Contributions of Biodiversity to SDG 15: Life on Land.
The conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems is essential for sustainable development and for achieving SDG 15. Target 15.9 of this goal include a call to integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local development planning, poverty reduction strategies and accounts. Other targets highlight the importance of particular ecosystems, including freshwater, forests, deserts and degraded lands, and mountain ecosystems. Forests cover around 30% of the Earth’s land area, containing 80% of terrestrial biomass and providing habitat for over half of the world’s known terrestrial plant and animal species. Although the net annual rate of forest loss has slowed down over the past decades, it is still a matter of concern because the loss is occurring in areas with particularly high ecological value. While there is a marked increase in protected areas over the past century, many key biodiversity areas are not adequately covered ...