The Progression of Life on Land

There are major consequences for human existence if deforestation, degradation of forests, loss of biodiversity, and ecosystem depletion occur. Biodiversity goals for the year 2020 were not achieved. As a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, we have learned that destroying nature puts us all at risk. It is still a huge challenge to ensure that all policy initiatives emphasize the health of the planet, notwithstanding the progress made in enhancing forest management, covering important biodiversity zones, and signing biodiversity laws and treaties (United Nations, 2021).  

Ten years of observation and targeted interventions have reduced tropical deforestation. The forest land fraction fell from 31.9 percent in 2000 to 31.2 percent in 2020, a net loss of nearly 100 million hectares of world forests. Between 2000 and 2020, forest areas grew in Asia, Europe, and North America, but dropped in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. Fewer trees mean less biomass per hectare, yet protected, long-term management plans and certified forest areas have all grown or remained stable. This displays global progress in sustainable forest management (United Nations, 2021). 

Land degradation neutrality has been set as the goal for 127 countries and regions by February 2021, and 68 of them have already signed off on their plans to do so. An estimated 1 billion hectares of land have been pledged for restoration, with 450 million hectares of that total covered by pledges made via land degradation neutrality targets (United Nations, 2021). 

Between 2000 and 2018, satellite data shows that the world’s mountain green cover (forests, grasslands, croplands, and wetlands) remained at roughly 73%. Green cover is greater on mountains under 2,500 meters. However, mountain green cover varies greatly by region, from 100% in Oceania to 68% in Northern Africa and Western Asia (United Nations, 2021). 

89 countries and territories used environmental-economic accounting in March 2021, up 29% from 2017. 62 countries and territories (70%) have incorporated the accounting system and prepared and publish the accounts regularly (United Nations, 2021).

 

Biodiversity-related ODA from Development Assistance Committee members decreased by 14 percent in real terms in 2019 to $6.6 billion. A total of 232 biodiversity-related levies will be in place in 62 nations and territories in 2021, according to a new report (United Nations, 2021).

References:

Department of Economic and Social Affairs of United Nations. (n.d.) Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal15 [Accessed 10 May 2022].

The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021, (2021) Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal15 [Accessed 10 May 2022]