Biodiversity planning in Asia : a review of national biodiversity strategies and action plans [NBSAPs]

Background: The Gulf of Aqaba ( GOA)  hosts an extraordinary amount of marine diversity with the existence of corals, reef-building coral, and an unknown number of soft coral species. It is stated that the coral reefs of Jordan are amongst the most diverse per m2 in the world.  

The challenges: This unique ecosystem faces different challenges and threats, among these are the effects of tourism and the huge diving activities especially with the global interest in coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba which has encouraged tourists from worldwide to come to Aqaba and practice diving activities wildly, 

The solution: as a  solution to relieves the existing pressure,  several artificial reefs were introduced in the GOA- Jordan; Cedar Pride Shipwreck, Hercules C-130, The Tank, and the Underwater Military Museum. Those artificial reefs have diverted some pressure away from natural reefs while still allowing visitors to enjoy diverse marine life. Additionally, they became a habitat for several coral and other marine species.

The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project in Adamawa State, Nigeria, aims to combat land degradation and enhance climate resilience by promoting regenerative agriculture practices. Supported by the World Bank, this 6-year project (2022-28) targets landless smallholder farmers by persuading landowners to lease 2,100 hectares of land rent-free for 10 years.

Regenerative agriculture restores soil health through techniques like no-till farming, mulching, cover cropping, and reducing synthetic chemicals, while integrating livestock and bees into the farming system. These practices aim to rejuvenate soil degraded by intensive farming and promote sustainable agricultural productivity.

This initiative addresses challenges of soil degradation and food insecurity by promoting climate-resilient farming. The project not only restores the land but aims to set a precedent for adopting regenerative agriculture across Nigeria.

The She Leads Green Action Program (SLGAP) offers women aged 18-35 a six-week immersive experience focused on green actions and environmental sustainability. Through workshops, field trips, and hands-on projects, participants learn about the environment and how they can promote gender equality and lead sustainable actions.
Since its launch in June 2022, SLGAP has trained two cohorts of 60 women, providing them with leadership skills, climate change knowledge, and entrepreneurial tools to foster sustainable development. A major achievement is the rehabilitation of over 1,000 mangroves in Kunduchi Mtongani, enhancing coastal resilience.
The program has also inspired the creation of five women-led social businesses in sustainable agriculture, eco-products, and renewable energy. Additionally, 10 products and prototypes with scale-up potential have been developed, contributing to environmental and economic sustainability.
A strong alumni network ensures continued support through mentorship, coaching, and networking.

The “Strengthening Access to Solar Energy for the Bagyeli Indigenous Communities” project in South Cameroon addresses the Bagyeli’s climate change challenges, such as variable rainfall and temperature, which affect their livelihoods. These communities face poverty and vulnerability due to limited access to electricity, impacting education, health, and quality of life. This initiative aims to enhance their resilience by increasing solar energy access, building capacity in solar system maintenance, and raising climate change awareness. Beneficiaries include 500 people and 200 students, primarily women and youth. Expected outcomes include improved solar capacities in schools, enhanced youth skills, solar installations in community centers, and solar kits for 50 families, benefiting over 300 Bagyeli individuals.

The ‘ONE GOAL 100 TREES’ WE PLAY, WE PLANT Campaign is a dynamic initiative targeting youth at universities and colleges, using football as a powerful tool to promote environmental conservation. The campaign links the excitement of football with the goal of planting trees, encouraging students to score goals both on field and for the planet. For every goal scored in matches or tournaments, a commitment of 100 trees to be planted per score. This approach not only fosters teamwork and competition but also raises awareness about environmental issues, empowering students to actively contribute to a greener future. Through tree planting events and collaborations with university football clubs, the campaign inspires a culture of sustainability and responsibility among young people.

The TREEO Technology – the first dMRV tool certified under the Global Tree C-Sink standard from Carbon Standards International – lets you prove your tree planting efforts to your stakeholders through forest inventory and even carbon sequestration calculations. The TREEO App works through image processing and machine learning models based on tree allometry, which allow for the calculation of biomass (thus the amount of carbon in a tree) by measuring the tree’s diameter at breast height (DBH). The App then calculates the CO2 sequestered by tree in a matter of seconds. When the trees are small (with a DBH less than 3 cm and less than 1.3 m in height), you can still report tree evidence for your inventory and survival rate estimations via the App. The TREEO App also collects other data such as GPS coordinates, GPS accuracy, and azimuth, as well as tree species. This information is uploaded and stored on the TREEO Cloud, our data management system where you can manage your project, teams, and data.