This year’s World Economic Forum called for greater urgency in discussing the impacts of climate change on human security and social, political, and economic stability. And a recognition of the destabilizing effects of climate change also has led the UN to emphasize the risks they pose to the most vulnerable populations, including poor, conflict-affected, and displaced persons.

A window into what we’re reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

Declining Biodiversity May Increase Risk of Future Pandemics (Mongabay)

The COVID-19 pandemic that spread around the world in 2020 brought normal life to a standstill at many times in the past few years. But far from being a singular event, scientists and health experts warn that pandemics may become more common as biodiversity declines and spillover events become more likely.

A window into what we’re reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

Indonesia Considers Paris Agreement Exit Following US Withdrawal (Mongabay)

The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement has led other countries to reconsider their commitments to the international environmental treaty. In Indonesia, for instance, top officials have questioned whether developing countries should be expected to comply with the agreement as major polluters (including the US) opt out.

A window into what we’re reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

Declining Fish Stocks Threaten Lake Tanganyika Fishing Communities (Al Jazeera) 

For the millions who live on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, fishing is a way of life that has sustained generations. However, recent declines in fish production in the world’s largest freshwater lake have devastated Tanzania’s fishermen and prompted questions of the sustainability of the decades-long practice.

The Wutongshan River flows through the east suburbs of Shenzhen and the basin is an important ecological zone for Shenzhen, which is often referred to as the “lungs of Shenzhen.” Rich in plant and animal resources, this area is the city’s natural museum and a genetic reservoir for flora and fauna. The river importantly provides 70% of Hong Kong’s and 40% of Shenzhen’s water. 

Fifty-three years have passed since the 1972 United Nations Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment that led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Yet a recent UN report describes the global efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) created to articulate aims and track progress over the past decade as “alarmingly insufficient.”

A window into what we’re reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

The Success of Community-based Conservation in Africa (Yale 360)

Across Africa, herders once seen as threats to wildlife have now become vital conservationists. In a transformative shift from “fortress conservation” to community stewardship, they are protecting iconic species like elephants and lions as they coexist with their livestock.

As an economic model that emphasizes the continual use of resources by rethinking waste and product design and promoting a shared economy mindset, the “circular economy” (CE) now resonates across a wide range of stakeholders—including key players in the private sector, major environmental groups, individual countries, multilaterals, and donors. Yet progress in adopting CE among developing nations has been slow and uneven.