The vast expanse of Central Asia holds some of the world’s largest untouched spaces. The grasslands, semi-deserts, and high mountain ranges which make up the majority of the regions ecosystems have given rise to some of the most weird and wonderful species on earth, such as the Saiga antelope pictured above. Central Asia has in some ways managed to fall off the map, as mainstream international press coverage, with the exception of Afghanistan, is limited to the occasional snippet on strange regimes, military build-ups punctuated by the intermittent arrival of naturalists and wildlife filmmakers. Beyond the borders of the various ‘stans’ that make up Central Asia little is really known of the region after being hidden behind the iron curtain for much of the 20th Century and only recently transitioning into a mixture of authoritarian regimes that are almost as insular. This has left environmentalists and naturalists scrambling around trying to figure out the state of biodiversity in nations that to this day are not always willing to take in visitors with open arms. However, looks can be deceiving as nations which were once so reclusive are beginning to open the doors just a crack and with that we can gain a glimpse into how the indigenous wildlife is faring and what the various challenges are to their survival. This mini report provides an overview of how our presence in Central Asia is impacting on the natural world and presents three regional case studies; Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan to illustrate biodiversity in a national context.

The gendered aspects of climate change are often discussed by international organizations, policy makers and researchers and yet there is a clear chasm between recognizing the disproportionate effect climate change has on women and girls versus implementing and seeing through policies or actions which would help to close this gap.

Cop15 2022 put biodiversity on the map for many in the financial and investment world and with it came a reminder of how crucial biodiversity and the natural world are to our ability to survive and thrive. US$41.7 trillion of economic value generation is either all or in part dependent upon nature, making the protection of our wild spaces and the various flora and fauna which reside within them of the upmost importance. However, the key to securing a balance between biodiversity and human development is not to look upon the value of the natural world in solely monetary terms. Instead, we must remind ourselves of how our survival as a species is deeply interconnected with those ecosystems on which we rely for food, fresh air, water, and raw materials.

As the global population tops eight billion we are facing challenges few of us would have envisioned even ten years ago. Food and water insecurity are already prevalent in "hunger hotspots" across the globe with famine threatening people from the Horn of Africa to Afghanistan. The impacts of war and violence are bleeding across national borders and migration is on the rise. The cost-of-living crisis is forcing families to choose between heating or eating and in some cases not being able to do either, instead being forced to rely on the charitable donations of others. Accessing basic resources is rapidly becoming a battle ground as affordability slips through the fingers of the general public, whilst political infighting leaves national economies in tatters. Meanwhile, climate change lingers over us exacerbating every crisis yet further leading to increased gender-based violence, displacement and malnutrition amongst children and adults alike. Yet, we continue our current path, patting ourselves on the back for making compromises at Cop27, or remembering to take the recycling out and all the while either forgetting about or failing to appreciate the bigger picture.

Never before has climate change been so apparent to the global population. As heat waves, wildfires, floods, and every imaginable extreme weather event continues to shake the foundations of modern society we are rapidly reaching a breaking point. As Europeans and Americans flock to the beaches and leave the fans and AC running 24/7 in an attempt cool down during the second major heat wave of the year it can be easy to forget the true source of the heat and how issues such as this are a daily battle for many areas of the global South. As climate change clashes with war, limited socio-economic development, pandemics, racial inequality, gender inequality, ineffective/inefficient governments and greenwashing across industry and agriculture it can be difficult to see any possible future for our planet.

2022 marked a year of hope as numerous nations continued to speak out on climate change and the need for sustainable development. The Cop26 agenda appeared to be in full force as not just international governments but entire communities were dedicated to making changes that would positively benefit our planet. Six months later and the progress we have made leaves much to be desired.

Cop26 is less than six months behind us and already we are seeing that the agreements made are not evergreen. Instead, autumn has come early as each pledge, like a leaf turned brown and weakened by the retraction of energy, falls from the tree, leaving the branches bare and waiting for another spring to grow back into full, but temporary glory. With Cop27 a year away the climate news of the last few weeks should create great cause for concern. Whilst pledges are being implemented, many are facing challenges and we must be patient in allowing both the private and public sector to find new solutions to the age-old issues that plague sustainability and net-zero aims.

Cop26 has proven, once again, to be a disappointment for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). As leaders, politicians and activists convened in Glasgow (UK) for the United Nations Climate Change Conference the initial utopian images of green energy, reduced plastic and a world dedicated to stopping the oncoming crisis morphed into a less promising picture. For those in the know, the inner political cogs had been whirring for some time and not all for the benefit of the climate…

Climate change is the single biggest threat to sustainable development and defined as Climate Action is Goal 13 on the Sustainable Development Goals. It’s impact on the environment and human health is monumental and the future of the earth depends on the extent to which nations implement prevention efforts.

The SDGs are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals developed by the United Nations. This article provides an introduction to the SDGs, their origins and the process of implementation that created these goals.