GOAL OF THE MONTH – GOAL 15 – Life on land
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Where We Are
SDG 15 – Life on Land – aims to conserve all forms of life on land, by protecting and restoring ecosystems & biodiversity, sustainably managing forests, combatting desertification and reversing land degradation. However, the world is facing a triple crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Between 2015 and 2019, at least 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land were degraded every year, impacting the lives of 1.3 billion people.
SDG 15 acknowledges that human life depends on healthy ecosystems, which contribute to over half of global GDP and provide invaluable ecosystem services such as carbon capture, preventing erosion, or buffering communities from extreme weather events. Beyond their high economic significance, ecosystems and wildlife also have high cultural and spiritual value, particularly for indigenous communities.
Though some progress has been made on sustainable forest management improvements have been modest. 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, and the protected terrestrial area estate has only increased from about 10% to 15% between 2000 & 2020.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, provides renewed political impetus to deliver on Goal 15, outlining four outcome-oriented goals to be achieved by 2050 and 23 targets to be achieved by 2030.
With only 6 years to spare until that deadline, we still have a long way to go. Governments must invest in the protection of terrestrial ecosystems, ensuring their national action plans are fully implemented. Individuals can also support the delivery of SDG 15, for example by choosing ecotourism opportunities to prevent wildlife disturbance or eating a plant-based diet to prevent detrimental land use change tied to animal husbandry.
Read more about Goal 15: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/biodiversity/
ACTNOW for our Common Future
On the road to the Summit of the Future, we are encouraging everyone to #ActNow, Speak Up, and join the 1 Million Actions for Our Common Future challenge to show decision makers that people worldwide are taking a stand for a more sustainable future for all. Learn more on how you can participate and engage your networks in ActNow: bit.ly/SoF-Challenge-NL
“We depend on nature. Let’s show that nature can depend on us – and act now to protect it.” – António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, 3 March 2024
SDG 15 IN NUMBERS
- Between 2015 and 2019, at least 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land were degraded every year, impacting the lives of 1.3 billion people.
- Agricultural expansion is the direct driver of almost 90 per cent of deforestation. This is in direct relation to our food systems, and oil palm harvesting accounted for 7 per cent of global deforestation from 2000 to 2018.
- Globally, one fifth of the Earth’s land area is degraded.
- More than 1 million plants, animals and other living things are facing the threat of extinction.
Spotlight
Launch of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals
On 26 April, UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched a new climate action initiative, which brings together a diverse group of governments and other stakeholders to help embed justice in the ever-growing demand for minerals for clean energy technologies, which presents risks, challenges and opportunities, particularly for developing countries. The Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, co-chaired by Ambassador Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa and Ditte Juul Jørgensen, the Director-General for Energy of the European Commission, will develop a set of common and voluntary principles to build trust, guide the transition and accelerate the race to renewables. Read more about the panel and its members here and check out the video above.
3 May | World Press Freedom Day
World Press Freedom Day, launched in 1993, celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom and serves to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
This 31st edition focuses on “Journalism in the face of the Environmental Crisis”. It shines a light on the critical importance of free journalistic work in addressing environmental crises – from disseminating critical science to combat mis- and dis-information, to raising awareness of the triple planetary crisis through the telling & sharing of stories of individuals, communities and societies impacted by environmental change.
To commemorate the Day, Chile and UNESCO will co-host the 31st World Press Freedom Day Conference in Santiago, Chile, from May 2-4th. Access the Conference programme, including speaker biographies and side events, here.
The Day will also see celebrations taking place around the world. Find the list of global events here.
Highlights
6-10 May | UN Forum on Forests, New York
The Nineteenth Session of the UN Forum on Forests will be held at UNHQ, NYC from 6 to 10 May, with a High-Level Segment on 9 May. This is a milestone meeting where the Forum will undertake its midterm review of the International Arrangement on Forests. By assessing progress made and identifying gaps, the midterm review will chart the course towards 2030 – to ensure the achievement of the Global Forest Goals and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The key outcomes of the session will be a High-Level Segment declaration and an omnibus resolution, which will include the outcome of the midterm review as well as the new Quadrennial Programme of Work of the Forum for 2025-2028. For more information, click here.
9-10 May | UN Civil Society Conference, Nairobi
The 2024 UN Civil Society Conference will take place on May 9-10 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme “Shaping a Future of Global and Sustainable Progress. This global civil-society convened, multistakeholder Conference welcomes registered NGOs, academia, think tanks, Member States, media, private sector, change makers and leaders from diverse groups to increase awareness, ambition and accountability for the upcoming Summit of the Future in September. It also aims to build multi-stakeholder ImPACT Coalitions to champion civil society expertise to bolster Summit of the Future deliberations and its outcome document – the Pact for the Future. For more information and for registration information, please click here.
16 May | World Economic Situation and Prospects mid-year update, New York
The World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid-2024 will be launched globally on 16 May 2024 during a press briefing at UNHQ New York at 12:30 pm EDT . The global economic outlook has improved since January, with major economies avoiding a severe downturn. However, the improvement is modest and uneven, only warranting cautious optimism. Economic vulnerabilities remain, amid persistently high interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and increasing climate risks. Rapid technological advances, especially in artificial intelligence, present additional challenges, potentially increasing disparities within and across countries. Watch the press briefing live at 12:30 pm EDT on webtv.un.org
27-30 May| 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States, Antigua & Barbuda
The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) will take place from 27 to 30 May 2024 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
Under the overarching theme of “Charting the course toward resilient prosperity“, the Conference will assess the ability of SIDS to achieve sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. It will result in an intergovernmentally agreed, focused, forward-looking and action-oriented political outcome document.
The Conference will feature 8 plenary meetings and 5 interactive dialogues covering themes of critical relevance to SIDS: revitalizing SIDS’ economies, aid effectiveness, climate finance, data & digital technologies for SIDS resilience and investing in human capital. Further details on the SIDS4 Conference, programme and registration information can be found here.
27–30 May | SDG Media Zone
The SIDS4 SDG Media Zone will highlight opportunities to accelerate sustainable development progress in the SIDS regions and efforts towards a more resilient future. Conversations in the Zone will unpack some of the Conference themes, including financing for development, climate change, youth engagement and digital technologies. Join us and be part of the conversation on the transformation and solutions needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals!
Stay tuned for the SDG Media Zone programme: un.org/sdgmediazone
Upcoming International Days
17 May | World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
This year’s WTISD focuses on how digital innovation can drive sustainable development and prosperity for everyone, everywhere. It highlights the contributions made by technologies to tackling the world’s most pressing challenges – from climate change to eliminating hunger and poverty. According to the International Communication Union (ITU), the UN’s specialized agency for digital technology, digital tech can help achieve 70% of all SDG targets. To celebrate the day, join ITU for a virtual live stream from the Union’s headquarters in Geneva for a discussion about digital impact with experts and innovators.
20 May | World Bee Day
Join FAO in celebrating pollinators and their keepers during World Bee Day. This year’s theme, “Bee engaged with Youth”, acknowledges highlights the importance of involving young people in beekeeping and pollinator conservation efforts, recognizing them as the future stewards of our environment.
Learn more on FAO’s website here.
22 May | International Day for Biological Diversity
The International Day for Biodiversity commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 22 May 1992 and provides a unique opportunity to foster wide support for the Convention, its Protocols and related action frameworks.
This year’s theme, “Be part of the Plan” is a call to action to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the Biodiversity Plan.
Click here to learn more about the 2024 edition and here to access the press release from the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat.
29 May | International Day of UN Peacekeepers
On 29 May, the United Nations will mark 76 years of Peacekeeping. Since the establishment of the first mission in 1948, over two million people have from around the world have served as military, police, and civilian peacekeepers in more than 70 operations on four continents. This year, ahead of the Summit for the Future, the theme for the Day will be “Fit for the future, building better together.” It focuses on the future of peacekeeping and the invaluable contributions peacekeepers have made over the years.
Main commemorative events to mark the Day will take place on 30 May at the UN Headquarters. The Secretary-General will lay a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial at 9:45 a.m. and preside over an in-person ceremony at 10 a.m. during which the Dag Hammarskjold medal will be awarded posthumously to fallen peacekeepers and the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year award will be bestowed. The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will be the guest at the noon briefing that Day. All events can be viewed on UN Web TV. For more information, please visit UN Peacekeeping’s Peace Begins Me campaign website.
Summit of the Future
The Summit of the Future, to be held in New York 22-23 September 2024, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen the multilateral system to address existing and emerging challenges, improve global governance and accelerate the implementation of existing commitments, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The Summit will have as its outcome an inter-governmentally agreed Pact for the Future. Stay tuned for more: https://www.un.org/en/summit-of-the-future
Awake at Night Podcast
Season 8 of the UN’s award-winning podcast is now streaming! Hosted by UN Communications Chief, Melissa Fleming, Awake at Night gives exclusive insights into the inspiring lives of the extraordinary people that make up the United Nations.
Discover all the episodes here: https://pod.link/1429922419