Our Scans · (ZY.4.27) Sustainable Development · Weekly Summary

• [New] Analysis from UNDP argues that African carbon markets could unlock billions in finance and create millions of green jobs while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, if underpinned by inclusive legal frameworks, strong community participation, fair pricing and international investment. We Mean Business Coalition
• [New] As climate risks intensify and development needs grow, forums like Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week play a vital role in aligning global efforts toward a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for people and the planet. Hammer Mindset
• [New] Importantly, high-quality suicide mortality data are crucial in monitoring progress towards the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals target 3.4 and indicator 3.4.2 to reduce suicide mortality by one third by 2030. Centre for Suicide Prevention
• [New] By 2030, CEA will move beyond being an alternative farming model and emerge as a core pillar of global food security, urban resilience, and sustainable agriculture. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] LACQUA 2026 will be a unique opportunity to drive technology transfer, foster strategic alliances, and project the sustainable development of the regional aquaculture sector. Agriplastics Community: agriculture plastics industry news and trends
• [New] Promoting cultivation and consumption of millets aligns with a range of UN Sustainable Development Goals and offer opportunities to develop a wide range of products with a lower carbon footprint, making it a triple win for farmers, industry, and consumers. BusinessGhana
• [New] Mexico will participate in a new package of projects approved by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization aimed at strengthening sustainable agriculture and climate resilience. Mexico Business
• [New] As the world marches toward 2026 and beyond, vanadium rare earth materials will underpin every aspect of green development - from smart grids and carbon-neutral vehicles to resilient, sustainable infrastructure in megacities. Farmonaut
• [New] The Sultanate of Oman has launched the Eleventh Five-Year Development Plan (2026-2030), continuing its efforts to enhance economic, financial, and social stability, and advance towards a sustainable and prosperous future. Times of Oman
• [New] Together, sustainable and technologically enhanced agriculture paves the way toward a world with improved nutrition, equitable prosperity, cultural vitality, and a protected environment-making agriculture one of humanity's best hopes for the future. Farmonaut
• [New] The projected improvements fall well short of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to cut premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, including cancer, by one-third by 2030. ScienceDaily
• [New] If current trends continue, the cumulative cost of food waste from 2025 to 2030 is expected to reach $3.4 trillion, coinciding with the 2030 deadline for the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which aims to halve global food waste. Sustainable Packaging News
• [New] The loss of major health surveys once backed by the United States Agency for International Development and proposed cuts to environmental programs threaten the tracking of sustainable development. Nature
• [New] By 2026, integrated pump technologies are projected to increase irrigation efficiency by 35% in sustainable agriculture. Farmonaut
• [New] Investor Note As the US agri-tech industry accelerates, private investment in scalable, AI-driven platforms is expected to ramp up, creating new opportunities for stakeholders seeking growth in sustainable agriculture. Farmonaut
• [New] Closed Ecological (Bioregenerative) Life Support Systems, artificial, self-sustaining biospheres, have driven advances in controlled-environment agriculture, microbial biofertilizers, and nutrient capture, all of which could improve sustainable agricultural practices on Earth. Nature
• [New] 2026 will mark the consolidation and mainstream adoption of breakthroughs such as CRISPR gene editing, biofortification techniques, and sustainable microbial solutions in global agriculture. Farmonaut
• [New] Sustainable agriculture investment opportunities in Australia have never been more exciting or aligned with global priorities. Troforte Farming
• [New] By 2026, the integration of IPM into technology-based management systems will be a key driver for sustainable agriculture in the US. Farmonaut
• If current trends continue, cumulative losses between 2025 and 2030 are expected to reach $3.4 trillion, aligning with the 2030 deadline for the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to halve global food waste. New Food Magazine
• Vietnam is gradually transforming from a nation rich in heritage into a new creative hub in Asia, where local identity blends harmoniously with the global spirit, opening up opportunities for sustainable development in the creative era. THE VOICE OF VIETNAM

Last updated: 22 January 2026