Earth Charter International’s Post

📣 Grant Alert! Alberta Ecotrust Foundation is accepting applications for their Springboard Grant until Sept 3. This grant is a capacity building grant and organizations can use the grant for developing competencies, developing new strategies, or improving processes or systems. The grant is open to organizations working in any of the following areas: ▪ Nature-based solutions and conservation ▪ Climate resilience and emissions reduction ▪ Circular economy ▪ Overarching/Foundational

Great to see the European Union vote in favour of the… 🌳 EU Nature Restoration Law 🌳 It’s the first continent-wide, comprehensive law like this and will play a crucial role in capturing and storing carbon. Curious about what it will involve? Here’s a brief overview: ✅ 100 billion Euros of EU funding to restore nature by 2050, with specific targets regarding… 🌱 10% tree cover in cities by 2050. 🌱 Reversing decline of pollinators by 2030. 🌱 No net loss of urban green spaces by 2030. 🌱 Restoration of peatlands, forests and marine habitats. 🌱 Restoration of soils and soil carbon, grassland butterflies and farmland birds. This is a fantastic step towards the long-term recovery of our natural ecosystems ♻️ And we hope others will be encouraged to follow the EU’s lead. Find out more about the aims and targets of this law in the link below… #Sustainability #NetZero #EuropeanUnion

Social and environmental scientists from Glasgow Caledonian University are collaborating with island communities in the Outer Hebrides to develop nature-based solutions addressing the damaging impact of climate change on coastal areas. 🌊 The four-year project, Muir is Tir (Land and Sea) – Adapting to Coastal Change on Barra and Vatersay, focuses on tackling coastal erosion while promoting environmental and community wellbeing. The islands of Barra and Vatersay are significantly affected by erosion, particularly along the sand dunes and beaches, due to exposure to storms and rising sea levels of the Atlantic Ocean. The coastal erosion threatens businesses, homes and landmarks. Natural ways to manage erosion in past projects elsewhere by the University have involved using shellfish reefs or timber structures. 🌱 Dr Heather Lynch from the University’s School of Health and Life Sciences will lead the initiative, alongside Professor Slobodan Mickovski and Dr Alejandro Gonzalez Ollauri from the School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment. 🌍 Funded by an £800,000 UKRI NERC: Natural Environment Research Council grant, the project engages a multidisciplinary team from Glasgow Caledonian, the University of St Andrews, The University of Edinburgh and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). Working in close partnership with local organisations — such as COIMHEARSNACHD BHARRAIDH AGUS BHATARSAIDH (BARRA AND VATERSAY COMMUNITY) LTD; VOLUNTARY ACTION BARRA & VATERSAY; and Eoligarry crofters — the project draws upon community expertise and scientific research. Collaborators also include The Blue Carbon Group, Nautilus Club and others dedicated to sustainable land and sea stewardship. 💧 Dr Lynch said: “Glasgow Caledonian is proud to lead this hugely important environmental protection and adaptation project, working with the local communities and environmental organisations on Barra and Vatersay, and other Scottish universities. 💬 “Meaningful community involvement is widely acknowledged as a weak area of environmental science, as community interests are rarely centred within mainstream scientific methods. That is why this project is so unique because it was formed in response to community interest, and community expertise is central to the approach. “The communities of Barra and Vatersay have much experience in managing coastal change. We need their expertise just as much as they need ours." 🤝 🔗 Check out the full story on our website: https://lnkd.in/dVxuccKb

🌍 A Major Step for Europe’s Ecosystems! 🇪🇺 At Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) - 14th European Conference on Ecological Restoration 2024 in Tartu, Estonia, the passing of the EU Nature Restoration Law was the hot topic! There’s excitement across the land restoration community, with many hopeful about scaling up efforts to restore ecosystems across the continent. The new regulation sets ambitious goals: 🌿 Restore at least 20% of ecosystems by 2030 🌍 Achieve full restoration by 2050 across the EU’s lands and seas 💧 Tackle climate change by fostering land recovery and achieving land degradation neutrality This law marks a turning point, providing a clear roadmap for Europe’s future, with sustained recovery of ecosystems and enhanced resilience against climate change. If you’re curious to know more, Deirdre Nagle and David Foy break down what this new law means and the challenges ahead in their latest opinion piece. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d8btmuZa #EUrestorationLaw #SERE2024 #LandRestoration #ClimateAction #Biodiversity #Sustainability #G20GLI #EcologicalRestoration

"Building a sustainable future starts on the ground we stand on. Today's toolbox talks on environmental awareness at our construction site. Together, let's construct with care, mindful of our impact on the planet. 🌱 Hasnain Raza MSc(Hons.) Environmental sciences #NEOM #EnvironmentalAwareness #SustainableConstruction"

The Peace Circle™ concept is gaining support at the EU level 🌍🌱 At the request of the EU's environmental commission, Mika Vanhanen recently spoke with the Team Leader of Urban Environment Policy at the European Commission, who showed strong support for the Peace Circle™ concept. "Fantastic idea!" that fits perfectly with many EU-level themes. Peace Circle™ combines environmental protection, peacebuilding, and community engagement – practical solutions for sustainable development. EU views on the Peace Circle™ concept: 🔹 Brussels as one of potential locations: The city of Brussels was highlighted as an excellent place for a future Peace Circle park. 🔹 Ecosystem services: Peace Circle™ is a place for recreation and supports biodiversity, climate change mitigation, as well as mental and physical well-being. 🔹 Urban green spaces: The concept works especially well in urban areas, where forests and trees offer numerous benefits. 🔹 EU-level support: The European Parliament and its members could be significant supporters of the concept, which aligns with the European Green Deal and the urban targets of the nature restoration law. 🔹 Perfect timing: Cities are currently measuring and monitoring their green spaces – now is the perfect time to advance a project like this! European Commission Aura Salla Mika Aaltola Maria Guzenina #greendeal #EU

#calltoaction Sign SER-Europe's co-authored Letter of Concern on the Rollback of EU Green Deal Ambitions The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Europe has co-authored an open letter to express its concern on the rollback of European Union's #GreenDeal ambitions. In the letter, the scientific community urges the new European Commission, European Parliament, and Member States to restore the European #GreenDeal's original #ambition by reversing recent deregulations that undermine transformative environmental goals and fail to align with Earth's #planetaryboundaries. Instead, it calls for a robust and science-based agenda that prioritises #sustainability over short-term economic interests. We at SER-Europe invite you to sign the open letter in personal name. Read the letter here: https://lnkd.in/d9zZNzUS Link to sign: https://lnkd.in/dMsUYiqu Find out more about the #EUGreenDeal here: https://lnkd.in/eaHSHdT8 #europeancommission #eugreendeal #calltoaction #signnow Kris Decleer

A few days ago I was able to read an article that talks about the importance of protecting macroalgae forests in Latin America. After a meeting of macroalgae mappers held in Punta Arenas (Chile), it proposes establishing protection figures for species that are threatened by overexploitation and the climate crisis. A call made by more than 230 scientists from 18 countries that warns about the importance of increasing the effective protection of macroalgae forests (also called kelp or huiros) in the environmental policies of Latin America was the impetus that a group of researchers led by Nur Arafeh-Dalmau (Stanford University) managed to concretize in a letter published in the prestigious scientific journal Science. The letter proposes three axes of action. The first is the efficient protection of 30% of macroalgae forests in the environmental policies of Latin America. The second is to establish protection figures for species that are threatened by overexploitation and the climate crisis. The third is the need to identify and protect persistent and resilient macroalgae forests. Today, humans eat algae or use them for cosmetics. In short, we are destroying these marine forests, which feed a great diversity of fish and are the ones that do the work of absorbing CO2. Let's recover ecosystems with this coastal mining, we will extract iron and these clean sands will give way to marine reforestation.

🌍 How do we inspire the next generation of environmentalists? Environmental Science for the AP Course authors Andrew (Andy) Friedland and Rick Relyea share their journey of creating a textbook that promotes a balanced view of environmental issues while inspiring students to take action. On Earth Day, explore how their approach to teaching fosters a passion for the environment and guides students toward sustainable living. #EarthDay #EarthDay2024 #APEnvironmentalScience #APClass #Sustainability #Education

Great to see the Council formally adopting the first-of-its-kind regulation on nature restoration! This new law aims to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. This is a significant step towards addressing climate change, enhancing food security, and protecting biodiversity. Restoring healthy ecosystems is crucial for clean air and water, fertile soil, and a stable climate. They support diverse wildlife and are essential for our well-being and economic prosperity. With specific targets set for various ecosystems, from forests and rivers to urban green spaces, this regulation ensures a comprehensive approach to restoration. Member states will prioritize Natura 2000 sites, implement measures to reverse the decline of pollinators, and help plant at least three billion additional trees by 2030. I'm excited to see proactive steps being taken to restore and protect our environment. Let’s support and track the progress of this initiative as it aims to create a sustainable and thriving natural world for all. #NatureRestoration #EU #Biodiversity #ClimateAction #Sustainability #EnvironmentalProtection