Brazil has finally published its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) aimed at halting and reversing nature decline by 2030, with a focus on conserving 80% of the Amazon and eliminating deforestation in Brazilian ecosystems. The plan aligns actions on climate change and biodiversity loss, setting higher conservation goals than global targets and involving consultation with scientists, Indigenous peoples, and civil society members. Specific actions include recognizing and titling Indigenous lands, establishing ecological corridors, and implementing national strategies for ecosystem protection. Brazil's NBSAP also includes mechanisms such as biodiversity credits and a regulated carbon market to finance efforts to tackle nature loss, with a national low-carbon agriculture strategy in place to promote sustainability in the agricultural sector.
Category: Food, Agriculture, Land & Ocean (FALO)
Cut Emissions:
– Curb Growing Demands
– Restore & Manage Ecosystems
– Shift Agriculture Practices
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Marine conservation must begin on land
Secure coastal land rights are essential for sustainable ocean governance, as shown by examples from Fiji, Madagascar, and South Africa. Meaningful consultation with local communities is crucial for sustainable conservation efforts. Governments can pass and implement environmental impact assessment regulations that ensure community participation and access to information. The solution lies in recognizing and respecting secure tenure as the foundation of community-based management. Blue Ventures supports communities in advocating for their land rights and embedding tenure safeguards into policies related to development and marine conservation. Marine conservation begins on land, with communities that have secure land rights.
https://blueventures.org/marine-conservation-must-begin-on-land/
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10 Years of Regeneration and Beyond
Regeneration International celebrated a decade of collective action and growth in their partner network, reaching over 700 organizations. They held their 5th Annual People's Food Summit, reaching 10 million people worldwide to discuss reshaping food systems. The movement expanded initiatives in Africa and Latin America, promoting healthy soils and food sovereignty. The PELUM Network in Southern and Eastern Africa marked 30 years of transformative work in agroecology and indigenous knowledge. Regeneration International also announced a Certificate Course on Agroecological, Regenerative, and Organic Agriculture in partnership with South Seas University. The Regeneration International Standard offers two certification pathways for farmers to transition to regenerative practices, focusing on principles, guidance, and continuous improvement. It prohibits synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, GMOs, and other harmful inputs. By supporting farmers through practical transition pathways, the standard aims to drive a global shift towards agriculture that regenerates soils, ecosystems, and communities. This is crucial in a world facing climate crises and soil degradation, where soil health is becoming an urgent priority for sustainable food production and rural economies.
https://us.engagingnetworks.app/page/email/message/view?templateId=434990
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Messages of Hope and Regeneration for 2021
A new agave-based agroforestry and livestock management system in Mexico is showing potential to regenerate drylands and alleviate rural poverty, emphasizing the importance of regenerative agriculture in addressing the climate emergency. The system highlights the benefits of native plants in trapping carbon, the return of bison to the Rosebud Reservation, and soil health practices for boosting profits. The launch of the Global Alliance for Organic Districts, supported by Regeneration International, aims to promote regenerative agriculture practices globally to revitalize local economies, restore soil fertility, nurture biodiversity, and mitigate climate change through individual donor funding.
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Syrian Refugees Built Solidarity Fields in Greece. Now They’re Bringing Organic Farming Home.
Mahmoud Barhum, a Syrian farmer, has established a volunteer nursery to distribute organic seedlings for free in an effort to promote organic agriculture in Syria, where chemical inputs have dominated farming practices. Inspired by Solidarity Fields, an organic agricultural cooperative founded by Syrian refugees in Greece, Barhum aims to reclaim abandoned land, provide work for refugees, and improve soil health. Solidarity Fields in Syria, founded by returning displaced Syrians from Greece, is working to rebuild the agriculture industry through organic farming, offering free seedlings, funding wells, and providing training programs. The initiative is gaining momentum as more local farmers like Ahmed Mohammed transition to organic farming practices, seeing improved crop quality and higher prices for their produce, ultimately promoting sustainable agriculture and reducing reliance on chemical inputs in Syria.
https://triplepundit.com/2025/solidarity-fields-organic-farming-syria-greece/
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Our Biggest Climate Stories of 2025
In 2025, Civil Eats reported on the erosion of climate-friendly policies under the Biden administration, including the cancellation of conservation grants and blocking of funding for solar panels on farmland. They also highlighted the government's proposed removal of a key regulation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and examined corporate influence on climate policy. The article focused on solutions, showcasing individuals and organizations implementing effective climate-friendly practices, such as working with native seeds, growing organic buckwheat, and planting urban fruit trees. Additionally, the piece discussed the reintroduction of buffalo as a means of restoring the Western landscape and reestablishing a bond between people and the Earth.
https://civileats.com/2025/12/30/our-biggest-climate-stories-of-2025/
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Agrivoltaic Company Okovate Acquires Stanford University & Carnegie Mellon Tech Startup
Agrivoltaics, the combination of solar power plants with farmland, is gaining popularity in the solar power industry. Washington, DC-based company Okovate Sustainable Energy has acquired the assets of startup Fundusol to improve the planning and development of agrivoltaic projects. The acquisition allows Okovate to integrate a modeling platform developed at Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon, providing data-driven precision in co-locating solar energy and agriculture. The company's technology utilizes genetic algorithms and advanced data visualization to optimize solar array configurations for different crop types, aiming to strengthen the economic fabric of farming communities. Efforts are being made to increase the cost effectiveness and appeal of solar PV power in 2025, with plans to roll out more solar power on farmland across the United States and make additional announcements in 2026.
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How Mongabay’s journalism made an impact in 2025
In 2025, Mongabay's journalism focused on empowering Indigenous and local communities by exposing illegal activities in the Amazon, highlighting conservation efforts in Colombia and Mexico, and collaborating with GI-TOC to combat illegal wildlife trade. Their reporting led to indictments and recommendations for bans on illegal practices in Brazil, as well as actions by organizations like WWF. With over 870 impacts logged throughout the year, Mongabay's work aims to hold powerful interests accountable and empower communities to defend their rights and ecosystems.
https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/12/how-mongabays-journalism-made-an-impact-in-2025/
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Clark Lungren and the case for compromise in conservation
Clark Lungren, a conservationist in Burkina Faso, and a field biologist, bird specialist, and advisor in West and Central African countries, both emphasized the importance of aligning conservation efforts with local governance and incentives to ensure long-lasting impact. Lungren's strategy of granting communities controlled hunting rights in exchange for protection, initially dismissed by experts, proved durable and led to the rebound of wildlife populations in the Nazinga area. The field biologist's work focused on training local monitors, managing wildlife, and advocating for community involvement, leading to the establishment of community-managed hunting zones and the protection of wildlife corridors in the region. Both cases demonstrate that practical compromises and community involvement are key to successful conservation efforts that align with local needs and ensure sustainable practices.
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/12/clark-lungren-and-the-case-for-compromise-in-conservation/
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Africa mulls gap in climate adaptation finance for agriculture
African stakeholders are advocating for increased adaptation funding for smallholder farmers in the agricultural sector who are highly vulnerable to climate shocks. Despite international funding pledges, there is a significant gap of approximately $365 billion through 2035, with skepticism that other countries will fill the shortfall. Climate finance is concentrated in a few countries, leaving farmers with limited access to funds for climate-smart practices. Stakeholders are calling for public financing, better early-warning systems, loss-and-damage support, and the implementation of climate-smart agriculture to address the underfunding of agricultural adaptation in Africa. Efforts to redirect harmful subsidies, reform finance institutions, and create a fairer global tax system are suggested to fill the gap in finance flows to small-scale agriculture in Africa. Additionally, concerns about the lack of progress in implementing the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) at the climate conference and the need for quadrupling Africa's climate finance flows annually until 2030 to meet investment needs for emissions reduction pledges under the Paris Agreement are highlighted.
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/12/africa-mulls-gap-in-climate-adaptation-finance-for-agriculture/