Integrating Ecosystem Solutions blog posts

A banana boom in Northern Lao was attracting some attention as people noticed the ill effects of what was assumed to be pesticide overuse. Coordinating with research and government agencies, evidence was gathered that helped bring about policy change.

Interview: How do we evaluate food systems while considering the social, human, and environmental dimensions across the value chain?

As dam construction surges across Southeast Asia’s Mekong region, major changes in river flows, sedimentation, and fisheries are taking place. WLE Greater Mekong has been compiling a free and publicly available Dam Observatory that collects data on planned and constructed hydropower and irrigation dams in four Southeast Asian river basins.

In an era of rampant land development and increasing climate unpredictability, the world is growing used to alarming images of flooded city streets. But cities can combat these floods by turning themselves into "sponge cities". 

"What gets measured, gets managed." Proper management of ecosystem services could support 41 SDG targets spread across 12 SDG goals. Here's how. 

The world is currently facing a daunting double challenge: human populations and material demands are increasing while natural resources are declining at an alarming rate.

Will restoring or attempting to recreate the 'natural' flows of rivers downstream of large dams for the benefit of ecosystems actually help or hinder local communities? 

The Asia-Pacific Regional Assessment for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has been drafted and is ready for external review. Get involved!

What changes need to take place in order to make agriculture socially, economically and environmentally sustainable while also being productive? What role does research play in bringing about this transformational change?

The WLE Focal Regions (2014-2016) were an ambitious attempt to apply the fundamental underpinnings of WLE at scale: sustainable intensification of agriculture and substantive investment in gender.