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Pangolins are a prime suspect, but a slew of genetic analyses has yet to find conclusive proof.
Scientists are racing to identify the source of the coronavirus that is causing havoc around the world. Three weeks ago, Chinese scientists suggested, on the basis of genetic analyses, that the scaly, ant-eating pangolin was the prime suspect. But scientists have now examined those data — along with three other pangolin coronavirus genome studies released last week — and say that although the animal is still a contender, the mystery is far from solved.
Public-health officials want to pin down the virus’s source so they can prevent new outbreaks. Scientists assume that the pathogen jumped to people from an animal, as has been seen with other coronaviruses; for example, the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is thought to have jumped to humans from civets in 2002. Dozens of people infected early in the current outbreak worked in a live-animal market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, but tests of coronavirus samples found at the market have yet to identify a source.
Three separate Chinese teams are trying to trace the origin of the coronavirus, including a group from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and one from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Miscommunication
Researchers at the South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou suggested pangolins as the animal source at a press conference on 7 February. Pangolins are highly sought-after in China for their meat and their scales; the latter are used in traditional medicine. Although sales of the animal are forbidden in China as part of a worldwide ban, they are still smuggled in from a handful of southeast Asian and African countries. The researchers said they had found a coronavirus in smuggled pangolins that was a 99% genetic match to the virus circulating in people.
But the result did not actually refer to the entire genome. In fact, it related to a specific site known as the receptor-binding domain (RBD), say the study’s authors, who posted their analysis1 on the biomedical preprint server bioRxiv on 20 February. The press-conference report was the result of an “embarrassing miscommunication between the bioinformatics group and the lab group of the study”, explains Xiao Lihua, a parasitologist at the South China Agricultural University and a co-author of the paper. A whole-genome comparison found that the pangolin and human viruses share 90.3% of their DNA.
The RBD is a crucial part of coronaviruses, which allows them to latch on to and enter a cell. Even a 99% similarity between the RBDs of the two viruses is not necessarily enough to link them, says Linfa Wang, a virologist at Duke–National University of Singapore Medical School who was part of the team that found the origin of the SARS virus.
Not close enough
Three similar comparison studies were posted on bioRxiv last week. One of those papers — by an international research group , posted on 18 February — found2 that coronaviruses in frozen cell samples from illegally trafficked pangolins shared between 85.5% and 92.4% of their DNA with the virus found in humans.
Two other papers published on 20 February, from groups in China, also studied coronaviruses from smuggled pangolins. The viruses were 90.23%3 and 91.02%4 similar, respectively, to the virus that causes COVID-19.
The genetic similarity should be higher than reported in these studies before the host can be identified, says Arinjay Banerjee, who studies coronaviruses at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. He notes that the SARS virus shared 99.8% of its genome with a civet coronavirus, which is why civets were considered the source. If pangolins are the origin of the current outbreak, says Banerjee, it is not the pangolins in these studies.
Key differences
So far, the closest match to the human coronavirus has been found in a bat in China’s Yunnan province. A study5 published on 3 February found that the bat coronavirus shared 96% of its genetic material with the virus that causes COVID-19. Bats could have passed the virus to humans, but there are key differences between the RBD sites in the two viruses. This suggests that this specific bat coronavirus did not directly infect people, but could have been transmitted it to people through an intermediate host, say researchers.
The papers raise more questions than they answer, says Jiang Zhigang, an ecologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Zoology in Beijing. He asks, if pangolins are the source of the virus, and they came from another country, why haven’t there been reports of people being infected in that location?
Faced with the scale of deforestation and the loss of biodiversity, companies are both responsible and are victims. They are responsible by increasing the production of agricultural commodities to serve consumption. Many manufactured products have a negative impact on deforestation or the degradation of natural ecosystems.
The draft scoping report for the transformative change assessment (thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and the determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 vision for biodiversity) is open for external review: 3 July 2020 – 28 August 2020 (8 weeks).
The City of Montréal has developed six briefing sheets on an equal number of concrete biodiversity initiatives : ecosystems management in large parks, conservation of wildlife trees, renewed and improved wildlife observatories, urban wildlife passages, environmental action days and coexistence with coyotes.
In view of the unprecedented situation, the holding of these two events was innovative. Indeed, to adapt to health regulations, they were held via Webinar.
The ATIBT’s forest-industry commission met on Thursday 18 June in a small group to establish a common strategy to prepare the renewal of the management plans. The participants of the meeting were field managers from companies based in Gabon, Cameroon and Congo...
The impact of pandemic control measures have hit West African timber producers across the region hard , coming as it has at a time when demand in the traditional markets, especially in Europe, were already under pressure from lower consumptions, changes to other materials and over production of some species.
This report takes a step back and considers the root causes of the emergence and spread of the novel coronavirus and other ‘zoonoses’ diseases that are transmitted between animals and humans.
Healthy ecosystems can reduce the negative impacts of climate change. For instance, coastal habitats like mangroves provide natural flood defences, well-protected lakes retain water sources during droughts, and healthy forests reduce the risk of devastating wildfires.
The latest edition of the OECD’s annual Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation report shows that the support policies implemented by the 54 countries studied – all OECD and EU countries, plus 12 key emerging economies – provided on average USD 536 billion (EUR 469 billion) per year of direct support to farmers from 2017 to 2019.
The second and final day of the first ever virtual meeting of the GEF Council ended with emotion and gratitude, as outgoing CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii passed the torch to her successor, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez.
2020 is a critical year for raising NDC ambitions and was supposed to culminate at COP 26 this November. However, the Covid-19 pandemic is devastating human lives and economies worldwide and has also led to postponement of COP 26 to November 2021.
Participants attending the virtual consultations on Innovating Climate Change Adaptation through Agroecology discussed and further developed a paper with key messages on agroecology as a systemic approach to adaptation for food security and rural livelihoods.
A session on “Soils as Keystone for Food Security and Ecosystem Restoration” was held online as part of the Global Landscapes Forum Bonn Digital Conference 2020. The conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The World Bank has published a report analyzing options to enhance the transformative and catalytic impact of public climate finance by addressing systemic barriers to low-carbon and climate-resilient investments.
Executive Secretary Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw appointed Ms. Louise Baker, a national of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as the Managing Director of the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
A high-level panel moderated by UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw held on the Desertification and Drought Day observed every year on 17 June, discussed this issue, in the context of a post-COVID-19 recovery and government actions to build back better.
Bonn, Germany – The UNCCD COP Bureau held a virtual meeting on Friday 26 June, confirming the commitment of the Parties to advocate for environmental action and drive transformative change for people and the planet.
A high-level panel marked Desertification and Drought Day 2020 with a discussion focused on the Day’s theme, ‘Food. Feed. Fibre,” and the question, “Is it time for a new social contract for nature?” Ministers and agency heads offered recommendations for addressing vulnerabilities for land management that have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and options for building back better.
25 June 2020 – FAO North America and EcoAgriculture Partners hosted a virtual Landscape Roundtable on the African Landscape Action Plan (ALAP): Phase 3, which lays out a strategy for achieving sustainable development in Africa through integrated landscape management (ILM).
A new report by RFUK ‘Mapping the future: towards meaningful participation of forest peoples in land use planning in DRC and Cameroon’ finds that any land use planning that does not properly consider local communities will inevitably result in poor social, economic and environmental outcomes.
New York - COVID-19 and its unprecedented effects on human development are a wake-up call to the potential consequences for people’s wellbeing from the relentless pressure we are placing on nature and the planet.
The 2019 Human Development Report’s deep dive into the changing faces of inequality sharpened our thinking and action, including on social protection. With nine out of our ten largest programmes in fragile or crisis-affected countries and a new Crisis Bureau in place, our humanitarian and peacebuilding partnerships deepened.
The Summit will contribute to the Decade of Action to deliver the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will seek to raise awareness of global food systems challenges, build a global conversation on the way in which food in produced, processed, and consumed, and generate commitment to change our food systems to provide safe, nutritious food for all within planetary boundaries.
In response to the economic stimulus packages launched in 2020, the campaign advocates for public spending that minimizes impacts on nature, accounts for climate risks, improves social cohesion, and stimulates green innovation.
The ‘Principles for Recovery’ provide a framework for decision making on infrastructure spending for post-COVID-19 recovery and stimulus packages. The Principles call for decisions on infrastructure spending for post-COVID-19 recovery to start with strategic planning...
UN Member States and officials are considering changes to the format of the UN General Debate for the 75th UN General Assembly session and the surrounding high-level meetings in September 2020.
This publication is a useful reference of GCF's portfolio, providing an overview of GCF's projects and programmes, geographic distribution, and breakdowns of GCF funding.
This policy brief, written jointly by the International Carbon Action Partnership and the Florence School of Regulation, presents multiple policy options to keep carbon prices in check and achieve zero emissions in time.
Policy briefs from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) explain how pre-pandemic progress on the SDGs may be reducing the impacts of COVID-19, and how forests can make a unique contribution to recovery.
A new Green Climate Fund (GCF) project to increase the resilience of marginalised communities in flood-prone areas of Bangladesh comes at a critical time. Project activities launched by GCF’s partner, the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), will strengthen the adaptation capacity of those most at risk, particularly female-led households, just as monsoon season threatens.
2020 is a critical year for raising NDC ambitions and was supposed to culminate at COP 26 this November. However, the Covid-19 pandemic is devastating human lives and economies worldwide and has also led to postponement of COP 26 to November 2021.
To address urgent, complex and intertwined problems like climate change, deforestation and global inequality policymakers need to learn from various attempts to transform these “super wicked” challenges – and to put that learning into practice, fast.
On Monday evening, top climate diplomats decided the intersessional meeting which happens every year between UN climate summits in Bonn, Germany, where UN Climate Change is headquartered, would not be able to take place on the proposed dates of 4-12 October.
As part of the activities of the FLEGT REDD project, financed by the FFEM, ATIBT with the support of Form International updates and animates the website. The country fact sheets are currently being revised and translated and will be available in French...
The National Coalition to Combat Illegal Logging (CNCEIB), with which the Federation of Timber Industrialists (FIB) recently built and formalized collaboration, issued a press release on May 13, 2020 to decision-makers denouncing the 1,000 illegal logs at the ports of Kinkole during this period of COVID 19.
The Executive Board of the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) approved a USD 1.2 million project aimed at assessing the recent drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in 6 countries of Central Africa.
SCALA responds to the urgent need for increased action to cope with climate change impacts in the agriculture and land use sectors. The twenty million euro programme will support at least twelve countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to build adaptive capacity and to implement low emission priorities.
To conceptualize such a mitigation policy, we propose a two-step approach, combining the works of Schlosberg, Fraser, and Sen. We argue that, to start with, it is important to identify relevant forms of exclusion, and then, in turn, to identify opportunities for ‘parity of participation’ of women in the mitigation policy cycle.
Uganda has become the first African country to submit REDD+ results to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), paving the way to potential results-based payments.
Building on the UN Secretary-General’s report “Shared Responsibility, Global Solidarity,” the UNCCD secretariat has been recalibrating its 2020-2021 work programme to reflect the realities of the COVID-19 crisis, address the current needs and priorities of UNCCD Parties and continue to deliver on decisions taken at UNCCD COP14.
Rwanda became the first African country to submit its updated national climate plan under the Paris Agreement this month. The ambitious submission renews hope that 2020 can be “the Super Year for Climate Action.”
The recently published Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) Guidance document and complementary Q&As outline the steps and safety measures needed to mitigate potential risks and impacts arising from COVID-19 in all FAO projects and programmes...
The Bank has delivered on its goals of reducing poverty and fostering inclusive growth on the continent. We scaled up development support for our 54 regional member countries and recorded remarkable successes in recent years in our renewed push to help deliver life-changing impact to livelihoods.
Across the development and medical community, experts have acknowledged the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on women. Many in Africa work in agriculture and the informal sector, both industries facing massive stagnation from closed businesses and closed borders.
Rwanda is renowned as a pioneer for gender equality. In 2020, it was the only African country ranked in the top 10 of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.
The African Development Bank’s High 5 priority areas are intended to support African countries’ achievement of the SDGS. They are: Feed Africa; Light up Africa; Industrialise Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the people of Africa.
Rainforests are vital for the survival of life on Earth. They absorb our carbon dioxide, stabilize climate patterns, and are home to half the world’s plant and animal species.
UN Climate Change News, 16 June 2020 – The Board that oversees the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has concluded its latest meeting, held virtually in three sessions over four weeks to accommodate members spanning five continents, from Japan to Peru.
The Africa LEDS Partnership is proud to relaunch its Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use (AFOLU) CoP in collaboration with the AFOLU Working Group and UNIQUE forestry and land use.
This policy brief focuses on the topic of global emergence of infectious diseases and its links with consumption of wild meat, ecosystem disruption, habitat degradation and biodiversity loss.
Mark your calendars from 22-25 June 2020, 12:00-15:00 CET each day. The COVID-19 Forestry Webinar Week will feature a series of virtual sessions in the week in which COFO and the World Forest Week were originally scheduled.
As countries continue to battle the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations today called for the inclusion of sustainable forest-based actions in COVID-19 recovery programmes and policies.
On May 29, 2020, about thirty participants representing the members of the CBFP's Scientific and Academic College took part in a virtual meeting convened by the College's Leaders CIFOR and IRET. The agenda of the meeting focused on introducing the road map of the current CBFP Facilitation as well as the ongoing participative consultation process.
UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw speaks with Deutsche Welle on 5 June 2020. In this interview Ibrahim Thiaw, the executive secretary of UNCCD points out that the situation in Sahel is dramatic. There is less land available for the needs of an ever growing population.
UNCCD CSO Alliance is launching a new campaign for 2020 Desertification and Drought Day. This year’s UNCCD theme is Food.Feed.Fibre, and to support this theme CSO Alliance has chosen food as the campaign focus for its campaign.
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has been awarded the 2020 Water Award from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in recognition of the institute’s outstanding research for finding water solutions for sustainable development.
UN Climate Change News, 16 June 2020 – The Board that oversees the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has concluded its latest meeting, held virtually in three sessions over four weeks to accommodate members spanning five continents, from Japan to Peru.
UN Climate Change News, 5 June 2020 - To mark World Environment Day, a vast and unlikely alliance of investors, activists, cities and corporates is gathering virtually for the launch of Race to Zero, the global campaign to mobilise leadership and support for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery which creates well-paying jobs, unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth and prevents future threats.
UN Climate Change News, 4 June 2020 – The crucial topic of delivering climate finance in 2020 and beyond was the focus of an event held on day 4 of June Momentum for Climate Change - one of a series of events that demonstrate the commitment to deliver climate action and ambition in 2020.
UN Climate Change News, 16 June 2020 – At the 20th UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, taking place 15 and 16 June, thousands of leaders from government, civil society and the United Nations are discussing how business can support countries and communities around the world to recover better....
The Paris Committee on Capacity-Building (PCCB), established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, has a mandate to foster collaboration among climate-related capacity-building stakeholders at all levels, and to strengthen networks and partnerships...
Sababil Al-Haj Hussain lives in the Sudanese locality of Al Rahad, which sits in the middle of a semi-arid ribbon of land known as the Sahel. Life there has long been challenging.
The report assesses entry points for action across existing global agendas and suggests concrete recommendations for how policymakers, development practitioners and donors can advance three inter-related goals: peace and security, climate action and gender equality.
Nairobi, 8 June 2020 – Seagrass meadows can be a powerful nature-based climate solution and help sustain communities hard-hit by stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, but these important ecosystems continue to decline.
COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it jumps between animals and people, and is therefore closely connected to the lands both inhabit. Human and economic activity is eroding wild spaces, forests and other importan.
The new coronavirus pandemic, hopefully leaving us, has brought much of the world to a halt, disrupting entire food systems and the global economy and putting tens of millions out of work. But this is not the only storm humanity is braving.
The African Development Bank has responded swiftly to the needs of its member countries during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Bank’s operations have continued to run smoothly since the first cases appeared in early March...
Fifty-five people were kidnapped by alleged LRA members during a double incursion on 18 and 19 May in the localities of Bili and Baye, in Bondo territory (Bas-Uele).
The Council of Ministers held its 9th Extraordinary Session by videoconference on 3 and 4 June 2020.
ITTO: The report of the International Forum: Together Towards Global Green Supply Chains, held in Shanghai last October, is now online. About 350 actors in the tropical timber sector attended the forum, which ITTO co-organized...
The ITTO Environmental and Social Management Guidelines draw on best practices globally to provide user-friendly guidance on enhancing environmental and social safeguards in ITTO projects.
Desertification and Drought Day, a United Nations observance day held on 17 June each year, will in 2020 focus on changing public attitudes to the leading driver of desertification and land degradation: humanity’s relentless production and consumption.
...The vision of the AU Sustainable Forest Management Framework (2020 -2030) aims to foster sustainable management and to address the above mention challenge undermining the value and the role of the forest sector...
To read: ITTO releases new guidelines for ensuring environmental and social compliance in projects; Report of forum on sustainable, legal timber supply chains now available; Tropical timber market headlines…
To read: Fern stands with the Black Lives Matter movement in the struggle for justice; EU-Mercosur deal increasingly under fire; EU Trade to consider action to improve the environment and human rights; Germany’s Corona EU Presidency – what impact on the world’s forests?
Dzanga-Sangha, a protected reserve in the south-west corner of the Central African Republic, boasts a wealth of animal, bird and plant species, including forest elephants and one of the world’s most endangered gorilla populations.
“We have completed the great ape nests and elephant dung degradation study. A total of 558 marked indices were revisited and data obtained to estimate degradation rates for DSPA...”
A coalition of 140 landscape leaders convened at the African Landscapes Dialogue, in Arusha, Tanzania in November 2019, recommended the following actions to advance sustainable landscapes in Africa, building on the Action Plans developed in 2014...
Today, the European Commission adopted a comprehensive new Biodiversity Strategy to bring nature back into our lives and a Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. The two strategies are mutually reinforcing, bringing together nature, farmers, business and consumers for jointly working towards a competitively sustainable future...
Thanks For Getting Involved! For 2020 World Oceans Day is growing the global movement to call on world leaders to protect 30% of our blue planet by 2030. This critical need is called 30x30.
The Largest participation of the Members ever of the international NGOs CBFP College and revitalization of the process towards a common position of the Partnership CBFP and way forward, in the framework of this Important ‘year of biodiversity and forests, climate’ with major international conferences...
The first ever meeting of Africa’s heads of Protected Areas agencies was held on 22-23 April, 2020 through video conferencing.
The study: 'Stockpiles of elephant ivory in DRC: what management measures to put in place?' was compiled following revelations that over a 26-year period from 1990 through 2015, a minimum of 7,686 kg of ivory went missing from government custody in DRC.
The Global Environment Facility’s governing body, meeting remotely, has agreed on $700 million for projects and programs to help developing countries keep advancing urgent environmental priorities through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
3 June 2020 – The 58th Council Meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) was held for the first time virtually, gathering participants from the GEF’s 183 member countries located in 17 different time zones.
To read: Carlos Manuel Rodriguez named new CEO of GEF; GEF Council agrees on $700 million for environmental action; GEF's response to COVID-19; 58th GEF Council Meeting…
The session will discuss the COVID-19 crisis and its links to wildlife trade and, above all, explore potential solutions for a common and co-ordinated response by the countries of the continent to combat illegal exploitation and illegal trade in wild flora and fauna... Friday 05 June 10am GMT
implementation of the N’Djamena Declaration (January 2019) and the Douala Action Plan (December 2019) on security, the fight against poaching, monitoring of transhumance and armed groups circulating between the Sahel and Equatorial Africa.
Costa Rican Environment and Energy Minister Carlos Manuel Rodriguez has been selected as the next CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility, the largest multilateral trust fund supporting environmental action in developing countries and the main financing mechanism for multiple United Nations environmental conventions.
“Any threat to our environment is a threat to our health, our society, our ecosystems, our economy, our security, our well-being, and our very survival,” says a ministerial declaration of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
The new CBFP Co-Facilitator was born in 1951 in Fafara (Bimbo) in the Central African Republic. His studies were crowned with a Diploma in Forestry Engineering and a Certificate in Techniques and Management of Development Projects, just to name a few.
CEPF has funded more than 2,400 grantees in 98 countries and territories in 24 of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. That represents a lot of conservation effort. But what are the results?
4 June 2020, Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today welcomed the decision by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council to allocate a substantial $ 176 million to 24 of its projects that tackle the critical intersection between agriculture and environmental concerns.
To read: Forest defenders on the COVID-19 frontline stand ready to assist the global EU response; DG Justice joins the due diligence debate on the side of mandatory rules; Scientists point to the links between destruction of biodiversity and COVID-19 outbreak…
A new paper from TRAFFIC, UNEP-WCMC and FFI examined seizures as an estimate of the ‘lower bound’ of illegal trade into the USA and the EU and considers the implications for effective trade regulation.
To celebrate this year’s International Biodiversity Day and its theme ‘Solutions are in Nature’, we are featuring nature-based solutions that have been shared among communities through South-South cooperation (SSC) and supported by the Small Grants Programme.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to confront how environmental degradation bringing wildlife and people too close together endangers economies and societies alike. In a document prepared for the 58th GEF Council, the Global Environment Facility Secretariat outlines its planned response to COVID-19. Read it here.
Countries with abundant natural resources are often plagued with endemic corruption and weak accountability. The governance crisis is not only detrimental for the protection of forests and naturew...
The coronavirus crisis has heightened inequities of food availability and nutrition. A 2021 Food System Summit aims to boost resilience and sustainabilit. The coronavirus crisis is deepening inequalities in accessing healthy food, the UN special envoy for food systems has warned.
Central Africa’s national and regional timber markets are booming. Across the region, rapid population growth, urbanization and economic development are driving an increase in domestic demand for sawn timber, which in many countries is already more important in volume than demand for industrial timber for export.
While uncertainties and disruption associated with COVID-19 abound, many leadership companies are still moving forward with the important process of drafting their 2020-2030 sustainability goals.
Here we first scrutinize how REDD+ was historically conceptualized, the most prominent model being that of a multitier payments for environmental services (PES) scheme of "passing on" carbon mitigation responsibilities and credits across scales, from international buyers to forestland owners.
Tropical rainforests shrank by 6,500 square kilometers in March — an area seven times the size of Berlin. Criminal groups are taking advantage of the pandemic and the unemployed are getting desperate, the WWF said.
"At a time when many countries are beginning their gradual deconfinement and when there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon of returning to normal life, I wanted to share with you some good news that also fills us with hope for the future of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park."
Last April 30th FAO and EcoAgriculture Partners organized a virtual Roundtable on Territorial Perspectives for Development, in which over 170 people participated.
PEFC International has been assessed by the Dutch Timber Procurement Assessment Committee (TPAC) as complying with Dutch sustainability requirements.
The aim of the project is to contribute to the sustainable management of the forests of the Congo Basin, through the development of a continuous training...
ATIBT co-facilitated the mobilization of the private sector of the timber sector to participate in the first meeting of the private sector college of Congo Basin Forest Partnership with the new facilitator Dr Christian Ruck and his team German Facilitation.
Globally deforestation continues, albeit at a slower rate, with 10 million hectares a year being converted to other uses since 2015, down from 12 million hectares a year in the previous five years, according to the key findings of a flagship report that is conducted by the FAO...
This second public consultation will be open for a period of 30 days from tomorrow Saturday the 23rd of May 2020 and will be closed on Monday the 22nd of June 2020.
The partners of the CBFP multilateral college discussed the roadmap of the CBFP Facilitation by the Federal Republic of Germany ; the impact of Covid-19 on their interventions in Central Africa ; and the situation of human rights and conservation in Central Africa.
These efforts go hand in hand with ensuring continued responsible management of natural resources and preventing unsustainably and illegally sourced forest commodities.
The theme of the 2020 International Day for Biological Diversity is “Our Solutions are in Nature”. It shows that "Biodiversity remains the answer to a number of sustainable development challenges that we all face.
On the occasion of the World Biodiversity Day, this new PPI video proposes to illustrate this question of biodiversity conservation and the links with local economic development.
In a pandemic such as COVID-19, measures to limit the spread of the virus require physical isolation and various levels of restrictions on people’s movement, and in some cases complete lockdowns. Inevitably, these measures cause transportation delays and bottlenecks...
This brief highlights some of the identified and perceived impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on development aspects interconnected with the forest sector, with a particular emphasis on the impacts on the production and trade of forest products.
The purpose of these guidelines is to highlight these additional measures so that the integrity of the food chain is maintained, and that adequate and safe food supplies are available for consumers.
This policy brief reviews on going challenges and proposes measures to protect production and income of the sector and the most vulnerable, as well as maintain operations and support the supply chain.
Thanks to international funding, nature protection in various regions across Africa has become increasingly defensive and is further bolstered by military-style tactics. In many countries, ordinary park rangers are being....
A survey by the ITTO Market Information Service (MIS) and the Trade Advisory Group (TAG) in nine tropical countries shows that the measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are having substantial impacts on the tropical timber sector...
Tropical timber producers are facing a crisis due to measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19. Some governments have instituted total lockdowns or restricted movement while others have less stringent approaches.
A new publication by ITTO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive set of conversion factors in forestry.
The ITTO Tropical Timber Market (TTM) Report, an output of the ITTO Market Information Service (MIS), is published in English every two weeks with the aim of improving transparency in the international tropical timber market.
Uganda, It is all celebrations of births under lock down in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park following the birth of two gorillas in Muyambi and Nshongi gorilla groups.
Mastering the forestry profession has never been a mere walk in the (forest) park, but meeting the needs of sustainable forest development is an increasingly complex task.
As the emerging SARS CoV-2 virus (causing COVID-19 disease in humans) spread and declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation....
The 5th newsletter of the FSC Congo Basin Community is available for download...To read: CIB-OLAM boost the certified area in the Congo Basin; Congo Basin: Public And Private Forestry Sector’s response to the Covid-19 crisis...
In a Thomson Reuters Op-Ed, GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii shared her view that the coronavirus crisis has strengthened the case for rethinking how we tackle global threats
Fern and 15 other NGOs working on climate, environment, human rights and sustainable development issues have released a statement on the EU’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
A new guidebook is now available for monitoring the outcomes and impacts of nature-based solutions to climate change adaptation.
21 April 2020, Rome -The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a major public health concern but also a threat to global food security, one that can be mitigated by avoiding measures that disrupt food supply chains...
In this interview, we speak with Coumba Sow, FAO Resilience Coordinator for West Africa, about the COVID-19 pandemic and what it could mean for millions of people already grappling with hunger and conflict in West Africa.
28 April 2020, Rome - The forestry industry must take steps to improve its safety record and promote decent rural employment in support of the Sustainable Development Agenda, according to a new FAO paper published today on World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
The UNODC new report chapter shows that between 2007- 2018 the majority 71% of pangolin scales seized around the world have been destined for China, where they are used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
On 21 March, World Forest Day, a short video on conserving global forests sparked angry protests on the Chinese internet, and was taken down by its makers the next day.
The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat understands that the rapidly evolving situation regarding the spread of COVID-19 creates uncertainty and constraints for the normal implementation of projects funded...
GCF has a crucial role in serving the Paris Agreement, supporting the goal of keeping average global temperature rise well below 2 degrees C. It does this by channelling climate finance to developing countries, which have joined other nations in committing to climate action.
Christian Mounzéo and Essylot C. Lubala take a look at China’s new forestry laws and their impact on forested countries like those of the Congo Basin.
The briefing produced in collaboration with Congolese civil society platforms, with support from Fern, examines how the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) has improved transparency in the forest sector.
This study brings together robust information drawn from over 20 marine and terrestrial sites in sub-Saharan Africa and shines a spotlight on the nature and extent of the links between security, including socio-economic security, and wildlife...
“For 20 years, we have been urging China to ban the use of illegal wood- it finally happened today”. “New Chinese law bans illegal timber”, “China- Revised forest law includes ban on illegal timber”! It is clear from these headlines that China’s recent forest law reform is a long awaited development for civil society organizations concerned with forest legality issues.
A joint meeting of the Tri-national Supervisory and Arbitration Committee (CTSA) on the Tripartite Anti-Poaching Agreement between Cameroon, Central African Republic and Chad, abbreviated in French as “AT-LAB de N’Djamena“...
Summary of conclusions- Restricted meeting of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA) - 2 April 2020 ... Members of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA) have called for rapid support for some 17 million people....
he Facilitation´s overarching objective for 2020 and 2021 is to contribute to the preservation and sustainable use of Central Africa´s incredibly rich forest landscapes.
"Initially, OCDH wasn’t interested in forestry issues. Its mandate was solely to promote and defend ‘classical’ human rights. But our work on Indigenous Peoples’ rights began when we then published a report in 2006..."
Logging and conservation projects have spurred rapid development in the Sangha forest region of the Congo. But what’s the human and environmental cost? Laudes Martial Mbon travels to the depths of the Congo Basin rainforest to investigate.
Brussels, Belgium, 20th March 2020: AFORPOLIS has officially joined the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP).
Dear Partner, I sincerely hope that you and your loved ones are doing well in this difficult time of Covid-19 Pandemic. This global crisis affecting our countries, our communities, our families...
Outcomes Statement - Restricted meeting of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (FCPN) - 2 April 2020 Members of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (FCPN) call for immediate action to help the 17 million people...
A translation of the new forestry law of the People's Republic of China that would come into force in July 2020. The translation was made possible thanks to the support of the "Forest Policy Facility China"...
Kigali, Rwanda, February 12-14, 2020- The workshop for the finalization of the Guide of Good Practices for the Management of Laboratories on Genetic Resources in COMIFAC Countries took place at Kim Hotel.
As part of the implementation of the FLEGT-REDD CERTIFICATION projects implemented by ATIBT and financed by the European Union, FFEM and KfW, the Federation of Wood Processors (FIB) conducted a study on the situation of the forest and timber sector’s stakeholders in the DRC.
The 10 million Euros Financial Assistance and Project Implementation Contract was signed on 11 December 2019 between the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the Central African Forest Commission and the Fondation Tri-National de la Sangha (FTNS)
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and after careful consideration, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development has decided to postpone the 14th edition of the European Development Days.
To read: Indonesia cites pandemic to set aside its commitments to FLEGT.. Forest related policy initiatives: How Covid-19 will affect them.. US: Using legislation to address human rights abuses and deforestation…
We are pleased to inform you that we have officially received FSC certification for Mimbeli-Ibenga and CIB-Olam is now 100% FSC Certified.
Pangolins are a prime suspect, but a slew of genetic analyses has yet to find conclusive proof. Scientists are racing to identify the source of the coronavirus that is causing havoc around the world.
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Government of France have decided to postpone the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020 in Marseille to 7 to 15 January 2021.
The Republic of Congo, for its part, has just proclaimed the health state of emergency and the lockdown of the entire population at home until April 30th.
The study points out also that currently the sequestration is bigger in Central Africa than in Amazonia.
Indigenous leaders from around the world gathered on March 13, in New York City, for a panel on Indigenous rights, deforestation and related health endemics.
World leaders at the G-20 virtual summit held on Thursday committed to inject over $5 trillion into the global economy to counteract the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whilst our teams continue to guarantee the best customer service in this evolving situation, our thoughts are with the families of those who are suffering and our deepest gratitude goes to the medical personnel who watch over them, at great personal risk.
The meeting reviewed the global and regional policy processes, frameworks and programmes, which influence sustainable forest and wildlife governance in Africa and defined key priorities for focus by AFWC.
The Federal Republic of Germany takes over the CBFP Facilitation for the period 2020-2021. Dr. Christian Ruck, has been appointed by the Government to assume the function of CBFP Facilitator.
CITES announced today the theme of United Nations World Wildlife Day 2020: “Sustaining all life on Earth”.
The Open-Ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework has been tasked with advancing preparations for the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
This briefing note from Coordination SUD and Fern analyses the issues we need to address to ensure forests help deliver tropical forested countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
In 2019 the EU made high profile commitments to protect forests abroad and at home as part of their European Green Deal.
From a postcolonial ecocritical standpoint, this essay analyzes the play Le Cri de la forêt (2015) co-authored by Henri Djombo and Osée Colin Koagne.
In Cameroon, there has been a significant decline in large mammal populations in savannah and forest habitats. Top predators are disappearing even from national parks.
Find here the document and infos