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] UN awards new World Restoration Flagships in Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the Sahel, recognizing efforts to restore nearly 5 million hectares by 2030, boost food security, create jobs, strengthen climate resilience and combat land degradation. UNEP - UN Environment Programme
• [New] Soil biodiversity is declining around the world, threatening agriculture, food security and the ability of ecosystems to function properly. ScienceDaily
• [New] Caribou and migratory birds face changes to migration routes and feeding grounds, while declining sea ice can force polar bears to spend more time on land, increasing the potential for human-bear encounters in some communities. GoGeomatics
• [New] The Indian Chandrayaan-3 will be a second attempt to land on the moon by the Indian Space Research Agency. DebateUS
• [New] The expert panellists highlighted the latest regulatory developments in Hong Kong, as well as the opportunities available for Hong Kong to take the lead in the global development of virtual assets, blockchain, and the broader Web 3.0 ecosystem. Web 3.0 in Hong Kong - from crypto to blockchain
• [New] The USA is a global leader in AI but lacks a government-backed robotic hardware strategy, which could ensure a symbiotic relationship with Japan's mature hardware ecosystem. Robohub
• [New] Given the persistent shortage of European defence capital, restricting US investment or transatlantic industrial partnerships could ultimately weaken the very ecosystem Europe seeks to strengthen. Hudson Institute
• [New] Europe fears losing control over strategic technologies, industrial assets, and defence innovation ecosystems to foreign capital-not only Chinese, but increasingly, American. Hudson Institute
• [New] Early-stage startups and SMEs with health-focused digital solutions that want healthcare stakeholder exposure, pilot or validation opportunities, clinical feedback, and visibility in Portugal's health innovation ecosystem. Startup Tools
• [New] Heatwaves and wildfires are not just scorching forests, they are adding to the tipping point risks in the world's vast permafrost regions, which contain three times more carbon than all the living vegetation on Earth. The Guardian
• [New] Dedicated volunteers and under-funded conservationists have been slowing the army of increasing threats, but experts fear that without urgent action and political courage, the biodiversity Australia says it loves is headed for a bloodbath. BBC News
• [New] Invasive alien species are emerging as one of the fastest-growing threats to biodiversity across Europe, affecting ecosystems from rivers and wetlands to forests and marine habitats. fundsforNGOs News - Grants and Resources for Sustainabi
• [New] Across Africa, organizations are navigating a rapidly changing landscape where climate risk, resource constraints, biodiversity loss, evolving regulations, investor expectations, technology and changing consumer demands are increasingly influencing how businesses operate, invest and grow. Engineering News
• [New] Across 2023-2050, metals used specifically for the energy transition are expected to account for around 26-28% of total metal-related damage to human health and ecosystems. AZOM
• [New] By 2050, annual ecosystem-quality and human-health impacts are projected to be about 2.5 and 2.2 times higher than in 2023, respectively. AZOM
• [New] In 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia, countries will review progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted at COP 15 as a roadmap to reverse biodiversity loss and help people live in better harmony with nature. UN News
• [New] The Bureau of Land Management plans to gather and remove about 40 wild horses from the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range in fall 2026 using low-stress bait trap methods. Bureau of Land Management
• [New] The focus on cryptocurrency integration is likely to reshape user experiences and regulations by 2032, fostering a more inclusive financial ecosystem. 6wresearch
• [New] Biodiversity loss has been recognized as a threat to global stability for decades. Live Science
• [New] Now that myrtle rust has been detected in Western Australia, a biodiversity hotspot with more than a thousand Myrtaceae taxa, most of which are expected to be susceptible. Center for Invasive Species Prevention
• [New] Inaction risks national health and security Government intelligence has warned that ecosystem degradation and collapse will put UK food security at risk. Inside track

Last updated: 06 September 2026