contributed to another disappointing outcome at the climate talks in Brazil.
Carbon & Climate
COP30 must do good, not just avoid harm
Policy & Finance
Governments are failing environmental defenders. COP30 must act
Videos
Carbon & Climate
More forest protection and financing needed in 13th Malaysia Plan, say environmental groups
NGOs urged the government to improve forest data transparency by making maps of protected areas publicly available, and to channel funds to frontline communities living near forests.
The Green Mortician is the city-state's first water cremation service, which has a small carbon footprint compared to traditional funeral options.
Carbon & Climate
Lending forests a voice with primatologist Andie Ang
Amid competing concerns such as urban development and tackling climate change, keeping biodiversity conservation in people's minds can be a challenge. Eco-Business asks primatologist Andie Ang how that can be tackled.
Carbon & Climate
Climate spiral: what 141 years of global warming looks like
As planetary temperatures reach an all-time high, a climate scientist has designed a new way to show how global temperatures have changed every month since the start of the industrial revolution and 2021.
Podcasts
Food & Agriculture
‘I want others to own sustainability too – but letting go is hard’: Golden Agri CSO Anita Neville
Unless sustainability heads allow other functions to lead ESG, it will never be fully integrated into a business, the CSO of the world's second-largest palm oil company tells the EB Podcast. But in doing so, how confident can they be that the business will stay on the right path?
The head of waste management non-profit Ocean Recovery Alliance tells the EB Podcast that recycled content mandates will drive the circular economy better than caps on virgin plastic production. Brands should be pressured more than petrochemical producers to phase out unnecessary plastics, he says.
A new report predicts Hong Kong could lose one quarter of its wildlife to new developments. WWF Hong Kong conservation head Dr Bosco Chan and Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden's Dr Stephan Gale tell the EB Podcast that developers must build in ways that protect nature and bolster climate resilience.
Carbon & Climate
America’s attack on climate science could affect adaptation capacity in Asia: climate scientist Ben Horton
The sea-level rise expert has moved to Hong Kong – now seen as a gateway to more collaboration with China on climate science. But he tells the EB Podcast that data from US agencies is still critical for calculating climate defences in Asia.
