Leapfrogging to green industry in middle-income countries
Climate — Global
How can MICs, currently driving much of the world’s growth, ensure that their rapid industrialization is sustainable?
Life on land
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Targets
Indicators
Target
15.1
By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
Indicators
15.1.1
Forest area as a proportion of total land area
15.1.2
Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type
Target
15.2
By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
Indicators
15.2.1
Progress towards sustainable forest management
Target
15.3
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
Indicators
15.3.1
Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area
Target
15.4
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
Indicators
15.4.1
Coverage by protected areas of important sites for mountain biodiversity
15.4.2
(a) Mountain Green Cover Index and (b) proportion of degraded mountain land
Target
15.5
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
Indicators
15.5.1
Red List Index
Target
15.6
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
Indicators
15.6.1
Number of countries that have adopted legislative, administrative and policy frameworks to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits
Target
15.7
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
Indicators
15.7.1
Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked
Target
15.8
By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species
Indicators
15.8.1
Proportion of countries adopting relevant national legislation and adequately resourcing the prevention or control of invasive alien species
Target
15.9
By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
Indicators
15.9.1
(a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting
Target
15.a
Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
Indicators
15.a.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
Target
15.b
Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
Indicators
15.b.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
Target
15.c
Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
Indicators
15.c.1
Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked
-
-
The false dilemma between economy and planet
Climate — Global
There is a growing chorus calling for delays to net-zero initiatives, blaming climate action for the current cost of living crisis. In reality, green investment can offer a path out of the economic troubles that have been building since the start of the century
-
-
Nature-based solutions are increasingly hailed as a way to boost cities’ climate resilience, biodiversity, and social cohesion. But how will we know if these “solutions” are really working?
-
Growing sustainability leaders
Food systems and sustainable agriculture — Europe
Origin Green provides a range of services to raise sustainability and climate literacy in the Irish food and drinks sector
-
Curbing deforestation through strategic trade and subsidy policies: a global imperative
Economic development
The EU’s unilateral approach to curb deforestation through restrictions on imports sends a powerful message, but will it deliver? Here, the authors argue that successful global action on deforestation calls for a carefully balanced system of tariffs and subsidies from a wider coalition of countries
-
Rapid urbanization is placing unprecedented strain on the life-critical resources of water, energy, and food. We need rapid take-up of coordinated (or “nexus”) approaches to urban development and resource management if we’re to make sustainable cities a reality
-
Unlocking the potential of blended finance
Financing — Global
With the right conditions, blended finance – combining public and private financing to incentivize increased investment from new sources – could bridge the funding gaps necessary to achieve the SDGs. How can we realize this huge investment potential before it’s too late?
-
Ideas into action
Climate — Global
At this mid-point to the 2030 deadline, it’s clear that action must ramp up massively if the SDGs are to be realized and climate catastrophe averted. Initiatives such as the UN SDSN Global Climate Hub can help get governments back on track
-
A warmer world: are we ready?
Climate — Global
Even the most optimistic predictions show a significantly warmer planet by 2100. Rather than focusing on quick adaptive fixes, as many current plans do, countries must pursue climate-resilient development strategies that address the systemic nature of the climate crisis
-
Protecting global public goods fairly
Climate — Global, Latin America and the Caribbean
How can you achieve an equitable balance for investment, responsibility, accountability, and authority for natural resources that function as a global public good? Can efforts to restore the Amazon rainforest provide an instructive example?
