Month: October 2020

Launch of a Global Assessment Report

A new and most comprehensive scientific assessment presented by the Global Forest Experts Panel (GFEP) on Forests and Poverty reveals critical links between forests, trees and poverty alleviation. The report makes a valuable contribution to achieving the first and foremost of the United Nations‘ Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ending poverty. This is even more important in light of the current pandemic under which efforts to fight poverty have suffered a severe setback. The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), on behalf of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), established the Panel in the framework of the GFEP initiative.

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Content will examine “Finance & Investment” of global food systems. Discussion panelists will address vulnerabilities and the need for high-risk, long-term research efforts and innovative technology investments. Key research studies and resulting social, economic, and environmental impacts will be presented and discussed in the context of what has been done and what is needed to support future ventures that successfully meet development goals. Particular attention will be directed toward impacts of the COVID-19 experience and how finance and investment can strengthen food systems resilience.

The event will be organized by the Consortium for Innovation in Post-Harvest Loss and Food Waste Reduction. The Consortium is composed of leading institutions in the Americas (Iowa State University, University of Maryland, Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School, University of São Paulo), Europe (Wageningen University and Research), Middle East (Volcani Center), and Africa (University of Nairobi, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Stellenbosch University). Academic partners are leveraging knowledge, expertise, motivation, and vision to conduct research that improves storage and distribution, develops tracking and monitoring, minimizes spoilage through pre-and post-harvest innovation, and changes behavior to reduce post-harvest loss and food waste reduction (PHL-FW). Together with funding partners, The Rockefeller Foundation and Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, the Consortium is focused on how finance and investment are leading to the sustainable reduction of PHL-FW.

Panelists

Dr. Sally Rockey – Executive Director at the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

Dr. Dirk Maier – Director of the Consortium for Innovation in Post-Harvest Loss and Food Waste Reduction and Professor at Iowa State University

Dr. Jane Ambuko – Professor University of Nairobi – Horticulture Specialist

Dr. José Caixeta – Professor University of São Paulo and D

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Nature provides immense value and multiple benefits to urban communities. Daring cities are those who are leading the way on ambitious local action – not only for climate, but for nature too. The loss of nature is a global crisis in its own right, and cities are not only part of the problem, but are also key to the solution. No action is too small. Now is the time for cities and regions to act with unprecedented ambition to secure our increasingly urban future. Our solutions lie in nature.

CitiesWithNature is a global partnership initiative co-founded by ICLEI, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and The Nature Conservancy. CitiesWithNature provides a space to celebrate and showcase best practice from around the world. The initiative is growing and nurturing a community of practice comprising cities, regions, partner organisations, projects, practitioners, researchers, and urban communities to conserve, restore, and mainstream nature in and around urban areas. With over 170 cities and regions who have joined to date, the ever-growing CitiesWithNature family invites you to be a part of this first-of-its-kind initiative.

Article 25 of the Convention on Biological Diversity establishes an open-ended intergovernmental scientific advisory body known as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) to provide the Conference of the Parties (COP) and, as appropriate, its other subsidiary bodies, with timely advice relating to the implementation of the Convention. SBSTTA has met 22 times to date and produced a total of 233 recommendations to the Conference of the Parties, some of which have been endorsed in full by the latter.

SBSTTA 24 -Twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice will take place in
Montreal, Canada, 17 – 22 August 2020.