26TH CONFERENCE OF PARTIES (COP26)

Infestation of desert locusts, which has plagued a vast swathe from eastern Africa to India in recent years, has been closely linked to climate change.
In this context, the Global Landscapes Forum Climate Hybrid Conference has proposed that plans to mitigate climate change must include action against pests and diseases.
The conference was recently held alongside the 26th Conference of Parties (CoP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Important points:

The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a short-horned grasshopper.
Harmless when solitary, locusts undergo a behavioural change when their population builds up rapidly.
They enter the ‘gregarious phase’ by forming huge swarms that can travel up to 150 km per day, eating up every bit of greenery on their way.
Locust infestations can harm livelihoods and be a threat to regional investments in ensuring food security.
In East Africa and Yemen alone, damages and losses in 2020 due to locusts could amount to as much as $8.5 billion.
The long-term response and recovery costs could top $1billion if swarm growth is not controlled.

Way forward:

Early Warning System: Satellite and weather data, along with field observations, can be used for building powerful predictive models on breeding sites.
True Cost Accounting: Counting the environmental and human costs through True Cost Accounting.
True Cost Accounting is a new type of bookkeeping that does not just look at the usual financial values within a company, but also calculates the impacts on natural and social capital.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT

Post Views: 35