2020 will likely be one of three warmest years on record, according to the provisional 2020 WMO State of the Global Climate report. Ocean heat is at record levels. Extreme heat, wildfires and floods, as well as a record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season, have affected millions of people. Even with pandemic lockdowns slowing economic activity, atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases continued to rise.
Africa’s climate challenges also present opportunities for transformation. Rose Mwebaza, Director of the Africa Regional Office for UNEP, highlights how clean energy, ecosystem restoration and youth-led innovation can help build resilience, create green jobs and support a more sustainable future for the continent.
UNCTAD is supporting sustainable arabica coffee in Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam to strengthen exports, improve livelihoods and protect ecosystems as global markets demand greener production.
Around the world, landscapes are in trouble. Climate change and destructive practices, like deforestation and agricultural sprawl, have left 40 per cent of Earth’s land degraded. This is imperilling everything from jobs to food security.