2030 Agenda – Goal 15

2030 Agenda – Goal 15

Protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests in a sustainable way, combat desertification, stop and reverse soil degradation and stop the loss of biodiversity

Goal 15 of the 2030 Agenda program aims to protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of ecosystems. By 2020, logging must be stopped and damaged forests must be restored. Afforestation will need to be significantly increased worldwide. Furthermore, by 2030 desertification will have to be combated and the areas affected by this phenomenon, as well as by drought and floods, will have to be remediated. Regarding the protection of species diversity, Goal 15 requires urgent measures to stop poaching and trade in protected animal and plant species.
Biodiversity represents the foundation for the planet and the basis for the life of man and other living beings as well as ecosystems. However, the statistics show a steady decline in biodiversity and a loss of woodland. The loss of forests threatens human well-being as it primarily affects poor rural populations, including indigenous and local communities. Biodiversity and forests contribute to poverty reduction, for example by ensuring health and food security, providing clean water and air, storing CO2 emissions and providing a basis for ecological development.
15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, particularly forests, swamps, mountains and drylands, online with the obligations deriving from international agreements.
15.2: By 2020, promote sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and significantly increase reforestation and reforestation everywhere.
15.3: By 2030, fight desertification, restore degraded lands, including those affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive for a world free from soil degradation.
15.4: By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to improve their capacity to produce essential benefits for sustainable development.

15.5: Take effective and immediate actions to reduce the degradation of natural environments, halt the destruction of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect endangered species.
15.6: Promote an equitable and just distribution of the benefits deriving from the use of genetic resources and promote equal access to these resources, as agreed internationally.
15.7: Take action to end poaching and trafficking in protected species of flora and fauna and combat illegal wildlife trade.
15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction of different and invasive species as well as substantially reduce their impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and control or eradicate priority species.
15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity principles into national and local projects, development processes and poverty reduction strategies and reporting.
15.a: Mobilize and significantly increase economic resources from all sources to preserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems.
15.b: Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives for developing countries to improve forest management and for conservation and reforestation.
15.c: Strengthen global support to combat poaching and illegal trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to use sustainable livelihoods.
This goal is undoubtedly the most challenging because it involves not only the protection of biodiversity but humanity’s way of approaching nature.

Guido Bissanti