GUEST ARTICLES
To Realize Land’s True Value, We Need to Invest In It Wisely
It takes 200-400 years to form one centimeter of soil, while the estimated rate of soil erosion is 100 times greater than soil formation. Where erosion is prevalent, the rate of soil loss reaches 4 mm per year (FAO 2015); 70% of drylands suffer from land degradation in varying degrees (Gibbs and Salmon 2015). While global population grows rapidly, land is finite in quantity.
Governments Agree on Updating the Elements of the Least Developed Countries Work Programme
Governments at the last UN climate change conference, held from 30 April to 10 May, in Bonn, Germany, agreed to update the elements of the least developed countries (LDCs) work programme to reflect new and continuing needs of the LDCs. This is a historic milestone since the establishment of the work programme in 2001.
Soil Biodiversity and Soil Organic Carbon: Why Should Nations Invest In It To Keep Drylands Alive?
The 2018 World Day to Combat Desertification calls to reflect on the true value of land and the need to invest in it; healthy soils are central to sustainable development.
POLICY BRIEFS
SDG Knowledge Weekly: Measuring Progress towards Sustainable Cities and Communities
Adam Fishman, Thematic Expert for 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (US)
This week’s brief focuses on knowledge products around SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), which is one of six Goals being reviewed in depth at the 2018 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
FEATURED
Governments Discuss Dates for 2019 HLPF under UNGA Auspices
14 June 2018: UN Member States exchanged views with regard to the dates for the 2019 session of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) taking place under the auspices of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA-auspiced session in 2019 will be the first such HLPF session since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda.