SDG 15 Life on Land focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. This goal tackles deforestation, desertification, biodiversity loss, and land degradation to ensure resilient landscapes that support both people and planet.
Global cooperation, policy integration, and community action are essential to safeguard forests, mountains, wetlands, and drylands. By aligning finance, data, and governance, SDG 15 aims to secure the natural foundations of life on Earth.
| Target | Key Actions | Outcome Indicators | Typical Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15.1 Conserve ecosystems | Expand protected areas, enforce regulations, restore degraded sites | Forest area change, protected area coverage | Hectares, percent |
| 15.2 Promote sustainable management | Sustainable agriculture, community forestry, certification schemes | Forest management area, soil organic carbon | Hectares, tons per hectare |
| 15.3 Combat desertification | Land restoration, drought preparedness, sustainable water use | Land degradation trend, vegetation cover | Percent change, index |
| 15.5 Protect biodiversity | Species conservation, invasive management, habitat connectivity | Red List index, wildlife population trends | Index value, population count |
| 15.a Mobilize resources | Finance flows, benefit-sharing, cross-sector budgets | Finance committed, hectares restored | USD millions, hectares |
Conserving Forests and Mountain Ecosystems
Forests and mountains are critical for biodiversity, water cycles, and climate regulation. SDG 15 prioritizes halting deforestation, restoring forest landscapes, and integrating sustainable practices in mountain regions. Community-led governance alongside scientific monitoring helps balance conservation with livelihoods.
Combating Desertification and Land Degradation
Drylands and degraded lands threaten food security and resilience. Through sustainable land management, agroforestry, and restoration techniques, SDG 15 addresses soil erosion, salinization, and drought. Early warning systems and inclusive policies empower local actors to safeguard their territories.
Protecting and Restoring Biodiversity
Intact ecosystems underpin clean air, pollination, and disease regulation. SDG 15 promotes protected area networks, wildlife corridors, and ecosystem-based adaptation. Equitable benefit-sharing and indigenous knowledge strengthen long-term stewardship of species and habitats.
Enabling Policy Integration and Finance
Effective implementation requires alignment across agriculture, infrastructure, and climate strategies. Public-private partnerships, transparent monitoring, and data-driven targets help channel finance to high-impact landscapes. National reporting frameworks ensure that progress on SDG 15 is measurable and comparable.
Advancing Sustainable Land Stewardship Worldwide
To accelerate SDG 15, coordinated action across sectors and borders is required to secure resilient landscapes and thriving biodiversity.
- Expand and effectively manage protected areas and ecological corridors.
- Restore degraded forests, wetlands, and drylands using native species.
- Promote sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, and responsible supply chains.
- Strengthen data systems, community monitoring, and transparent reporting.
- Mobilize finance and align policies to support long-term landscape recovery.
FAQ
Reader questions
How does SDG 15 contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation?
SDG 15 contributes to climate change mitigation by protecting and restoring forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems that act as carbon sinks, keeping CO2 out of the atmosphere. It supports adaptation by maintaining healthy soils, watersheds, and biodiversity that underpin resilience to droughts, floods, and other climate impacts.
What role do local communities play in achieving SDG 15 on life on land?
Local and indigenous communities are central to SDG 15, as they manage much of the world’s remaining biodiversity-rich land. Involving them in planning, governance, and benefit-sharing ensures that conservation is effective, equitable, and sustained over time.
How is progress on SDG 15 measured at global and national levels?
Progress is measured through indicators such as forest area change, biodiversity intactness, and land degradation trends, supported by satellite monitoring, ground surveys, and national reporting. These data help track shifts in ecosystems, management practices, and the impact of policies.
Why is finance important for SDG 15, and where do funds go?
Finance is essential to scale restoration, protected area management, and sustainable land-use practices. Funds support activities like reforestation, soil and water conservation, community engagement, and monitoring systems that turn commitments on SDG 15 into tangible landscape-level change.