UNEP-WCMC experts contribute to new protections for a range of species at CITES CoP20. A team of UNEP-WCMC biodiversity experts travelled to Samarkand, a major city in Uzbekistan, for the 20th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20). The Convention…
To celebrate World Soil Day 2025, we reflect on the EU Soil Health BENCHMARKS project to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soils and soil health monitoring. Soils are essential not just for growing food, but also more widely for the functioning of ecosystems, including climate regulation, habitat provision, nutrient cycling and water regulation.…
UNEP-WCMC experts provide a crucial update to the global Critical Habitat screening layer. In a paper published this month, UNEP-WCMC, alongside partner institutions, released a comprehensive update to the global Critical Habitat screening layer, finding a significant increase in areas defined as “Potential” or “Likely Critical Habitat”. In this case, “Critical Habitat” refers to areas…
View more
Dr Shaenandhoa García Rangel, Deputy Head of Nature Economy, spoke at the Sustainable Commodities and Landscapes Forum last month. This event brought together more than 200 supply chain and sustainability professionals to address the greatest risks and opportunities in commodity supply chains. Nature-related risks embedded in commodity supply chains are increasingly recognised as material by…
How seascape restoration can contribute to climate change mitigation Author: Reka Marton, Intern, Nature-based Solutions, UNEP-WCMC Marine and coastal ecosystems are increasingly recognized as critical allies in addressing the climate crisis. While terrestrial nature-based solutions, such as the restoration of forests and peatlands, have long dominated global climate strategies, the role of ’blue carbon’ –…
Reflections on transformative change from the Biodiversa+ Midterm Conference. Author: Dr. Boipelo Tshwene-Mauchaza, Technical Specialist in Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, UNEP-WCMC Last month, I had the privilege of attending the Biodiversa+ Midterm Conference at the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in Leiden, The Netherlands. This gathering brought together a diverse range of stakeholders,…
View more
We reflect on the nexus of nature and health and how it relates to business. In anticipation of the upcoming 2026 Nature Action Dialogues, we reflect on emerging nature-related themes impacting businesses. One key theme is health and nature. In 2025’s dialogues, UNEP-WCMC, together with Globalbalance hosted a roundtable titled “The Health–Nature Nexus: The Case…
Momentum is growing for coordinated action across climate and biodiversity conventions As anticipation for the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP30) builds, Dr Valerie Kapos, Principal Specialist, Nature-based Solutions, and Dr Shaenandhoa García Rangel, Deputy Head of Nature Economy, discuss the growing focus on synergies across…
In September 2024, experts from around the world gathered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, for the National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA) Initiative’s Annual Global Capacity Building Workshop. Among them was Yuko Kurauchi, Programme Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and coordinator of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net). In this conversation, Yuko shares insights…
View more