Forests cover 30 per cent of the Earth’s surface and in addition to providing food security and shelter, forests are crucial to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. Thirteen million hectares of forests are being lost every year while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares.
Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty. Efforts are being made to manage forests and combat desertification.
Learn more about SDG 15, including facts, figures, targets and links to more information.
Land Degradation Neutral World
SDG 15: Life on Land. On 25 September 2015, 193 countries came together in New York to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. SDG 15 calls for the protection, restoration and sustainable management of land-based ecosystems. In doing so target 15.3 specifically aims to achieve a Land Degradation Neutral World by the year 2030.