SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 15

(LIFE ON A LAND)

There was a dog on the beach.

This dog liked to ...

Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG 15 or Global Goal 15) is about "Life on land". One of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015, the official wording is: "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss". The Goal has 12 targets to be achieved by 2030. 

Humans depend on earth and the oceans to live. This goal aims at securing sustainable livelihoods that will be enjoyed for generations to come. The human diet is composed 80% of plant life, which makes agriculture a prime economic resource. Forests cover 30 percent of the Earth's surface, provide vital habitats for millions of species, and important sources for clean air and water, as well as being crucial for combating climate change. 

TARGET 15.1: CONSERVE AND RESTORE TERRESTRIAL AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS

The full title of Target 15.1 is: "By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial & their services in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and dry lands, in line with obligations under international agreements. 

This target has two indicators;

TARGET 15.3: END DESERTIFICATION AND RESTORE DEGRADED LAND

The full title of Target 15.3 is: "By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world." This target has one indicator: Indicator 15.3.1 is the "Proportion of land that is degraded over the total land area".

Desertification is defined by the degradation of dry-lands as a result of various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Desertification can be prevented by integrating land and water management to protect soils from erosion and degradation, protecting the vegetation, integrating the use of land for farming among others. Desertification affects as much as one-sixth of the world's population, 70% of all drylands, and one-quarter of the total land area of the world. It also leads to spreading poverty and the degradation of billion hectares of cropland.

TARGET 15.4: ENSURE CONSERVATION OF MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEMS

The full title of Target 15.4 is: "By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development." This target has two indicators: 

The Mountain Green Cover Index measured the percentage of mountain environments covered by green areas and the capacity of those areas to fulfil their ecosystem roles.  As of 2017, 76% of the world's mountain areas were covered by green vegetation, including forests, shrubs, grassland and cropland.

TARGET 15.5: PROTECT BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL HABITATS

The full title of Target 15.5 is: "Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. This target has one indicator i.e. "Red List Index". The Red List Index (RLI) shows trends in overall extinction risk for species and is used by governments to track their progress towards targets. If the RLI value is 1.0, it means that species are categorized as 'Least Concern'.  If the RLI value is 0, this means that the species have gone extinct. A report in 2020 stated that globally, the species extinction risk has worsened by about 10 per cent over the past three decades. The Red List Index is declining, from 0.82 in 1990 to 0.75 in 2015 to 0.73 in 2020. 

A report in 2018 stated that "biodiversity must be mainstreamed across these sectors and spatial planning integrated accordingly. It also tackles the importance of taking care of land degradation and restoring them where possible. An important goal in 2021 is for the world to agree on a new biodiversity framework at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the CBD in Kunming, China.

TARGET 15.5.A: REDUCE URBANIZATION

Urbanization leads to land loss and affects natural ecosystems, and the impact of urbanization on biodiversity is more serious than other forms of human activities (Czech,et al,2000). Urbanization leads to light and noise pollution that affect the physiology, behavior and reproduction of many animals (Newport et al. 2014). Biodiversity considerations seem to be one of the least important factors. A healthy and functional natural environment is essential to promote sustainable economic growth and is conducive to human health and happiness.

TARGET 15.6: PROTECT ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES AND FAIR SHARING OF THE BENEFITS

The full title of Target 15.6 is: "Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed. This target has one indicator i.e. "Number of countries that have adopted legislative, administrative and policy frameworks to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits. 

This indicator is used to track countries' participation in protocols related to the promotion and sharing of genetic resources for plants, food and agriculture. As of 2020, there are now 146 contracting parties to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and 56 countries have provided information about their access and benefit-sharing measures.

TARGET 15.7: ELIMINATE POACHING AND TRAFFICKING OF PROTECTED SPECIES

The full title of Target 15.7 is: "Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products. This target has one Indicator: Indicator 15.7.1 is the "Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked". Now on earth, nearly three-quarters of threatened or near-threatened species are being over-exploited for trade and/or subsistence purposes representing a leading global threat to biodiversity. For several Critically Endangered taxa, such as rhinos, pangolins and wedgefish, trade-driven over-exploitation represents the greatest threat to their survival. 

Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, a wide range of policy responses have been proposed. Extreme proposals include calls for a complete ban on the use and trade of wildlife or blanket global measures for entire Classes of wildlife.