Coronavirus HandBook

In this certainly very challenging moment, relying on the latest available science is more crucial than ever. This is why I would like to share the Coronavirus Tech Handbook, which provides a space where technologists, specialists, civic organizations, and public and private institutions can collaborate on a rapid and sophisticated response to the outbreak. It is a dynamic resource with many hundreds of contributors that is evolving very quickly. Its design is easy to read, intuitive to use, and allows for easy long term engagement. With your help, we can produce a comprehensive library of all known resources for mitigating every impact of the pandemic.

Created by the London College of Political Technologists, it features everything from tips for remote working to tools for data visualization and fighting misinformation.

The road to the strategy on the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030 is expected to be a global call to action, drawing together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration. Everyone is invited to help shape the Decade.

Background and strategy

In March 2019, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2021–2030 the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The coordination of the Decade is co-led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The overall strategy for the Decade —which includes vision, objectives, roles and responsibilities of the organizations involved, monitoring of successful restoration and means of financing large-scale action—was developed in consultation with many stakeholders between March 2019 and January 2020 through more than 25 workshops, numerous meetings, conference calls and engagements on the side of the Rio Convention meetings.

Participants included governments, United Nations agencies, international and local non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academia, youth groups, faith-based organizations and secretariats of the Rio Conventions—for a total of over 150 individuals and 50 organizations.

All agreed that the Decade provides an unprecedented opportunity for restoration and conservation of ecosystems to significantly contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, namely ending poverty, conserving biodiversity, combating climate change and improving livelihoods for everyone, everywhere.

There was also general consensus that major changes in societal mindsets are needed to mobilize the resources for restoring the hundreds of millions of hectares of degraded terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Such changes entail embracing a new ethical imperative to restore and conserve ecosystems to preserve healthy ecosystems, and the myriad benefits that flow from them, for future generations. If such an imperative were to become a societal norm globally, then decision makers in governments and the private sector would have no choice but to make substantial investments in preserving ecosystems.

The vision for the Decade is a world where—for the health and well-being of all life on Earth now and in the future—the relationship between humans and nature is restored, the area of healthy ecosystems increased, their loss and degradation brought to a halt. Underpinning this vision are two main goals:

• to enhance global, regional, national and local commitments, and actions to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems

• to increase and apply our understanding of successful ecosystem restoration in education systems and within all public and private sector decision-making

Take action

Accomplishing this vision and the two accompanying goals will require the effort of the entire global community.

Governments are expected to commit national budgets to upscale restoration efforts in their own countries.

Non-governmental organizations will need to increase their capacity-building of local communities and government technicians to embark on new restoration projects.

United Nations agencies will be tasked to coordinate all the stakeholders involved and ensure that major inroads are made into activities like national accounting on restoration success and embedding restoration into school curricula.

Academics will be asked to steer their research towards honing restoration protocols and monitoring restoration success from on-the-ground data capture to remote sensing.

And indigenous peoples’ groups, women’s groups, youth groups and civil society at large will be consulted and included in the roll-out of on-the-ground operations to upscale restoration efforts in specific ecosystems.

Although governments, United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations will support and guide the Decade, and lead many of its activities, small non-governmental organizations and hundreds of millions of individuals, from school children to the elderly, will be called on to develop and take ownership of the initiatives, ideas and imperatives catalysed within the Decade.

Individuals could, for example, be inspired to write, paint, draw, speak, philosophize, fund, analyse, plant, seed, cultivate, water, teach, vote, campaign, mobilize, raise awareness or collaborate. Their involvement could lead to activities such as: restoring local ecosystems; implementing agroecological farming; establishing ecosystem restoration plots in local parks, schools and universities; posting podcasts; painting murals; holding talks in community halls; conducting citizen science in restored ecosystems; forming local non-governmental organizations that focus on ecosystem restoration; leading hikes to explore the restoration potential of a particular landscape. The sky is the limit!

Number of CoronaVirus cases rise in the United States

The quantity of affirmed cases in the United States bounced from 65 to 88 throughout the end of the week. States across the nation revealed new contaminations, including the nation's initial two passings.

The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in mainland China climbed to over 80,000 over the weekend, although at 202, the number of daily new cases is the lowest since January 23 — when emergency measures were introduced. Outside of China the virus has in recent days spread rapidly, now to 57 countries, according to the World Health Organization. In all, the illness has killed nearly 3,000 people.

No country should make ‘fatal’ mistake of ignoring COVID-19: Tedros

All countries should do more to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus and none should make the “fatal” mistake of assuming that it won’t be affected,  UN health agency chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Thursday.

Virus ‘does not respect borders’

“Whether we get it wrong or right is in our hands… every country must be ready for its first case, its first cluster, the first evidence of community transmission and for dealing with sustained community transmission…These are four scenarios, and it must be preparing for all of those scenarios at the same time. No country should assume it won’t get cases; that could be a fatal mistake, quite literally. This virus does not respect borders.”

Citing the latest COVID-19 data, updated at 6am in Geneva on Thursday, the WHO Director-General said that China had confirmed 78,630 cases, including 2,747 deaths.

Africa has both the energy and the determination’ to make sustainable development happen, says UN deputy chief

The United Nations and the African Union (AU) should do more to ensure all Africans see their futures in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)and the goals of Africa’s Agenda 2063, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said on Tuesday in Zimbabwe.

“Since no country is on track to deliver by 2030, every country must increase its ambition,” Ms. Mohammad said in her opening address to the Sixth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, running through Thursday, 27 February,in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

That ambition starts with national plans, policies, budgets, and institutions that are commensurate with what it will take to deliver universal access to quality social services and an economy that provides decent jobs for all.

Humans are a bigger source of climate-altering methane, new studies suggest

When it comes to forecasting global warming, methane is an unpredictable, menacing figure. The greenhouse gas is 28 times more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a 100-year span. And as the planet warms, scientists fear vast stores of the gas will be released from Arctic permafrost and the deep ocean, warming the planet even further.

Evidence from two new studies offers hope: First, a swift release of massive quantities of ancient methane is unlikely. Second, humans seem to be a bigger source of modern methane emissions than previously thought—meaning people have more control over how much winds up in the atmosphere. “It’s generally encouraging news,” says Michael Dyonisius, a geochemist and graduate student at the University of Rochester (U of R) who led the study of ancient methane.

Polio eradication a UN priority, says Guterres in Pakistan visit

During his first official visit to Pakistan as UN Secretary-General, António Guterres stopped at a kindergarten in Lahore on Tuesday, as the country kicked off its initial nationwide polio campaign for the year. 

While there is no cure for polio, vaccination can protect a child for life, and the campaign this month aims to reach more than 39 million children. 

“Polio is one of the few diseases we can eradicate in the world in the next few years. This is a priority of the United Nations and I am extremely happy to see it is a clear priority for the Government of Pakistan,” said Mr. Guterres. 

Jeff Bezos: World's richest man pledges $10bn to fight climate change

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has pledged $10bn (£7.7bn) to help fight climate change. - BBC

The world's richest man said the money would finance work by scientists, activists and other groups. Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos will commit $10bn to fund scientists, activists, nonprofits and other groups fighting to protect the environment and counter the effects of climate change, he said on Monday.

Bezos is already an investor in Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a fund whose mission is to finance the development of technologies that can mitigate climate change and reduce the use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions in industries, including energy generation, food production, and manufacturing.

Major airlines say they’re acting on climate change, The Conversations Report research reveals how little they’ve achieved

Several of the world’s major airlines have announced plans to become “carbon neutral”, while others are trialing new aviation fuels. But are any of their climate initiatives making much difference?

The research found three-quarters of the world’s biggest airlines showed improvements in carbon efficiency – measured as carbon dioxide per available seat. But that’s not the same as cutting emissions overall.

Romance with the Environment

Valentine is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and is recognized as a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world. While the concept of showing love extends majorly between man and his loved ones, the very system that supports our very existence is left out in this show of love and affection.

The system - Mother Nature provides the very resources for man’s giftings to his neighbor, however, it doesn’t get any in return or perhaps it does, just in tonnes of waste. The Green Institute makes it a tradition to ensure that Mother Nature shares in these displays of deep affection by hosting a get-together called, Romance With The Environment.

A tradition of the Green Kids Club celebrated to express our love for the environment. It was observed on the 14th of February 2020 which was observed in the form of a gathering geared towards sharing love with Mother Nature

The get-together was organized in the form of a picnic for the members of the club.

Event organizer: Green kids club

Implementing club: Green kids club of HOMAJ INT’LL secondary school

Venue: Homaj field compound

Number of attendees: 19

Activities

The get together began with the recitation of the Green pledge. Presentation of two topics that have to do with the environment was presented by two members of the club:

Agunbiade Oluwaseun talked about pollution in the environment, explaining the meaning of pollution and its different types (air, water, land, and visual pollution), with examples of each of the types and how they affect the environment accompanied with contributions by other members during the talk.

Akintola Olufunke talked about deforestation, explaining the meaning, reasons for it, its effect on the environment and how it can be curbed.

Okojie Peace (Commissioner of innovation and social entrepreneurship) went on afterward to read a story about Pamee and the looking pond (a Green Kids Club storybook) to the members.

There was a Cycling competition where members took part in the event and Ezekiel Destiny (Commissioner of sport) took charge of organizing the members in groups and monitoring the race. Fagboye Favour (Commissioner of Happiness) timed the event all through. Before the bicycle riding began, Miss Arinjeniwa Foluke explained cycling as a means of Green Transportation and also Green transportation in detail.

A puzzle game was done as well, where the members helped the elephants find the recycle bin. Miss Adeeko Oluwaseunfunmi helped to identify which was correct and why after they had all carried out the activity.

Green fruits were then served such as pineapple, apple, and banana to the member as prepared by Adebayo Opeyemi (Commissioner of health). The event was then brought to a close with a dancing session and then the recitation of the Green Pledge.

Victim-centred laws ‘paramount’ to combat online sexual abuse against children

Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, expressed concern over an unprecedented spike in reports of child sexual abuse material online, noting the scale and complexity of the problem and the enormous harm it is causing.

“By virtue of their commitments under several human rights treaties, States have the primary responsibility to establish a comprehensive legal framework and strategies to protect children in the digital environment, encompassing the early detection of cases, appropriate services, child-friendly reporting mechanisms and effective remedies,” the experts said. “Victim-centred laws and policies are of paramount importance and perpetrators must be held to account.”

Climate Change Could Trigger More Landslides in High Mountain Asia (NASA)

More frequent and intense rainfall events due to climate change could cause more landslides in the High Mountain Asia region of China, Tibet and Nepal, according to the first quantitative study of the link between precipitation and landslides in the region.

High Mountain Asia stores more fresh water in its snow and glaciers than any place on Earth outside the poles, and more than a billion people rely on it for drinking and irrigation. The study team used satellite estimates and modeled precipitation data to project how changing rainfall patterns in the region might affect landslide frequency.

The drive for quality education worldwide, faces ‘mammoth challenges’

Aligning inclusive, quality education with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was centre-stage on Friday, as the President of the UN General Assembly held a high-level interactive meeting for the International Day of Education.       

“The education sector is wrestling with mammoth challenges worldwide”, said Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, in his message for the day.

Listing them, he said there was a “precipitate decline” in the quality and standards of education; a widening knowledge gap between students in technically advanced societies and those in developing countries; a crisis of learning in conflict zones; growing school bullying, and “the declining esteem of the teaching profession” overall.

Mr. Muhammad-Bande maintained that today’s education must “bridge the yawning gap” between the modern employment needs for specialized skills, and actual learning opportunities.

Climate crisis: Antarctic continent posts record temperature reading of 18.3°C

Fresh fears of accelerating damage to the planet’s ice sheets and sea level rise have been fuelled by confirmation from the UN’s weather agency that the Antarctic likely saw a new temperature record of more than 18°C on Thursday. 

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, spokesperson Clare Nullis from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said that the record reading taken in the north of the continent, would be considered unusual, even during the current warmer summer months. 

“The Argentine research base, which is called Esperanza, it’s on the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula; it set a new record temperature yesterday: 18.3°C, which is not a figure you would normally associate with Antarctica even in summertime. This beat the former record of 17.5°C, which was set back in 2015.” 

Experts at WMO will now verify whether the temperature extreme is a new record for the Antarctic continent, which is defined as the main continental landmass. 

Slight fall in coronavirus infections ‘nothing to celebrate’, says UN health agency

A slight drop overnight in the number of people infected by the new coronavirus is welcome but “nothing to celebrate”, a top UN health official said on Thursday.

Dr Michael Ryan, head of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme, was speaking in Geneva after confirmation that there are now 28,060 confirmed cases of infection in China and 564 deaths - with 225 cases in 24 other countries, where one death has been recorded, in the Philippines.

“Although we are pleased that the numbers from today are the first day in which the overall numbers of confirmed cases reported from China have dropped, and so we are thankful, and I’m sure our colleagues on the frontline in China are thankful too”, he said.

“But it is very difficult to make any prediction relating to that. We are still in the middle of an intense outbreak and we need to be very careful on making any predictions.” 

Natural disasters cost world $232 billion in 2019: Report

A report from global consultancy Aon has revealed that 409 “natural catastrophe events” in 2019 resulted in economic losses of $232 billion, of which insurance programs covered $71 billion. The “Weather, Climate & Catastrophe Insight: 2019 Annual Report” analyzes the impact of natural disasters around the world to “identify trends, manage volatility, and enhance resilience.”

The two costliest insurance events were Typhoon Hagibis and Typhoon Faxai. Both occurred in Japan and respectively caused $9 billion and $6 billion worth of damage. Inland flooding, meanwhile, was the costliest disaster overall, causing global economic losses of $82 billion. Tropical cyclones followed close behind, at $68 billion.

Similarly, the economic loss due to severe weather events and droughts during 2019 was $41 billion and $23 billion respectively.

The year 2019 was also the second warmest for land and oceans since 1851, with average temperature hovering over 0.95 degree Celsius — above the 20th century average.

‘Spectre of poverty’ hangs over tribes and indigenous groups: UN labour agency

Indigenous and tribal communities are around three times more likely to face extreme poverty than others with women “consistently at the bottom of all social and economic indicators”,- UN labour experts said on Monday.

Highlighting new data showing that disproportionate numbers of indigenous people live on less than $1.90 a day – 18.2 per cent versus 6.8 per cent of non-indigenous people - the International Labour Organization (ILO) insisted that millions are being held back by a “spectre of poverty”.

The problem warrants global attention because this at-risk population is significantly larger than was previously thought, ILO insists.

According to the UN organization, there are more than 476 million indigenous people globally, the majority of whom live in relatively prosperous countries.

CoronaVirus: Eleven confirmed cases in the US

Health officials Sunday announced three more cases of the coronavirus in California, bringing the state's total to six and the country's total to 11 cases. - CNN

The State Department has warned Americans to avoid all travel to China due to the "rapidly spreading" outbreak. The decision came after the WHO designated the outbreak a global public health emergency.

Two new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in San Benito County, California, the county public health department said.  

Health officials told CBS San Francisco the new two people were a husband and wife have also tested positive for the illness. Of more concern was that health officials said the husband, who had recently returned from Wuhan, had infected his wife with the disease.

Green Educators Workshop - First Edition (Summary)

The Green Institute hosted its first Green Educators Workshop for students and Teachers in High Schools, this is inline with the Institutes mission.

Our mission is to build the next generation of sustainability innovators through education, advocacy and social entrepreneurship.

The opening introduction was given by Simileoluwa Kafaru, the Team Lead of the Institute on what the Institute is all about and an introductory speech on what to expect from the workshop

In attendance was Kitan David, the cofounder and CEO of SeedDev and Abraham Akpan, the Director of Emerging communities Africa and Akure Tech hub. They both came around and gave a talk on Tech for Social Good. Challenging individuals to upskill and educate themselves to be globally competitive.

Mr Kitan Davis

Kitan Davis, one of the invited speakers spoke on tech for social good, sharing light on how Nigerian youths need to reinvent themselves through continuous personal development to be globally competitive.

We are advocates of the 3.R’s and its only natural for us to have a session that accommodates this. Thus, we had a skill acquisition session which trained participants on the use of recycled materials for making awesome and beautiful frames.

The participants were equipped with strategies that enables them have an Active Green Club in their respective schools and techniques to ensure participation of club members.

Mr Akpan Abraham

Mr. Akpan Abraham started with a game of Simon says which cooled off everyone and got them excited about his talk where he shed light on the fact that we do not need to climb mountains to solve problems but by looking at our environment and see the immediate needs we can proffer innovative solutions.

The Green Team

The closing remark was given by Miss Adeeko Seunfunmi, the Lead Organizer and Miss Arijeniwa Foluke.

Corona Virus - All you need to know

The Corona virus is speculated to have originated from the Wuhan Seafood market in China.

At least 170 people have died from a new coronavirus in China following an outbreak in the central city of Wuhan, forcing a government lockdown in almost 20 cities that, in effect, has quarantined an estimated 56 million people.

Nearly 8,000 cases have been reported, most of them in China and especially in Wuhan and nearby cities in Hubei province.

On 31 December 2019, WHO was alerted to several cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. The virus did not match any other known virus. This raised concern because when a virus is new, we do not know how it affects people. WHO has been working with Chinese authorities and global experts from the day we were informed, to learn more about the virus, how it affects the people who are sick with it, how they can be treated, and what countries can do to respond.