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Promoting environmental health in Senegal
As the world is preparing to take stock of progress made to end pollution at the Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility, we are reminded of the critical role we have in promoting environmental health and healthy living.
In Senegal more than 2.7 million tons of solid waste are produced…
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What firefighters have taught us about working together
They journeyed from 11 countries on five continents. From as far as South Africa and as close as the United States: hundreds of firefighters working to dousing the wildfires that have done unparalleled damage to Canadian forests this year and sent plumes of thick smoke across North America.
Their…
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Why gender justice matters for sustainable development
Women and girls are bearing a disproportionate burden in this time of environmental strain. Fires, storms, floods, and droughts have direct impacts on those tasked with collecting water, securing food, and caring for families. At the same time, women’s voices are often sidelined – or missing…
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In Ecuador, learning about Land Degradation Neutrality in practice
Countries worldwide have pledged through the UN Convention to Combat Desertification to halt, and then reverse, land degradation that is affecting the health of soils and ecosystems globally.
Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is an innovative approach to achieve this: it aims to prevent and reduce…
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Countries build climate resilience by learning from one another
To build a more climate-resilient world we need to learn from the experiences of diverse countries – what has worked, what has not, and what should be tried in new locations. This is especially true for developing countries with limited means to adapt to changes in weather, water, and storm…
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We have two months to start healing the world
Back-to-back summits on climate change and biodiversity will offer the world a unique chance to come together on two of the most critical issues of our time - climate and biodiversity. Change is possible. But given the size of the crises, we must use the coming two months to be brutally honest…
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Climate solutions can contribute to tackling poverty
For developing countries throughout the world, efforts to tackle climate change can create opportunities to improve the well-being of people living in extreme poverty. A report just launched by Drawdown Lift, a program of Project Drawdown, provides a synthesis of such win-win opportunities. The…
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A new lifeline for wildlife conservation finance
What do capital markets have to do with biodiversity? Until now, very little. This changed this week with the launch of a landmark Wildlife Conservation Bond or “rhino bond” that offers a payout linked to the protection of black rhinos, a critically endangered species whose health is essential to…
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Water underground: why protecting what’s hidden matters to our health and for the planet
As much as 97 percent of the world’s water is underground – this “groundwater” originates from rain, melting ice, and snow which has soaked into the soil and is stored in the pores and cracks between sand, rocks, and soil particles. Hidden under our feet, this source of water is unfortunately often…
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Supporting transparency to drive ambitious climate action
Over the past five years, the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) has helped more than 80 countries improve their ability to monitor and share their progress toward international climate goals. The improved reporting and transparency resulting from CBIT support has had a truly game…