Our Scans · (LF.15) 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] Homebuilding is an important indicator of a housing ecosystem because it signals how affordable homes will be over time. Business Insider
• [New] The environmental organization Ecologistas en Accion is challenging the European Commission's decision to grant strategic project status to all six Spanish mines, arguing that it failed to properly consider risks to water resources, biodiversity and protected areas. The Guardian
• [New] A partial collapse of key ecosystems could increase annual global - sovereign debt interest payments by $162 billion. ASLA
• [New] Even a partial loss of ecosystem services like marine fisheries or crop pollination could cut global GDP by $2 trillion a year. ASLA
• [New] Southeast Asia's combination of biodiversity, urbanization, and climate vulnerability increases the risk of emergence of zoonotic diseases. Alliance magazine
• [New] Global demand for animal-based foods is projected to increase by nearly 70% by 2050 due to population growth and rising incomes, placing immense pressure on land and water resources. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Improved forest management has the potential to sequester an additional 267 million tonnes CO2e in forests of the United States, second only to reforestation among natural climate solutions. ACR
• [New] Forests and other nature-based solutions to climate change have the potential to sequester one-third of global emissions annually. ACR
• [New] The first land stockpile in the Asia-Pacific is expected to open in 2026 in the Philippines, close to potential flashpoints in the South China Sea. Dawn
• [New] The collapse of the environment in key ecosystems could spell disaster for the global economy by increasing borrowing costs. Heriot-Watt University
• [New] Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing threatens national and international fish stocks, ocean ecosystems, and global markets. SeafoodNews
• [New] The UK's exposure to supply-chain risks from biodiversity loss will depend on global conservation outcomes, the adaptability of businesses, and the resilience of ecosystems that underpin critical goods and services. GOV.UK
• [New] In the UK, 70% of land area is used for agriculture and declines in pollinators and other beneficial invertebrates that control crop pests (such as beetles, wasps and spiders) pose risks to crop yields. GOV.UK
• [New] Warmer climates are linked to the spread of pests and diseases that threaten yields making formerly productive land less reliable for food cultivation and increasing systemic risks to global food supply chains. GOV.UK
• [New] Climate and environmental pressures are expected to intensify, reshaping how and where goods are produced, the reliability of global transport systems, and the resilience of ecosystems that underpin supply chains. GOV.UK
• [New] In addition to naturally caused earthquakes, large-scale projects involving land excavation, tunneling and water redirection have the potential to trigger seismic activity, while the creation of reservoirs has been strongly linked with earthquakes in China. Live Science
• [New] 64 MILLION bacteria-infected mosquitoes are set to be released into Florida and California - potentially causing irreversible ecosystem disruptions. Snopes
• [New] Freshwater ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse yet highly threatened ecosystems on Earth. Frontiers
• [New] As fossil fuel emissions leave more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for trees to absorb, climate scientists expect the land-based carbon sink to remain stable or grow over the 21st century. The Guardian
• [New] In the Manombo forests in south-eastern Madagascar, a project led by GERP with support from SOS Lemurs is promoting beekeeping as a way to reduce pressure on forests threatened by bushfires, while creating sustainable incomes and supporting women's participation. IUCN
• [New] Ending deforestation and forest degradation is an essential element of the 1.5 °C solution and it's now mission critical that we maximise synergies across a fragmented landscape of current climate, biodiversity and finance initiatives to secure an end to forest destruction by 2030. Greenpeace International
• [New] The coming decade is decisive: without rapid, coordinated global action, ocean health will continue to decline, threatening climate stability, biodiversity resilience, food security, livelihoods and the wellbeing of billions. The United Nations Office at Geneva
• [New] The establishment of over 20 outlets across Canada may create opportunities or competition for existing commercial land use in suburban and urban corridors. BurnabyHouse

Last updated: 22 June 2026