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SDG 15: Life on Land

Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
SDG Goal

SDG 15 aims to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests sustainably, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss. Land degradation and habitat loss threaten ecosystems and species, impacting environmental health and human well-being.

How engineering can make it happen

Environmental engineers are managing biodiversity through the responsible use of forestry resources and the preservation of habitats. Innovative technologies map the Earth’s surface to provide geospatial information for agricultural monitoring and infrastructure design, and to predict natural disasters like earthquakes. These technologies are assisting Indigenous and disadvantaged groups to enhance their capacity to map, analyse, and negotiate for sustainable development while protecting natural forests. Sensor and drone technologies can map forests and identify diminishing animal populations. DNA sequencing and microchips are used to track endangered species.

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Film courtesy of the Royal Academy of Engineers

Key Targets

  • Persistent challenges continue to hinder progress in protecting life on land, managing natural resources sustainably, and combatting the biodiversity crisis. Global forest cover is shrinking; protection of key biodiversity areas (KBAs) has stalled recently, and species extinction is accelerating.
  • Yet, there are signs of progress: global forest loss is slowing and regional advances show promise. Voluntary land restoration commitments would cover two thirds of what is needed. Conservation of key biodiversity areas has steadily increased over two decades through successful global site-level efforts. Biodiversity-related official development finance has also shown a positive trend.
  • The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has renewed global attention to the biodiversity crisis, creating opportunities to strengthen efforts to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity, enhance benefit-sharing frameworks, and develop and improve ecosystem and biodiversity accounting. With growing momentum, it offers a critical chance to accelerate action and close remaining gaps to protect vital terrestrial ecosystems.

Source: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/

Key Stats