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] Labour's proposed exemption for small sites could lead to the collapse of the entire system of biodiversity net gain provision. Property Week
• [New] More than 10 million acres of land will be needed for utility-scale solar by 2050. Farm Progress
• [New] The threat to the British Columbia hotspot comes from expansion of mortality in dense pine forests caused by the native mountain pine beetle. Center for Invasive Species Prevention
• [New] From Queensland, where new open cut coal projects threaten fragile bushland ecosystems and endangered koalas, to Canada's Elk Valley, where mining pollution has been linked to fish with deformed skulls and twisted spines, the impacts are immediate and lasting. Banktrack
• [New] Global land and sea temperatures are forecast to be above normal nearly everywhere. Through my Asian lens
• [New] Up to half of the world's rangelands are degraded or at risk, with serious consequences for food and water security, biodiversity, climate resilience and rural livelihoods. United Nations
• [New] The Swedish Energy Agency seeks to strengthen Sweden's competitiveness and security of supply in the European battery ecosystem by funding research that makes battery value chains more resource-efficient, scalable, and resilient to disruption. Impact Funding
• [New] The New South Wales government has routinely delayed environmental flows to critical wetlands in the state's north-west in favour of farming, despite admitting it could harm the breeding cycles of frogs and endangered birds and damage local ecosystems. The Guardian
• [New] The Recovering America's Wildlife Act will help safeguard habitats and biodiversity, slow extinction rates and secure a brighter future for people and nature. The Nature Conservancy
• [New] With an improved understanding of sediment distribution and carbon storage in the North Sea, we can assess long-term risks to coastal stability, navigational safety in shipping, and the functioning of ecosystems in the German Bight. SciTechDaily
• [New] England's landscapes differ in their potential for development, agricultural production and ecosystem enhancement. GOV.UK
• [New] Ecosystem collapse could occur as early as 2030, with direct implications for global health, as well as human and national security. United Nations University
• [New] With thoughtful planning and policy support, rooftops, green spaces, and unused urban land could become vital components of Europe's future food infrastructure. CNS Media
• Regulatory Policy: Changes to Australian land taxes or security requirements could structurally depress net property income margins. Bingx Exchange
• Planetary crises such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are impacting human health and threatening previous gains in global health. PubMed Central (PMC)
• In recent years, a growing number of pests have begun spreading faster and farther, affecting crops, ecosystems and livelihoods across regions and in some cases posing risks of global concern. International Plant Protection Convention
• Enhancing measures to limit the increase in global temperatures could significantly progress toward many other SDGs, such as reducing poverty and hunger, increasing water availability, and protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Scientific Research Publishing
• Virginia tracks invasive plants, animals and insects that threaten ecosystems and agriculture. FOX 5 DC
• The increasing adoption of electric vehicles globally, driven by stringent environmental regulations and growing consumer awareness of sustainable practices, is creating a substantial opportunity for V2G technologies to become a cornerstone of the future energy ecosystem. Yahoo Finance
• Land surface temperatures are expected to be above-normal almost worldwide during the May-July 2026 period. Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sc
• As global oceans continue to warm, the risks to ecosystems, economies and vulnerable communities are expected to intensify, underscoring the urgent need for climate action and adaptation strategies. Healthwise
• In Europe, species such as ragweed with its highly allergenic pollen and black locust, which invades forests and grasslands, are expected to become more widespread under a warming climate. EurekAlert!
• The Harpoon Coastal Defence System is a land-based variant of the Boeing Harpoon Block II missile, designed to target a range of maritime and land-based threats, including coastal defences, surface-to-air missile sites, ports, and moored ships. EurAsian Times

Last updated: 10 May 2026