Sustainable Development Goal 15. Life on Land
SDG 15: Preservation, restoration and promotion of sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable forest management, combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation and halting biodiversity loss
Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG 15 or Overall Goal 15) is for "Life on Land". One of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations in 2015, the official wording is: "Protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable forest management, combating desertification, and halting and reversing degradation and halting land biodiversity loss. "The target has 12 sub-targets to be achieved by 2030. Progress towards targets is measured by 14 indicators.
15.1 Ensure the protection, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in accordance with the obligations arising from international agreements.
15.2 Promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, stop deforestation and restore damaged forests, and significantly increase afforestation and reforestation worldwide.
15.3 Combating desertification, restoring degraded lands and soils, including those affected by desertification, drought and floods, and striving for a world free of land degradation.
15.4 Ensure the protection of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, with a view to strengthening their capacity to deliver essential benefits for sustainable development.
15.5 Take urgent and substantial action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, protect and prevent the extinction of endangered species.
15.6 Promoting fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources and promoting appropriate access to such resources.
15.7 Take urgent action to eradicate poaching and illegal trafficking in protected animal and plant species and to address the demand for and supply of illegal wildlife products.
15.8 Measures to prevent the introduction and significant mitigation of the negative impacts of invasive non-native species in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and to control or destroy those species.
15.9 Integrating biodiversity values and ecosystems into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and reporting.
15.a Mobilize and significantly increase funding from all sources dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems.
15.b Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide sufficient incentives for developing countries to develop sustainable management, including forest protection and reforestation.
15.c Strengthen global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking in protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to find opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
For a long time we lived with the idea that nature is eternal, infinite, inexhaustible, generous and will always shower people with free gifts. Sometimes, however, both adults and children are reckless with it. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to protect planet Earth. Every year, 8,000 people die from environmental pollution. In one year, one inhabitant of the planet throws away a thousand kilograms of garbage. In this way it pollutes the air and groundwater. 80% of all diseases are transmitted through the use of polluted water – 25 million people die from it. It is estimated that 8 million people will die by 2040 from the smog that hangs over our planet. In hot countries, beautiful forests are disappearing. This is one of the wonders of nature. More than half of the animals, plants and fungi that exist on Earth live here. People are destroying timber forests to pave the way, to plow the fields. Every day, 5 million trees die under the saw. the need to protect nature, to protect our Earth. Take care of every tree, every bush! Do not pick flowers, do not break trees, do not destroy nests, do not throw waste.
Terrestrial ecosystem life is an initiative aimed at combating the destruction of the planet’s surface and limiting the loss of biodiversity.
This objective aims to take measures to prevent and overcome habitat loss due to land degradation resulting from the link between the world’s population and nature.
The implementation of this goal is planned for 2030.
Reasons for the destruction of life in terrestrial ecosystems
The loss of biodiversity causes drought, subsequent desertification and floods leading to a loss of arable land of about 12 million hectares each year.60% of human energy intake comes from only 3 cereals (rice, corn and wheat). This requires large areas of arable land, which in turn requires deforestation and deforestation and the elimination of animal species in these areas.Poaching due to the trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna causes degradation of ecosystems.The destruction of mountain ecosystems has a significant detrimental effect, as they provide the largest share of fresh water on the planet.
Importance of preserving the life of terrestrial ecosystems
Ecosystems consist of many elements such as the air we breathe, the water and food we consume every day, and they largely come from the forests that make up 30% of the planet.In addition, about 80% of the world’s freshwater comes from mountainous areas.Due to the above, the preservation of ecosystems is essential for life.About 80% of the world’s human food comes from agriculture, making it an important development sector worldwide. In this sense, wildlife trafficking, in addition to degrading biodiversity, creates food insecurity and corruption.People living in situations of vulnerability due to lack of means of production are most affected, as approximately 74% of people living in poverty suffer directly from land degradation. And in this context, women living in poor rural areas are most affected.Only 15% of biodiversity is protected and there are 7,000 animal and plant species that have been trafficked illegally. This causes significant loss of global biodiversity and many species at risk. Which generates major imbalances in ecosystems and in human life.Many cultures are associated with traditional values, religious beliefs and teachings. Whose imbalances in ecosystems have a detrimental effect on the population belonging to this culture. For example, about 80% of people living in rural areas in developing countries depend on natural extracts that they use as traditional medicines for their basic health and are found in plants.
Actions to protect the life of terrestrial ecosystems
- To protect the forests where mountain areas are located, due to their importance, in terms of the origin of freshwater and wetlands. For which it is necessary to stop illegal deforestation and to encourage reforestation, to restore degraded soils. All this in accordance with the commitments of international agreements.
- Stop poaching and trafficking in protected species through increased vigilance and law enforcement without corruption.
- Increase financial resources to stop land degradation and thus prevent the loss of biodiversity.
- Increase financial support for programs that promote opportunities and opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
- Promote alternatives to foods other than cereals that are commonly consumed worldwide. As well as the spread of the importance of consuming locally produced food fairly and sustainably (fair trade).
- Support the use of sustainable energy with renewable resources that avoid increasing pollution and reducing resources.
- Encourage activities that respect biodiversity, such as ecotourism.
Links to other SDGs
SDG 15 is intertwined in the 2030 Agenda, and its objectives are directly linked to the objectives in other objectives. Among them are the goals of:
SDG 2; 2.2 (cessation of all forms of malnutrition), SDG 3; 3.9 (Significant reduction in deaths and diseases from hazardous chemicals and from pollution, contamination of air, water and soil). SDG 4; 4.2 (quality early childhood development), 4.7 (knowledge and skills for sustainable development), SDG 6; 6.1 (access to drinking water), 6.2 (access to sewerage), SDG 7; 7.1 (access to modern energy services), SDG 11; 11.6 (air quality and household waste), SDG 13; 13.1 (disaster resilience), SDG 12; 12.2 (Achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030), 12.4 (Achieving environmentally sound management of chemicals and all waste throughout their life cycle in accordance with internationally accepted frameworks and significantly reducing emissions to air, water and soils in order to minimize their adverse effects on human health and the environment), 12.5 (Significant reduction by 2030 of waste generation through prevention, reduction, recovery and reuse).
SDG 15 is intertwined in the 2030 Agenda, and its objectives are directly linked to the objectives in other objectives. Among them are the goals of:
12.c Streamlining inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels that promote wasteful consumption by eliminating market distortions in line with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies where they exist – in order to compensate for their impact on the environment, taking full account of the specific needs and conditions in developing countries and minimizing any adverse effects on their development in a way that protects poor and affected communities.ZUR 14; 14.2 Achieve sustainable management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems with a view to preventing significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience and taking action to restore them, with a view to turning them into healthy and productive seas and oceans.14.7 Increase by 2030 the economic benefits for small island developing States and the least developed countries of the sustainable use of marine resources, including through the sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.
