UN SDG 15 of 17: Life on Land

Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.

Nature is critical to our survival: nature provides us with our oxygen, regulates our weather patterns, pollinates our crops, produces our food, feed and fibre. But it is under increasing stress.?Human activity has altered almost 75 per cent of the earth’s surface , squeezing wildlife and nature into an ever-smaller corner of the planet.

Around?1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction ?– many within decades – according to the 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service. The report called for transformative changes to restore and protect nature. It found that the health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever, affecting?the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.?

Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.?Forests are vitally important? for sustaining life on Earth, and play a major role in the fight against climate change. And investing in?land restoration ?is critical for improving livelihoods, reducing vulnerabilities, and reducing risks for the economy.

The health of our planet also plays an important role in?the emergence of zoonotic diseases , i.e. diseases that are transmissible between animals and humans. As we continue to encroach on fragile ecosystems, we bring humans into ever-greater contact with wildlife, enabling pathogens in wildlife to spill over to livestock and humans, increasing the risk of disease emergence and amplification.

COVID-19 response

The COVID-19 outbreak highlights the need to?address threats to ecosystems and wildlife .?

In 2016, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) flagged a worldwide increase in?zoonotic epidemics ?as an issue of concern. Specifically, it pointed out that 75% of all emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic and that these zoonotic diseases are closely interlinked with the health of ecosystems.

“In COVID-19, the planet has delivered its strongest warning to date that humanity must change,” said?UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen .

In?Working With the Environment to Protect People , UNEP lays out how to “build back better” – through stronger science, policies that back a healthier planet, and more green investments.

Two Billion hectares of land on Earth are degraded, affecting some 3.2 billion people, driving species to extinction and intensifying climate change.

Facts and Figures

Human activity has altered almost 75% of the earth's surface, squeezing wildlife and nature into an ever-smaller corner of the planet and increasing risks of diseases.

Forests

• Around?1.6 billion people depend on forests ?for their livelihood, including 70 million indigenous people.
• Forests are home ?to more than 80% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects.
• Between 2010 and 2015 , the world lost 3.3 million hectares of forest areas. Poor rural women depend on common pool resources and are especially affected by their depletion.
• Currently,?land degradation ?has reduced productivity in 23% of the global terrestrial area, and between $235 billion and $577 billion in annual global crop output is at risk as a result of pollinator loss.

Desertification

• Arable land ?loss is estimated at 30 to 35 times the historical rate
• Due to drought and desertification,?12 million hectares ?are lost each year (23 hectares per minute). Within one year, 20 million tons of grain could have been grown.
• 74% of the poor ?are directly affected by land degradation globally.
• Habitat loss and deterioration , largely caused by human actions, have reduced global terrestrial habitat integrity by 30% relative to an unimpacted baseline.

Biodiversity

• Illicit poaching and trafficking of wildlife ?continues to thwart conservation efforts, with nearly 7,000 species of animals and plants reported in illegal trade involving 120 countries.
• Of the 8,300 animal breeds known,?8% are extinct and 22% are at risk ?of extinction.
• Of the?over 80,000 tree species , less than 1% have been studied for potential use.
• Fish provide 20% of animal protein ?to about 3 billion people. Only ten species provide about 30% of marine capture fisheries and ten species provide about 50% of aquaculture production.
• Over 80 per cent of the human diet ?is provided by plants. Only three cereal crops – rice, maize and wheat – provide 60% of energy intake.
• As many as?80% of people living in rural areas in developing countries rely on traditional plant-‐based medicines for basic healthcare.
• Micro-organisms and invertebrates are?key to ecosystem services , but their contributions are still poorly known and rarely acknowledged.
• While?protected areas ?now cover 15% of terrestrial and freshwater environments and 7% of the marine realm, they only partly cover important sites for biodiversity and are not yet fully ecologically representative and effectively or equitably managed.

Why?

Forests cover nearly 31% of our planet’s land area. From the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to the food we eat–forests sustain us. Forests are home to more than 80% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants, and insects. However, biodiversity is declining faster than at any other time in human history.

Globally, one fifth of the Earth's land area (more than 2 billion hectares) are degraded, an area nearly the size of India and the Russian Federation combined. Land degradation is undermining the well-being of some 3.2 billion people, driving species to extinction and intensifying climate change.

Biodiversity and the ecosystem services it underpins can also be the basis for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies as they can deliver benefits that will increase the resilience of people to the impacts of climate change.

What does the loss of forests mean?

Lost forests mean the disappearance of livelihoods in rural communities, increased carbon emissions, diminished biodiversity and the degradation of land. While forest loss remains high, 2020 data show that the proportion of forests in protected areas and under long-term management plans increased or remained stable at the global level and in most regions of the world. An irreversible effect of human activity on the environment is species extinction, which upsets the balance of nature and makes ecosystems more fragile and less resistant to disruptions. A recent UN report on biodiversity found that around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades, more than ever before in human history.

How does it affect our health?

Increased demand for animal protein, a rise in intense and unsustainable farming, the increased use and exploitation of wildlife, and the climate crisis are all driving the increased emergence of zoonotic diseases – diseases transmitted from wildlife to people – like COVID-19. Every year, some two million people, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, die from neglected zoonotic diseases. The same outbreaks can cause severe illness, deaths, and productivity losses among livestock populations in the developing world, a major problem that keeps hundreds of millions of small-scale farmers in severe poverty. In the last two decades alone, zoonotic diseases have caused economic losses of more than $100 billion, not including the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is expected to reach $9 trillion over the next few years.

What can we do?

Some things we can do to help include recycling, eating a locally-based diet that is sustainably sourced, and consuming only what we need. We must be respectful toward wildlife and only take part in ecotourism opportunities that are responsibly and ethically run in order to prevent wildlife disturbance. Well-managed protected areas support healthy ecosystems, which in turn keep people healthy. It is therefore critical to secure the involvement of the local communities in the development and management of these protected areas.

Small Actions Add Up

1. Avoid using pesticides that end up in rivers and lakes, as they are ultimately harmful to wildlife all along the food chain.
2. Eat seasonal produce. It tastes better, is cheaper, and more environmentally friendly.
3. Help fund or support projects to rehabilitate lands.
4. Never buy products made from threatened or endangered species.
5. Recycle used paper and go paperless when possible.
6. When you go into stores, or when you participate in market places, make environmentally friendly choices like bringing your own bags or purchasing products with less packaging.
7. Eat less meat. The production and distribution of meat has a huge impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
8. Make your own compost. Or join a compost club. It promotes biodiversity, enriches the soil, and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
9. Participate in local urban farming.
10. Buy recycled or previously used products when possible.

To find out more about Goal #15 and other Sustainable Development Goals, visit:?https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/