SDG 15 – Life on Land: Restoring the Natural World

Jun 10, 2025 8:22:53 AM | UN SDGs SDG 15 – Life on Land: Restoring the Natural World

Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG 15)—Life on Land—focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Forests, wetlands, grasslands, and biodiversity are critical to climate stability, food systems, and human well-being.

A Planet Under Pressure

Every year, over 10 million hectares of forest are lost—driven by agriculture, mining, and urbanisation (FAO, 2022). Biodiversity is also in crisis: over 1 million species are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and pollution (IPBES, 2019).

Ecosystems as Infrastructure

Healthy ecosystems reduce disaster risk, support agriculture, regulate water cycles, and store carbon. Achieving SDG 15 involves reversing land degradation, protecting threatened species, and integrating biodiversity into urban and economic planning.