SDG #15 is to “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”

Within SDG #15 are 12 targets, of which we here focus on Target 15.3:

By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

Target 15.3 has one indicator:

• Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area

We want to conserve and protect nature, part of which involves ensuring we don’t lose the soil which is the foundation for so much of life. Mitigating and preventing land degradation allows ecosystems to function. It also helps assure food security. Climate change is exacerbating desertification also.

As of 2019, the country with the highest proportion of degraded land, by a large margin, is Mexico with 71%. Land degradation worldwide stands at 15%.

SDG #15 is to “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”

Within SDG #15 are 12 targets, of which we here focus on Target 15.2:

By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally 

Target 15.2 has one indicator:

• Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management 

This target focuses on sustainable forest management. Some of us may be familiar with certifying bodies for sustainable forest management, such as the PEFC and FSC.

Taking the biggest backward step in sustainable forest management by means of deforestation as of 2020 were Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt. Both had 3% reversals of forest cover. In this same year, global forest cover stayed about the same.

Across the planet, the region with the greatest concentration of biomass is in the Guianas, with greater than 300 tonnes per hectare. Worldwide, the average is 118 tonnes per hectare of land above the surface. 

Venezuela, Senegal, and Uzbekistan have the highest percentage of forests which they've protected. Each have greater than 90% protection.

The countries in the boreal forest latitudes of Canada, Scandinavia and Russia protect a troubling less than 10% of their forest cover. Several other countries with high forest cover have low protections, including Guyana. The worldwide share was 17% as of 2020, unchanged since the start of the SDG period in 2015. 58% of global forest was under a long-term forest management plan as of 2020, a couple percentage increase from 2015.

The countries with the most hectares of forest certified by the FSC or PEFC for sustainable use are:

• US

• Canada

• Russia

• China

• Australia

• Sweden

• Finland

The global total as of 2022 was 444 million hectares, up from 397 million in 2015.

SDG #15 is to “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”

Within SDG #15 are 12 targets, of which we here focus on Target 15.1:

By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

Target 15.1 has two indicators:

• Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area 

• Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

This target is the sister goal of Target 14.2. In this instance, the target focused on terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity, in contrast to marine life. According to the World Database on Protected Areas, as of 2024, there are 293,704 protected areas, both on land and at sea.

This target states a 2020 aim. This was in line with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The targets and strategic plan were part of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Since 2020, a new agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, succeeded these. This new framework provides a vision through to the end of the SDG period, and beyond to mid-century.

The countries with greater than 90% area of forest as a proportion of all land are Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Other examples of countries with smaller populations are the Guianas, the Solomon Islands and Palau.

The region with the least is the drylands band across the Sahara and Horn of Africa, through to the Middle East and Central Asia.

The global share of forest cover on land in 2020 was 31%, unchanged since the adoption of the Goals in 2015.

The archipelago of Seychelles has the highest proportion of protected land as of 2022, with 61%, followed by Venezuela. As of 2021, 15% of Earth’s land was a protected area. Countries protecting the highest percentage of land categorised as key biodiversity areas as of 2022 include:

• a dozen in Europe

• Namibia

• Zimbabwe

• Equatorial Guinea

• the Guianas.

Worldwide, this share was 44% in 2022, little changed since 2015. Similar regions have protected key biodiversity areas in freshwater ecosystems. The world also has a 44% share of protection of freshwater key biodiversity areas.

SDG #14 is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Within SDG #14 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 14.c:

Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of “The future we want” 

Target 14.c has one indicator:

• Indicator 14.c.1: Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources 

This target is asking of countries whether they’ve acceded to the Law of the Sea, and the extent to which they’ve implemented it. 

We can start with the countries which are not parties to the convention, which include:

• USA

• Peru

• Venezuela

• Land-locked South Sudan

• Eritrea

• Turkey 

• Syria

• Israel

• The landlocked Central Asian countries, some of which only have shores on the inland Caspian Sea

Beyond this, a dozen other countries signed the convention, but have not ratified to become parties.

Not all countries have data for implementation as of 2023, including many who are parties to the Law of the Sea. Among the parties, the least progress in implementing the convention has been in Iraq and landlocked Burundi.

SDG #14 is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Within SDG #14 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 14.b:

Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

Target 14.b has one indicator:

• Indicator 14.b.1: Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

The FAO issues Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries. The purposes of these are to improve food security and reduce poverty.

The measure for protections of small-scale fisheries along such guidelines is from a 1-5 scale, 5 being the highest and 1 the lowest. As of 2022, the country with the lowest protections among those with data is landlocked Nepal. Excluding some smaller states, the lowest protections are also in: 

• China

• Namibia

• land-locked Tajikistan

• Azerbaijan, which only borders the inland Caspian Sea

The global scorecard for this measure is at the highest level of 5.

SDG #14 is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Within SDG #14 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 14.a:

Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries 

Target 14.a has one indicator:

• Indicator 14.a.1: Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

Part XIV of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea says:

States, directly or through competent international organizations, shall cooperate in accordance with their capabilities to promote actively the development and transfer of marine science and marine technology on fair and reasonable terms and conditions

The criteria and guidelines mentioned in the text of Target 14.a guide how to put into effect Part XIV of the Law of the Sea. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission is a unit of UNESCO focused on ocean science. This same body publishes the Global Ocean Science Report, which updates the latest on ocean science.

As of 2022, the leaders in funding of ocean science and research are Norway and Peru, each spending greater than 5% of GDP on such efforts. The worldwide spending equals 1% of gross world product.

SDG #14 is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Within SDG #14 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 14.7:

By 2030, increase the economic benefits to small island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

Target 14.7 has one indicator:

• Indicator 14.7.1: Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

Sustainable fishery stocks have declined from 90% in the mid-70s to only 67% at the adoption of the SDGs. The impact of this on the livelihoods of fishing communities in the most vulnerable countries can be acute. A reflection of how dependent a country can be on its fisheries is the percentage of its GDP occupied by fisheries. But these fisheries need to be within sustainable yields to benefit fishing communities.

The countries with the highest reliance on sustainable fisheries as of 2019 are:

• Guinea-Bissau

• Sierra Leone

• Madagascar

• several small island developing countries.

Several African countries with coastlines don’t have data for this indicator. 

In 2019, 0.88% of the GDP of least developed countries came from sustainable fisheries, a decrease from 1.25% in 2015. For the SIDS, it was 0.46%, unchanged since 2015.

SDG #14 is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Within SDG #14 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 14.6:

By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

Target 14.6 has one indicator:

• Indicator 14.6.1: Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing 

The primary treaty governing international fisheries and maritime matters is the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Supplementing this, focused on fisheries management, is the UN Fish Stocks Agreement. Several other agreements are also overseen by the Food and Agriculture Organization. These include guidelines by which the country of the flag under which a vessel sails bears some responsibility. International agreements exist to enforce illegal catches at ports. This requires each country to check and surveil vessels bearing their country’s flag and others. This helps control such practices to counter organised evasion of such laws, which can take advantage of the high seas. The FAO also has a code of conduct for responsible fisheries.

For the measure of implementation of these international instruments, 5 is the highest score and 1 the lowest. The world has scored 4 as of 2022, up from 3 in 2018. Many countries don’t have data for this measure, including the US, several South American countries, and most of the Middle East and Africa. Countries with scores of 1 as of 2022 include Congo, Kuwait, and Bosnia, which only has a 20-kilometre coastline.

SDG #14 is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Within SDG #14 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 14.5:

By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

Target 14.5 has one indicator:

• Indicator 14.5.1: Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

Among protected areas, there are six categories of protection. The top tier is 'strict nature reserves' and 'wilderness areas'. The bottom tier are protected areas able to use natural resources in a sustainable manner. The World Database on Protected Areas by Protected Planet collates all these protected areas. This includes other effective area-based conservation measures, which aren't protected areas, but are managed in ways providing similar conditions for conservation. 

Key biodiversity areas are ecosystems which meet a criteria critical to prevent extinctions. Protected areas are at the forefront of conserving such environs. 

The key international treaty relating to biodiversity is the Convention on Biological Diversity. A set of targets, known as the Aichi Targets, was set for the decade 2010-2020. Target 14.5 draws from Aichi Target #11 , the aim of which was to protect 10% of marine areas. The world met this aim, with 13% of marine areas protected by 2020. Among the world leaders was Palau and Monaco, which protected all their marine areas. Following were France and Kazakhstan, which protected half of their marine areas, the latter in the case of the inland Caspian Sea.

The percentage of protected marine key biodiversity areas as of 2022 was 45%, not much improved since 2015.

SDG #14 is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Within SDG #14 are 10 targets, of which we here focus on Target 14.4:

By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

Target 14.4 has one indicator:

• Indicator 14.4.1: Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

This target looks at fishing practices destroying the health of aquatic ecosystems, including when illegal, unreported and unregulated.

As of 2019, too many countries are absent data. The countries with the least sustainable fish stocks, with less than 20% of their stocks being sustainable, are: 

• Colombia

• Italy 

• Croatia

• Bulgaria

• Turkey

0% of fish stocks in Pakistan, Guatemala and Myanmar were sustainable. 8 of the top 10 countries with the biggest fishing industries haven’t reported for this indicator. They are:

• China

• Indonesia

• India

• Vietnam

• Peru

• Russia

• Bangladesh

• Norway

Worldwide, as of 2019, 64% of fish stocks were sustainable, the rest overexploited - unchanged since 2015.