Life on Land

A new UN report warns that the world is set to surpass the 1.5°C limit above pre-industrial levels, with every fraction of a degree costing lives and livelihoods. But slashing methane pollution, protecting ecosystems and phasing out fossil fuels can reverse this trend.

In southern Gabon, UN Volunteers are building trust with community members to record traditional practices that have been passed down through generations but never written, ensuring centuries of wisdom about the natural world do not fade away.

With farmers in southern Yemen facing inter-related challenges, a new initiative by the UN and partners has strengthened the entire agricultural system at once by connecting farmers, suppliers, processors and markets into a functioning local supply chain.

As countries meet at the UNCCD Conference of the Parties under the theme, "Restoring Land. Restoring Hope," a summer school in Kyrgyzstan shows how pastoralists can combine tradition and digital tools to manage rangelands.

The latest Sustainable Development Goals report shows that the development agenda is delivering for communities, but not evenly or fast enough. Political will, sustained investment and international cooperation are needed amid growing pressures.

As heatwaves become increasingly severe and long, the UN is supporting communities by improving access to water, addressing the health impacts of extreme temperatures and leveraging both nature and new technologies.

Governments are reporting the highest levels of satisfaction with UN development support since reforms of the development system began nearly a decade ago. But continued progress will depend on sustained political engagement and more predictable financing.

Young leaders across the globe are solving environmental and human development challenges by improving how people interact with nature, valuing diverse ways of thinking and enabling more inclusive participation in shaping solutions.

Nestled in the Ring of Fire, Tonga is the world's second most at-risk country to natural hazards. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, the UN is working with partners to chart a future for the island that is not only resilient, but also sustainable.

In the lush Bolivian Amazon, a UN programme promotes sustainable agricultural practices that improve productivity while conserving biodiversity. Small-scale producers working with the programme are translating their harvests into existing international value chains.

As climate change pressures natural resources and intensifies disaster hazards, Tajikistan is building on its longstanding water leadership by leveraging new AI technologies that sustainably manage water sources and enhance climate resilience.

With most Comorians living within two kilometres of the coast, the UN and partners are supporting investments that will safeguard 140,000 residents by restoring, protecting and sustainably managing the natural resources that comprise the islands' natural defences.

With the High Seas Treaty now in effect, the UN is building on existing support to ensure that high seas and international seabeds are managed for the benefit of all humanity, offsetting the ecological destruction wrought by unsustainable economic interests.

As climate impacts fuel tensions over scarce resources in Mali, the UN is working with partners on a number of resilience projects, including reviving traditional institutions to manage natural resources and implementing early warning systems.

Youth in Myanmar are turning their climate anxiety into positive action, building resilience in their communities and restoring ecosystems with reforestation efforts.