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

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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] Protecting just 1.2% of Earth's land - specifically the most biodiverse and threatened areas - could prevent many extinctions. A-Z Animals
• [New] The UN General Assembly has declared the current decade (2021-2030) the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, indicating a dedication to restore the planet. Nature
• [New] Protecting and restoring ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, mangroves and peatlands could remove or avoid around 10 Gt of carbon dioxide emissions per year by 2050, which is equivalent to roughly 25% of current annual emissions. The Conversation
• [New] Covering about one-third of the planet's land area, forests help regulate carbon and hydrologic cycles and reduce risks of drought, desertification, soil erosion, landslides and floods. United Nations
• [New] Blazpay could reach $0.45 to $0.75 by late 2025, depending on ecosystem adoption, AI integration, and trading volume growth. TechBullion
• [New] Adaptation and mitigation needs in agriculture and land use will exceed USD 50 billion per year by 2030. EurekAlert!
• [New] At the regional level, the AFR100 initiative commits over 30 countries to restoring 100 million hectares by 2030, increasingly emphasizing ecosystem restoration (e.g., avoiding conversion of natural savannas), trees outside forests, and local value chains. / South Africa EurekAlert!
• [New] Africa's low electrification and irrigation coverage (only 4% of arable land irrigated) present opportunities for solar-powered rural solutions like pumpsets and micro-grids. Ekam IAS Academy
• [New] Without coordinated governance and biodiversity safeguards, the push for renewable energy could undermine international commitments under the UN Ocean Decade, the Convention on Biological Diversity and Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). Mirage News
• [New] Land Data - £999,592 to set a new independent framework that will modernise conveyancing searches as part of efforts to improve the homebuying and selling process. UKAuthority
• [New] The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, lasting from 2021 through 2030, is a global movement aiming to support and scale up global restoration efforts while raising awareness of the importance of multi-scale restoration. IUCN
• [New] Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to ensure that 30% of the total area of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems is under effective restoration by 2030. IUCN
• [New] The 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets the ambitious target of conserving at least 30% of the world's land and seas by 2030, with a focus on areas that offer important ecosystem services. Project Syndicate
• [New] Chestnut signed a long-term agreement to acquire and restore 60,000 acres of native biodiversity with Microsoft Corporation to help them achieve their goal of being carbon negative by 2030. Oxbow Partners
• [New] By capitalizing on data, technologies, and community stewardship, their 2026 operations illustrate a transformative shift - where environmental best practices and socially responsible initiatives support economic opportunities without compromising the integrity of precious ecosystems. Farmonaut
• [New] Bullion River's 2026 gold mining plan aims to restore 75% of disturbed land using innovative environmental practices. Farmonaut
• [New] Annual investment in forests will need to triple by 2030, grow sixfold by 2050, and shift towards protecting high-risk forests. United Nations Environment Programme
• [New] Compared to forest restoration or other forest-positive activities, forest protection requires US$ 32 billion of the additional annual finance needed by 2030, while accounting for 80% of the total land area required. United Nations Environment Programme
• [New] 2025 will be Canada's second worst season on record in terms of the extent of affected land. Insurance Journal

Last updated: 03 November 2025