It is frequently claimed that the growing human population can not be fed without destroying the climate. This is a fallacy. Applying sustainable soil management techniques has the potential to reduce current agricultural emissions by a third
SDG 15
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
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Strengthening forests: our long-term carbon sinks
Climate — Europe, Global
Land-based carbon sinks should play a bigger role in national and international climate action planning
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Save our species: halting biodiversity loss needs systemic change
Biodiversity — Global
Without action, this century will see many more species go extinct. Halting biodiversity loss calls for all countries to act now to transform how we produce, consume, and manage resources
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Tackling poverty and hunger within planetary boundaries
Food systems and sustainable agriculture — Asia (Central, Eastern and Southern), Global, Sub-Saharan Africa
To balance the combined pressures of climate change and growing populations, we need to re-evaluate what we eat and where and how it’s grown
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Mining for a carbon-neutral, inclusive, and sustainable future
Extractive and land resources — Global
How can we ensure that a healthy extractives industry delivers on the SDGs?
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Restoring land to combat climate change and degradation
Land use — Europe, Global
We know how to restore land, and the benefits it brings to communities, climate, and biodiversity. Countries must act on land restoration now
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Exposing destructive sources of finance
Financing — Sub-Saharan Africa
From illegal pollution to terrorism, one critical way to curb nefarious action is to identify and cut off its finance. How can we do this for abuses that threaten the SDGs?
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Why climate technology is a women’s and girls’ issue
Gender — Global, Sub-Saharan Africa
When climate solutions fit local realities, they can restore ecosystems, strengthen food security, reduce vulnerability for women and expand their economic agency
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A decade after Paris: can COPs finally accelerate climate action?
Climate — Global
The world is warming faster than our systems can respond. How can the COP process turn new commitments into action before the window for impact closes?
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Nature loss: the economic crisis hiding in plain sight
Climate — Global
Climate change dominates global attention, but the destruction of nature is quietly setting up its own economic shockwave. With COP30 spotlighting the rising economic costs of nature loss, the case for treating it as an urgent financial and development priority has never been clearer
