At present, our ability to comprehend the dynamics of food systems and the consequences of their rapid ‘transformations’ is limited. In this paper, we propose to address this gap by exploring the interactions between the sustainability of food systems and a set of key drivers at the global scale.

The Ethiopian Government has initiated a process of water policy reform. WLE/IWMI was approached by the Ministries of Agriculture and of Water, Irrigation, and Electricity to contribute to the review. Drawing from its research, WLE/IWMI brought new ideas to the policy reform table. These ideas include the concept of multiple water values; payment for ecosystem services; irrigation cost recovery, and irrigation performance benchmarking. These options have been incorporated in the draft policy document and will strengthen climate change adaptation.

Five years ago, the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by 193 countries. They set out an ambitious plan to eradicate global poverty and achieve sustainable development by 2030 ensuring that "no one is left behind". Work to deliver on that commitment has reaped some rewards, such as improving maternal and child health, expanding access to electricity and increasing women’s representation in government. Yet with just ten years left, we still have a very long way to go, especially in terms of meeting the 'climate and environment' commitments.

Investments in energy are urgently needed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Such investments can unlock access to water resources, increase food security, accelerate rural employment, and increase income. To achieve clean energy access and associated water and food security
sustainably and equitably, we recommend that the Group of Twenty (G20): (1) develop an understanding of accessible water resources and optimal rural energy system sizing; (2) strengthen the enabling policy and financial environment for renewable energy systems; (3)

This study investigates different provisioning services in the peri-urban landscapes of Manila conurbation through a case study of two villages in the Jala-Jala municipality of the Laguna de Bay area in the Philippines. Laguna de Bay is an ecologically productive and important watershed for the urban and peri-urban areas of Manila for the provision of food, freshwater, and other materials. However, the lake and its ecosystem are under threat because of rapid urbanization and associated land-use changes.

In a wave of global conservationism, Ecuador established two large protected areas in its Amazon region in 1979. One of these is the Reserva de Producción Faunística Cuyabeno (RPFC), located in the northeastern corner of the country. Given that this land was previously managed as commons by local indigenous groups, the establishment of protected areas has had numerous consequences for these people. The research conducted comprised three months’ fieldwork in three of the affected Siona communities, primarily through the use of participant observation.

Climate change may increase the importance of agriculture in the global Circumpolar North with potentially critical implications for pristine northern ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles. With this in mind, a global online survey was conducted to understand northern agriculture and farmers’ perspective on environmental change north of 60° N.

Due to their long-term dual structures and rapid urbanization, cities and villages in developing countries are undergoing the challenges of urban-rural integration and ecological security. This study aims to determine the pattern of urban-rural spatial structures under the circumstances of ecological security in the future to promote the integrated, coordinated, green, and sustainable development of urban-rural spaces.

The forest landscapes of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are changing dramatically, with a multitude of impacts from local to global levels. These changes invariably have their foundations in forest governance. The aim of this paper is to assess perceptions of key stakeholders regarding the state of forest governance in the countries of the GMS. The work is based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the perceptions of forest governance in the five GMS countries, involving 762 representatives from government, civil society, news media, and rural communities.

Economic globalization promotes the economic development of underdeveloped regions but also influences the ecological environments of these regions, such as natural forest degradation. For inland developing regions with underdeveloped traffic routes, are the effects on the ecological environment also as obvious?

ABSTRACTED FROM CONTEXT SECTION: A study was commissioned by the Mekong Region Land Governance Project (MRLG) to investigate the origins and the implications of implementing the 70 percent forestland policy, and to outline policy considerations. This discussion note aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of the origin, rationale, geography and tenure implications of the 70 percent policies.