Global Scans · 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] The new and extended protected areas will help preserve some of Greece's most beautiful and ecologically significant mountain regions, offering a haven for biodiversity while also providing opportunities for travelers to experience nature at its best. Travel And Tour World
• [New] A fast-spreading marine pandemic is wiping out vital reef-grazing sea urchins, threatening ecosystems worldwide. ScienceDaily
• [New] A critical component to the Sustainable CAP program is the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program a five-year, $56.7 million program that supports land uses that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon. Ontario.ca
• [New] The Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, a five-year, $56.7 million program funded through Sustainable CAP that supports land uses that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon. Ontario.ca
• [New] On land, Nokia and Gulf Bridge International announced a new high-capacity terrestrial route through Iraq, designed to reinforce links between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia with the project expected to be online by 2030. Verdict
• [New] In the range of OC and SONCC Chinook salmon, the regulation of some activities and land uses will alter past harmful practices, resulting in habitat improvements. Federal Register
• [New] Investing in a stable climate, healthy land and nature, and a pollution-free planet could deliver annual gains of US$ 20 trillion, avoid millions of deaths, and lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and hunger. Circular Online
• [New] National and city governments continued to release higher-resolution base data (elevation, building footprints, transport networks) under permissive licenses, while international initiatives coordinated global datasets for land cover, emissions, and disaster risk. Reimagining Geospatial
• [New] 2.7 billion people, about 60% of the Asia-Pacific population, have access to water for most of their basic needs but more than 4 billion still remain exposed to unsafe water, degraded ecosystems and escalating climate hazards. Boston Herald
• [New] 1,000 dead and close to 1 million displaced from rains as a report points at the threat posed by climate change and ecosystem decline across Asia. Al Jazeera
• [New] If business as usual logging persists, the environment reforms will fall far short of what Australia's forests - and their plants and animals - need. The Conversation
• [New] Increasing global temperatures and ecosystem disruptions are already making survival for vulnerable species more difficult, AI will only accelerate that decline. Yahoo News
• [New] The Queensland government has confirmed it will allow opal mining to continue on land surrounded by a new national park. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] Solana could supercharge and lead scalable consumer applications, with ecosystem growth and rising institutional adoption potentially driving a 700% breakout by early 2026. cryptonews
• [New] Annual NbS investments must almost triple by 2030 to meet global goals on biodiversity, climate and land. Mirage News
• [New] Shifting focus to terrestrial impacts, biodiversity is facing unprecedented threats, as outlined in the ERM and GlobeScan research, which identifies climate change as the top sustainability priority for 2025. WebProNews
• [New] Africa holds some of the richest biodiversity on Earth, but that also means we face higher risks if we keep losing natural habitats. Businessday NG
• [New] Global land degradation affects over 3.2 billion people and increases vulnerability to emerging pathogens. Businessday NG
• [New] The global production of 460 million tonnes of plastic annually, with 20 million leaking into the environment, is expected to grow sharply by 2040, causing climate change and loss of biodiversity, and ecosystems. ET Edge Insights
• [New] With climate change and unchecked development threatening the fragile ecosystems of the Hindu Kush Himalaya, a new action plan grounded in Bhutan's philosophy of regenerative development has won regional consensus. The Frontier Manipur
• [New] Feeding a projected 10 billion people by 2050 will require bold and smarter choices in how the world manages its land, soil and water. Secretary-General

Last updated: 21 December 2025