Applying the land-water-food-energy nexus
Climate — Global
To achieve net zero and unlock progress on multiple SDGs, we need new, coordinated action to manage the complex interplay between food, land, energy, and water systems
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
-
-
In the balance
Climate — Global
Humanity’s failure to learn and adapt from repeated crises does not bode well for the bold, transformational changes that must happen urgently if we’re to achieve the world promised by the SDGs. There will be no second chance
-
-
Powered by partnership
Food systems and sustainable agriculture — Europe
The Origin Green program has been driving sustainability across Ireland’s food and drink sector for more than a decade
-
Cleaning up the air
Climate — Global
Air pollution is killing an estimated seven million people per year, causing environmental damage and climate change. Taking bold action now on black carbon, methane, and other short-lived pollutants, using existing, affordable technologies, can help us achieve 1.5°C and improve well-being for all
-
Boosting natural systems to mitigate climate change
Environment — Global
All 1.5°C global warming scenarios call for carbon removal. Natural systems provide the most readily available mechanisms, so how can these be boosted to the levels required?
-
We need an ambitious global plan to reverse nature loss
Biodiversity — Global
In 2022 we should aspire to a Paris-style agreement on restoring biodiversity. Ambition alone, articulated in several published pledges, is not enough: governments must now commit to a strengthened Global Biodiversity Framework that compels them to take meaningful action
-
Combating plastic pollution needs all hands on deck
Environment — Global
Plastic waste is at crisis point, causing untold harm to wildlife and poisoning food chains. A new plastics treaty could help turn the tide and avoid irreversible damage to species and ecosystems – countries must take bold action now
-
The ocean, climate’s regulator
Ocean — Global
Restoring the ocean’s health is vital to achieving many of the SDGs, as humankind will need the ocean to provide more food, energy, and jobs. Perhaps less well understood – but critical for our survival – is the vital role a healthy ocean will play in SDG 13: tackling climate change
-
Toward a more natural cityscape
Cities — Global
After nearly a century of believing that engineering solutions could conquer nature to make cities productive and efficient centers of socio-economic development, some urban planners now realize that nature is something to design with, not against. But how do we invite nature back in when cities have been built to keep nature out?
-
Biodiversity: The canary in the mine
Environment — Global
Human activity is destroying life on Earth on an unprecedented scale. We must urgently and radically re-evaluate nature in our economic thinking and actions, or risk our own species’ survival
