Forests are the crown jewels of Latin America and the Caribbean’s (LAC’s) ecological endowment. The region boasts roughly half of the world’s tropical forests and a quarter of its mangroves. But LAC forests face extraordinary challenges in the 2020s. They are being cleared and degraded at an alarming rate. Climate change is altering forest functioning, plant growth, and tree … [Read more...] about Latin American and Caribbean forests in the 2020s: Four teams of experts weigh in
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Can investing in nature save us from ourselves?
Nature is humanity’s most important asset. It provides us with the raw ingredients for most modern medicine, the air we breathe and the food we put on our tables. All economic activities also fundamentally rely on these services to some extent, with estimates suggesting that a massive USD 44 trillion – over half of global GDP— of the global economy is highly or moderately … [Read more...] about Can investing in nature save us from ourselves?
Three things you need to know about the IDB’s new Environmental and Social Policy Framework
Latin America and the Caribbean have made great progress in the sustainability agenda in the last twenty years. These advances include the adoption of the Equator Principles among leading financial institutions in the region, the adoption by borrowing countries of modern labor standards in cooperation with the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the Escazú Agreement, … [Read more...] about Three things you need to know about the IDB’s new Environmental and Social Policy Framework
Why is the Dasgupta Review on the Economics of Biodiversity a big deal?
The United Kingdom’s Treasury (economic and finance ministry) is gearing up to launch an independent global report on the importance of biodiversity for economies and future prosperity. Led by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, the Dasgupta Review on the Economics of Biodiversity could help precipitate a major rethink on how we value biodiversity and its implications for policy and … [Read more...] about Why is the Dasgupta Review on the Economics of Biodiversity a big deal?
One health, one world
The world is facing an unprecedented health crisis caused by infectious diseases. According to data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 60% of all infectious diseases registered in humans are of animal origin (zoonotic) and 75% of new or emerging ones are zoonotic. Avian influenza, rabies, or brucellosis stand out as the best-known examples of … [Read more...] about One health, one world