Our Scans · (LF.15) Life on Land · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss,

• [New] A report from researchers at the University of Johannesburg said that it poses risk to aquatic biodiversity due to ocean deoxygenation. SlashGear
• [New] Latin America and the Caribbean, home to more than 25% of the world's marine biodiversity, have a unique potential to lead the sustainable blue economy. CAF
• [New] The residential segment is expected to grow with a CAGR of 16.8% from 2025 to 2033 with the growing consumer appetite for convenience and intelligent kitchen ecosystems. Market Data Forecast
• [New] The widespread use of agricultural pesticides is a growing threat to global biodiversity. Mirage News
• [New] At the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, Canada, in 2022, nations committed to reducing the risks associated with pesticide use in agriculture by 50% by 2030. Mirage News
• [New] Investec expects a softer 0.2% M/M print for December after November's strong 0.3% rebound, which was boosted by a recovery in car production following the Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack, alongside firmer retail sales. investing.com
• [New] Thinning can reduce the risk of severe wildfires in some forests (such as some pine forests in the United States). The Conversation
• [New] More than half of global agricultural land is now moderately or severely degraded, increasing the risks of desertification. Just Two Things
• [New] The USDA emphasized that wild hogs will eat almost anything and are incredibly destructive to ecosystems. The Cool Down
• [New] Half of the global risks we will face will be environmental - three of which top the list: extreme weather events, biodiversity loss/ecosystem collapse, and critical changes to Earth's life-sustaining systems. WEA Mission Commission
• [New] Global progress on nature restoration is nowhere near where it needs to be, and the threat of ecosystem collapse in the world's rainforests remains acute. The Guardian
• [New] Climate change is already impacting on all ecosystems within Wales, reducing ecosystem resilience and intensifying risks from other pressures. Wales Online
• [New] Woodside Energy and Recfishwest have collaborated to install the Dampier Artificial Reef off the Western Australian coast; a purpose-built reef designed to enhance marine biodiversity and create new recreational fishing opportunities in the Pilbara region. Ipieca
• [New] The Alwar Biological Park is expected to boost wildlife conservation, eco-tourism and regional development while strengthening Rajasthan's position in sustainable tourism and biodiversity protection. Guidely
• [New] €30 billion will be needed for infrastructure, €21 billion for ecosystems and €12 billion for food security. Portal of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Chang
• [New] Widespread land degradation, monoculture exhaustion, and urban expansion continue to threaten biodiversity and land productivity in China, Korea, and Japan in 2026. Farmonaut
• [New] Resource depletion - from water scarcity to arable land loss - threatens food security worldwide. Farmonaut
• [New] With the global population expected to reach around nine billion by 2050, unlocking additional land for safe and sustainable agricultural use will be critical to maintaining supply chain resilience. CNS Media
• [New] There are regions across Africa, Southeast Asia, and elsewhere that have experienced prolonged conflict or environmental degradation but still possess fertile land with strong agricultural potential. CNS Media
• [New] North America still holds a large share of vertical farming revenue, though Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region, with a CAGR of about 18% through 2031, driven by population density, limited arable land, and government initiatives. Programming Helper
• [New] Already naturalized species are expected to become even more dominant in forests in the coming decades. Sonnenseite
• [New] Significant disruption to international markets as a result of ecosystem degradation or collapse will put UK food security at risk. World Energy Data
• [New] Some ecosystems, such as coral reefs and boreal forests, may begin collapsing from around 2030, with rainforests and mangroves potentially following from 2050. Altiorem

Last updated: 09 February 2026