saving nature to save ourselves
I am sharing the recently published Sustainable Development Report 2019: Transformations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, which include the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Index and Dashboard, provides detail progress by countries on their achievement of the SDGs. The report includes information on all 193 UN member states in SDG indicators, as well as calculations for trajectories until 2030.
Download the full report and see more information here.
I visited Fiji this week, went to Lau Seascape – covers an area of roughly 114,000 square km. This area is threatened by climate change, unsustainable fishing, and coral reefs degradation. Managing this area will be crucial for ensuring its resilience to climate change and ensuring its services to provide food and livelihoods for thousand people.
In 2017, CI team conducted a Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) in Lau Seascape to highlighted areas of significant biodiversity that requires protection, as well as areas that have been over exploited and requires supportive management. The expedition discovered six new species and supported the establishment of Navatu Reef Marine Protected Area (MPA). Here is CI’s video about Lau Seascape.
The first major conference on environment was held from June 5-16, 1972 in Sweden. It marked a turning point in the development of international environmental politics. Later in December 1972, the General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/2994 (XXVII)) designating June 5 as World Environment Day.
The theme for World Environment Day this year is Air Pollution.
Why do you need to care about air pollution? Read more here: “Five reasons you should care about air pollution”. Around 4 million (out of approximately 7 million) people who died from air pollution-related diseases every year live in the Asia-Pacific region.
I went to New Caledonia this week to see Mt. Panie reserves and other Conservation International’s initiatives in the country. The mountain is the highest mountain in New Caledonia (1,629 m), providing ecosystem and cultural services, home to three-quarter of plant species, and 95% reptile species are found nowhere else!
Our team has been working to conserve the Mt. Panie since 1996 and now supporting the expansion from 5,400 ha to 20,000 ha, to enabling this critical ecosystem to mitigate climate change impact. This forest also important to the continued flow of pristine rivers and the conservation of the downstream mangroves, coral reef and lagoons with its manta rays, turtles and whales.
Richard Jeo's blog 