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] As the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures moves from voluntary pilot programs to rigorous integration with International Sustainability Standards Board requirements, the window for ignoring biodiversity risk is officially closing. Finance
• [New] Tropical forests, which harbor more than half of all terrestrial species, continue to be lost at approximately 10 million hectares per year, despite pledges at COP26 to end deforestation by 2030. Gray Group International
• [New] Regulatory requirements for biodiversity impact assessments, net gain requirements (the UK requires 10% biodiversity net gain on all new developments), and environmental permitting delays create project timeline and cost risks. Gray Group International
• [New] Fashion and textiles: Cotton production (which uses 2.5% of global arable land and 6% of global pesticide use), leather supply chains linked to cattle ranching and deforestation, and synthetic fibers contributing to microplastic pollution all create biodiversity risks. Gray Group International
• [New] A palm oil supply chain in Borneo faces different biodiversity risks than one in West Africa, even though both involve deforestation pressure. Gray Group International
• [New] Severe droughts affecting individual major agricultural regions can cause substantial crop yield losses and ecosystem productivity declines, and that spatially compounding droughts across breadbasket regions have the potential to reduce global harvests, with impacts on agriculture and food systems. Nature
• [New] In 2026, African diamond mining is projected to affect over 1.2 million hectares of land and forest ecosystems. Farmonaut
• [New] The Canada Border Services Agency will see C$ 4.3 billion trimmed - 41% of its voted appropriations-forcing the agency to mothball low-traffic land crossings, reduce secondary inspections at airports and further postpone its long-planned traveler analytics platform. / Canada VisaHQ
• [New] Some governments have already adopted Norway's palm-oil biofuel ban in certain European regions, illustrating how policy reacts to land-use risk. Intelligent Living
• [New] Because the ecosystems had been so overlooked, their carbon-storing potential has not been included in Brazil's national carbon accounting, either. Live Science
• [New] Forest restoration: The Bonn Challenge, a global effort to restore 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030, has commitments covering 210 million hectares. Gray Group International
• [New] The fragile balance of the Arctic ecosystem is being disrupted, with far-reaching consequences that could impact the entire planet. GSAP News
• [New] Understanding the competitive landscape is essential for stakeholders seeking growth opportunities, operational efficiency, technological advancement, and strategic partnerships within the evolving global artillery and land combat systems ecosystem. The National Law Review
• [New] Surface mining-long associated with massive earth-moving and disruption - is rapidly aligning with innovations that minimize overburden, optimize land restoration, and support a symbiotic relationship with agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure. Farmonaut
• Many models used to map paths for stabilizing global temperatures assume northern forests will be used more heavily, especially for bioenergy. SciTechDaily
• Land allocation for Kazakh citizens will continue to be regulated under existing legislation. The Astana Times
• For the first time in more than 40 years, rhinos are roaming Uganda's Kidepo Valley national park again thanks to a conservation effort that will help restore the wider ecosystem. Positive News
• An additional area of land twice the size of Wales will be needed by 2050 to meet the UK's targets for net zero and biodiversity alone. farminguk
• Nature-positive means halting and reversing biodiversity loss so that nature is in a measurably better state by 2030 than it was in 2020. Voice of Environment
• The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation identifies biodiversity loss as one of the most significant long-term threats to global food system stability. Voice of Environment
• The GBF introduces the concept of nature-positive development, a paradigm shift from slowing biodiversity loss to actively reversing it by 2030 and achieving full recovery by 2050. Voice of Environment
• By 2026, spodumene mining could affect over 15,000 hectares of agricultural and forest land globally. Farmonaut
• Forest Fire Risk: Drought significantly increases the frequency and severity of forest fires, particularly in temperate forests in states like Durango and Chihuahua. The Yucatan Times

Last updated: 30 March 2026