Latest news with #Biodiversity
Agriland
2 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
New data shows wheat could lose half its best land by 2100
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has upgraded its innovative geospatial app with a new indicator which has provided data showing that several major crops – including wheat and beans – could lose half their best land by 2100. Designed for policymakers, technicians, and project designers, the Adaptation, Biodiversity, and Carbon Mapping Tool (ABC-Map) app offers an initial screening of the climate-related risks, essential biodiversity indicators, and carbon reduction potential of a selected project. It is an open-source satellite imagery app, based on Google Earth Engine, with information from global datasets. Following its upgrade, ABC-Map now features a new indicator that provides information on the suitability of major crops in evolving climate scenarios to the end of the century. FAO senior natural resources (Climate Change) officer Martial Bernoux said the new information could help ensure our capacity to cope with climate change and its impacts on land in the long-term. 'Given the increasingly erratic weather and extreme events – including droughts, extreme heat, and floods – farmers, policymakers, and technicians need to know if the crops, investments, or projects they are considering will work or if they need to adjust and consider other crops or more adaptation measures instead,' Bernoux said. 'Our ABC-Map tool can now better assist them with these considerations, further reinforcing climate resilience.' Concerning data for wheat and other crops The new indicator, developed by FAO, incorporates data from a study by French fintech start-up Finres, commissioned by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD). The study – 'Have crops already reached peak suitability: assessing global climatic suitability decreases for crop cultivation' – uses a new method to assess crop suitability in varied climate scenarios. It concludes that five out of nine major staple and cash crops – including wheat, coffee, beans, cassava, and plantain – are already losing optimal growing conditions, and some could lose half their optimal suitable land by 2100. In particular, the study's researchers suggest that coffee production in some of the major coffee-growing regions could decline sharply by 2100. They say beans and wheat could experience significant losses, especially in regions such as North America and Europe. Maize and rice, however, could initially find more suitable areas for cultivation, the researchers suggest, but this situation could reverse by the end of the century under high-emission scenarios. How does it work? The ABC-Map geospatial app features indicators in three sections: adaptation, biodiversity, and carbon. This new indicator expands the scope of the adaptation section, which previously displayed only data on past trends in a given area, including past temperature and rainfall. Now, the new indicator also adds information on future trends. A user inputs a location, then selects a crop from 30 options, including coffee, maize, and wheat. The tool then displays the suitability of the selected crops for land in that area, for time periods stretching to 2100, providing a crop suitability score for two different climate emission scenarios. Also planned for this year, according to the FAO, is an indicator with information on livestock heat stress and another for crop water requirements, which would estimate expected rainfall and potential irrigation needs. Strengthening national capacity ABC-Map is one of the technical tools in the COP28 Agriculture, Food, and Climate National Action Toolkit, which aims to help governments develop and implement policy measures on climate action and agri-food system transformation. The app was launched last year during an expert panel on the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation (FAST) Partnership, at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin, Germany. The tool helps users better understand the synergies and trade-offs among the three pressing and interlinked challenges of climate change mitigation, adaptation, and countering biodiversity loss in the context of safeguarding agriculture and food security. It promotes holistic environmental actions in agriculture.
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Minister Dion George to sign Landmark Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement on behalf of South Africa at the 2025 United Nations Oceans Conference in France
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, will be attending the third United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France and will on 9 June 2025, sign the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement on behalf of South Africa. Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, UNOC3 seeks to accelerate global action to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, in support of Sustainable Development Goal 14: 'Life Below Water'. This year's conference theme is Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean with three main priorities: (1) Advancing multilateral ocean processes and ambition; (2) Scaling up financing for ocean sustainability and blue economies; and (3) Strengthening marine science, knowledge-sharing and decision-making. Minister George and the other Member States are scheduled to formally sign the BBNJ Agreement during a high-level signing ceremony convened by the UNOC3 Secretariat. 'Signing the BBNJ, which is a crucial agreement geared toward strengthening governance in areas beyond national jurisdiction, will mark a significant milestone in the country's ocean governance journey and a reflection of our resolve to contribute meaningfully,' said Minister George. South Africa has developed a robust suite of legal frameworks, aligned with its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). These include the National Environmental Management Act, the Integrated Coastal Management Act, the Marine Spatial Planning Act, the Marine Living Resources Act, the Biodiversity Act, and the Protected Areas Act. These instruments collectively provide for the sustainable use, spatial planning, and protection of marine ecosystems within national jurisdiction. South Africa also actively participates in regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), such as the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), promoting cooperative, science-based management of shared marine resources. 'In line with our local legal frameworks, the signing of the BBNJ will bolster global ocean governance and help advance our efforts to build our economy, while fiercely protecting our ocean,' said Minister George. South Africa is ahead of the curve because in line with the global efforts to protect the ocean, on World Environment Day, the Minister launched South Africa's inaugural Climate Change Coastal Adaptation Response Plan (CARP). CARP is a groundbreaking climate change national adaptation strategy which seeks to secure the future of South Africa's coastlines and the millions who depend on them. 'Our coastline or coastal cities are at the frontline of climate change, facing severe and multifaceted complexities that threaten livelihoods, communities, economies, infrastructure, and ecosystems,' said Minister George during the launch. In the build up to UNOC3, Minister George will also participate in the Blue Economy and Finance Forum, which is a high-level platform to showcase innovation and finance for ocean-based growth, taking place in Monaco on 7-8 June 2025. The Forum will highlight and promote the critical role that sustainable investment, cutting-edge innovation, and forward-thinking policies play in ensuring the long-term health and prosperity of our oceans and economies alike. Minister George highlighted that the Forum is a vital platform for South Africa, as our ocean and blue economy is a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development. 'Scaling up financing for ocean sustainability and blue economies is one of the key priorities of the UNOC3 and the Forum thus becomes an integral space for us to advance our economic growth and job creation prospects,' said Minister George. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
BBC News
02-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- BBC News
Eight rare juices you can only try in the Amazon
Far from smoothie bars and powdered sachets, these wild Amazonian juices are pulped just hours after picking – making them rich in flavour and cultural meaning. The Amazon is not only the world's largest and most biodiverse ecosystem – it's also one of the most delicious. Among the thousands of native species, around 220 trees are known to bear edible fruit, many of which never leave the jungle. Some are too delicate to export, while others are little known beyond the communities that have nurtured them for generations. But along the Amazon River and its tributaries – from Peru's misty highland jungle to the floodplains of northern Brazil – travellers can find market stalls and cafe counters brimming with thick, vibrant juices that capture the flavour of the forest. These are the fruits you're unlikely to find bottled or powdered at home, often pulped just hours after harvest, served chilled in the tropical heat and prized not only for their nutrients but for their rich textures and sharp tangs. Here are eight juices worth seeking out, whether for their bold flavours, cultural significance or the thrill of trying something new. Aguaje On the eastern slopes of the Andes, where rivers cascade in dramatic waterfalls into the Amazon Basin, travellers will find the aguaje fruit of the Moriche palm. In the small Peruvian city of Tingo Maria, markets are piled high with silver trays of the armadillo-like fruit. Locals soak them in water for a day or two, before peeling the brown armour to reveal an intensely orange flesh. The pulp is soaked, mashed and transformed into aguajina – a thick and custardy drink that tastes like cross between pumpkin pie and flan. Some locals say that the fruit contains oestrogen compounds and men should be careful of drinking too much of it, though there is little scientific evidence. "The aguajina is very useful – for the bone, for the skin, for the complexion – especially for women," says Gianina Pujay, an aguajinera who sells the drink across from Tingo Maria's fruit market. Cocona In the same region, the cocona fruit, a tropical relative of the common tomato, yields a tangy juice that tastes like a pineapple-papaya hybrid with a thick, almost oily body. "Many Amazonian fruits are consumed in juice form because their pulp is acidic, fibrous or difficult to eat raw, like the cocona," explains Miluska Carrasco, a researcher and nutritionist at Peru's Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, "It's also a practical way to use them quickly before they spoil." Camu camu Descending from the verdant slopes of the Andes into the Amazon Basin, the rivers slow down and transform into thoroughfares of commercial activity. On the banks of the Ucayali River is the river port city of Pucallpa, the furthest Peru's road system will take you into the centre of the Amazon. Here, where container barges, passenger ships and canoes all move goods around the forest, camu camu is a must-drink juice. The small, tart, plum-like fruit tastes like a sour strawberry with a hint of peach, and is a favourite of local juice vendors. "[It] has more vitamin C than oranges," says Carrasco, "[as well as] other bioactive compounds." Where a navel orange provides about 6mg of vitamin C per 100g, the camu camu contains more than 2,000mg for the same amount of flesh. The season for camu camu is short, however, typically between January and March, so take advantage of the fresh juice when it's available. Locals also eat the little plums with salt; just spit out the seeds. Tucumã In the heart of Brazil's vast Amazonas state, 700 miles east of Pucallpa as the toucan flies (and at least a week or more on a river boat), tucumã palms provide an orange fruit that's only in season from February to August. During this time, it's often eaten for breakfast with cassava flour and is a key ingredient in the state's signature x-caboquinho sandwich, where slices are layered with salty coalho cheese and sweet chunks of fried plantains. To make juice from the notoriously fibrous tucumã, vendors use peelers, blenders and sieves to reduce shavings of the fruit to a pulp and then filter out the lightly nutty liquid. According to Francisco Falcão, a farmer in the community of Bom Jesus in the Tefé National Forest, "people say that tucumã is good to eat and improves sight and skin". Indeed, the fruit is rich in both manganese and calcium. Where kiwi, which is relatively high in calcium, contains around 30mg of calcium per 100g, tucumã has been measured to contain around four times as much. Pupunha Also in the Tefé region, "there's a palm tree that people eat the fruit of," says Falcão. "Pupunha is a plant that we harvest starting in December and ending February." Spanish-speaking parts of the Amazon know this oily palm fruit as pejibaye or pijuayo, and it is a key source of natural fats as well as vitamin B1 and vitamin E. The pupunha grow in clusters of orange and red acorn-shaped fruit. They cannot be eaten raw, but once boiled they make a filling snack akin to an oily sweet potato. The boiled fruits also produce a creamy orange juice once fully pulped. In Peru, forest communities ferment the pulp into a lightly alcoholic drink called chicha or masato – especially during times of harvest. Cupuaçu In Manaus, capital of the Amazonas, reliable refrigeration means locals and visitors can enjoy fruits in various forms. The thick shell of the cupuaçu contains a collection of seeds surrounded by a fleshy white pulp. That pulp can be transformed into silky, tangy juice. But lately, locals have been incorporating its juice into ice cream. Indeed, the rest of Brazil is catching on, with ice cream parlours in Rio de Janeiro now offering the flavour too. More like this:• Spain's 'white gold' super-drink• A decadent avocado smoothie to break the Ramadan fast• The Caribbean's cooling, healthy elixir for summer Cupuaçu tastes like a creamy pineapple – surprising given that it's a close relative of cacao. "It's the same genus as cacao and people make cupulate [as opposed to chocolate from it]," says Daniel Tregidgo, a researcher at Brazil's Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development. "When you go to the markets there are huge piles of cupuaçu seeds. I look at that and I say that's hipster chocolate right there." Why haven't we heard of cupulate yet? In Tregidgo's opinion, "It's a matter of investment. If you take something from the middle of Amazon and you try to get it out into the global market without being exploitative, it is a bit tricky." Bars produced from cupuaçu have the flavour of chocolate but retain some of their citrus piquancy. Jenipapo In the Amazon delta, jenipapo is known for its traditional use as a blue dye and a temporary tattoo ink. The fruit itself, which grows all along Brazil's coast in addition to the Amazon, has a yellowish pulp that's a great source of vitamin B1 and zinc. While jenipapo can be consumed as a fresh juice that tastes a bit like dried apricots, try ordering licor de jenipapo, an infused cachaça liqueur served in small bars and botecos. Açaí While açaí has become a global wellness trend, the version served in the Amazon bears little resemblance to the frozen bowls found abroad. What many travellers don't realise is that there are seven distinct açaí palm species. Locals distinguish between açaí-do-Pará, açaí-do-mato and juçara, depending on region. In Belém, for example, vendors use pneumatic presses to extract the berry's thick, purplish pulp – sold in clear bags and consumed straight out of bowls with spoons, as if a purple gazpacho. Outside of its natural range in Brazil, the rest of the country enjoys the pulp prepared in yogurts and ice creams. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Roadblocks Removed For Quarry Sector
Press Release – Aggregate and Quarry Association NZ Aggregate and Quarry Association (AQA) CEO Wayne Scott says hes relieved to see today, the Governments package of proposed amendments to RMA instruments include several targeted at the extractive sector. The quarry sector is pleased its concerns have been heard about existing RMA national directions stymying access to the rock and sand resources needed to build homes and roads. Aggregate and Quarry Association (AQA) CEO Wayne Scott says he's relieved to see today, the Government's package of proposed amendments to RMA instruments include several targeted at the extractive sector. 'We have been saying to this and the previous Government that changes were needed to existing National Policy Statements on Highly Productive Land, Freshwater Management and Indigenous Biodiversity. 'While the changes were mostly minor, some existing wording was leading to bizarre outcomes such as quarries being told it could extract aggregate but not remove any of the overburden above it.' Wayne Scott says what the Government is now proposing will also allow for net positive environment outcomes and deserves to be welcomed. 'Currently, quarries sometimes seek consent applications such as where a piece of bush is needed for an extension but they have to be declined even when offering to plant several times the amount of affected land.' He says his sector has not sought to reduce environmental outcomes. 'Through the Fast-track Approvals legislation and these amendments, we have stressed we are after certainty and speed not environmental degradation. 'Our industry has worked for years to improve our environmental credentials and relations with our communities. We see these latest changes as helping both the environment and those communities who want the resources provided for their homes and roads.' He says on average one kilogram an hour of aggregate, rock and sand is accessed for every New Zealander.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Celebrating Biodiversity Day at Discovery Centre
Atlantic Watch The folks from the Discovery Centre share how they're celebrating Biodiversity Day and their new Mazes & Brain Games exhibit.
