European Commission wants to slash use of chemical pesticides by 50% by 2030
The European Commission wants to cut the use of chemical pesticides in half by 2030, as part of its latest plan on sustainability and biodiversity. The EU institution’s announcement, a piece of its ambitious Farm to Fork strategy, aims to make food systems more healthy and environmentally-friendly. The Commission said it does not want to […]
No public health without planetary health
April 7 marks WHO’s annual World Health Day, which this year has the theme “Our planet, our health”. The future health of the planet and human health are inextricably linked. An estimated 13 million deaths annually are attributable to avoidable environmental causes, and that number will continue to grow unless overconsumption and reliance on fossil fuels […]
UNESCO steps up efforts for biodiversity conservation
UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme today added 20 new sites, in 21 countries to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, which now numbers 727 biosphere reserves in 131 countries, including 22 transboundary sites. UNESCO Biosphere reserves now cover more than 5% of the Earth’s landmass, in which biodiversity conservation, environmental education, research and […]
Environmental Justice Impacts of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution
Vulnerable communities disproportionately bear the brunt of environmental degradation caused by plastics pollution, according to new UN Environment Programme report. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the non-governmental organisation Azul have released a new report highlighting how plastic pollution disproportionately affects marginalised communities and communities living in close proximity to plastic production and waste sites. […]
New report shows Indigenous and Tribal Peoples ‘best guardians’ of forests
Deforestation rates are significantly lower in Indigenous and Tribal territories where governments have formally recognized collective land rights, according to a new report. Jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC), Forest Governance by Indigenous […]
Biodiversity at risk, threatens human survival, UN forum hears
The Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay opened the UNESCO Forum on Biodiversity by pointing out that one year after its emergence, the COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed what we had already known; “by threatening biodiversity, humanity is threatening the conditions for its own survival”. “The pandemic demonstrated that human health depends on the […]
Nature-based Solutions can save the planet, but only if we change our diets too
Natural ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands and oceans, do a pretty good job of storing carbon and supporting biodiversity. It’s therefore no surprise that Nature-based Solutions (NbS) – actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems, for the benefit of people and nature – are being widely discussed by NGOs, multi-stakeholder platforms and coalitions of countries as […]
Historic UN Summit on Biodiversity
Recognizing that the continued deterioration and degradation of the world’s natural ecosystems were having major impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people everywhere, world leaders called for increased resolve to protect biodiversity at the UN. A record number of countries – nearly 150 countries and 72 Heads of State and Government – addressed the […]
Food Film Menu 2020: Best Food Film on Environment and Food announced
The short film Making Norway Taste the Picture from Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022, has been announced as winner of the Environment and Food category of the Food Film Menu 2020, organised by IGCAT. The film highlights how the nature and landscapes of Trondheim-Trøndelag give a unique flavour to its food and tells the […]
New Zealand calls for thousands of new ‘green’ jobs in bold comeback plan
«Rampant deforestation, uncontrolled expansion of agriculture, intensive farming, mining and infrastructure development, as well as the exploitation of wild species have created a ‘perfect storm’ for the spillover of diseases from wildlife to people.» Now, the real question is how do we make things right in the world, while avoiding the mistakes that brought us […]
Tourism, gastronomy and wine are inseparable in Europe
An international conference of the Iter Vitis European Cultural Route, took place in Motovun, Istria County on November 14-16, where IGCAT’s President was a key note speaker. The From heritage to brand conference, held as part of the Iter Vitis European Cultural Route General Assembly, brought together more than 200 experts, tourism employees, winemakers and […]
5 ways wasting food hurts the environment (and 5 ways you can fix it)
Some estimates reveal that Americans waste as much as 60 million tons of food a year. Given the plight of world hunger, this fact is shameful enough, but what many of us may not realize is that wasted food also has a harmful effect on the environment. So that we might be better stewards of the earth […]
