Intense droughts have significant consequences for both agriculture and the economy in the Near East and North Africa. A new study looks at how every action to conserve groundwater counts for climate action.
Mangrove forests are key allies in the fight against climate change, but they are rapidly disappearing due to deforestation, pollution, urban development, and overexploitation. Local communities in Kenya, Colombia and Viet Nam are working to restore mangroves and protect their vital ecological role.
One year after the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, global temperatures continue to rise. Yet, promising initiatives to tackle this issue are emerging from national and local governments, including early warning systems, real-time alerts and urban cooling infrastructure.
Land degradation threatens biodiversity and food production, but it also destabilizes communities, weakens immune systems and increases the spread of disease. In drylands — which already cover more than 40 per cent of the Earth’s surface — rates of malnutrition, respiratory illness and waterborne disease are rising.