Sustainable Development Goal 15 is the lifeline for life on land. One of the seventeen integrated goals is considered a means to achieve comprehensive development, starting with environmental, social, and economic development.

“We thought that energy and water would be the critical issues of the next century, and now we believe that water alone will be the decisive issue.”
– Dr. Mustafa Kamal Tolba. [1]

Sustainable development goal 15

The countries affiliated with the United Nations adopted this goal in 2015. They described it as a global call to end poverty and protect the planet.  In addition to ensuring that all people have peace and prosperity at the beginning of 2030.

The fifteenth goal, “Life on Land”, states:

• Protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
• Managing forests sustainably.
• Combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation, and halting the loss of biodiversity. [2]

Reasons for the emergence of Sustainable Development Goal 15

There are many ongoing environmental crises threatening our planet which have led to the emergence of this goal. Some of these crises include:

• Biodiversity Loss:
  The past fifty years have witnessed rapid growth in human consumption and population. Resulting in the use of Earth’s resources more than they can be replenished.
  A report by the World Wildlife Fund also found that the sizes of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians decreased by 68% between 1970 and 2016.  Also, there are about 500 animal species on the verge of extinction within 20 years if appropriate measures are not taken. [3]
• Elimination of Forests:
  A study revealed that every hour, forests the size of 300 football fields are being cut down. By 2030, the planet may have only 10% of its forests left. [3]
• Plastic Pollution:
  In the past seven decades, more than two million tons of plastic have been produced annually. By 2015, this production had doubled to 419 million tons!
  This has exacerbated plastic waste in the environment. A report from a science journal revealed that approximately 14 million tons of plastic make its way into the oceans annually. This is what threatens wildlife and what lives in it. This could also lead to an environmental crisis that could spell disaster for the planet because it takes 400 years for plastic to decompose. [3]

Scientific and technical methods that can benefit in achieving sustainable development goal 15

Several techniques have been found in order to achieve sustainable development goal 15:

• Use of nuclear techniques that include the isotopes of elements:
  These techniques assess soil quality and study how crops absorb nutrients. This is reflected positively in the continuation of agriculture while preserving soil resources. [4]
• Nanotechnology:
  Nanotechnology is used to manufacture pesticides and fertilizers with better efficacy and a larger surface area. It is also able to respond accurately to environmental stimuli (temperature, humidity, light). In addition, it is water-soluble, which in turn reduces environmental waste. It is also used to enhance plants’ resistance to pests. [5]

Measures were taken by Arab governments to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 15

Almost all Arab countries have signed the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification. Which serves the fifteenth goal of sustainable development goals. [6]

A number of Arab countries have increased the area of ​​forests dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity. The total area of ​​forests has also increased by 62% in the past 30 years. [6]

Global Environmental Initiatives

Many initiatives in the world have emphasized the importance of the fifteenth goal. Among them:

• Green Middle East Initiative. Saudi Arabia launched this initiative in October 2021. It called for the planting of 50 billion trees in the Middle East. In addition to restoring an area equivalent to 200 million hectares of degraded land. Reducing more than 60% of carbon emissions associated with hydrocarbon production in the region. [6]
• Tide Turners Initiative. It started with funding from the UK in 2018. It is part of the UN sea cleaning campaign. Its goal is to clean up a river filled with plastic waste running through the Indian state of Gujarat. [7]

We, as individuals, are responsible for our environment and it’s our duty to preserve it for the continuity of future generations and the lives of other beings. We can do this by avoiding littering in random places and sticking to landfills.  In addition, we can use recyclable cloth bags. This is all in order to reduce plastic pollution and rationalize water consumption.

Sustainable development goal 15 and the other 16 goals seek to improve our lives for the better, as the interest of our environment is the interest of our lives. In the hope that environmental peace will be achieved in order to achieve a better planet free of pollutants and waste.

In turn, the Uplifting Syrian Women initiative seeks to achieve peace in all its forms. It believes that the improvement of the environmental situation will positively affect the economic, living, educational and cultural situation of the community.  Which in turn is the aim of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Also read: Sustainable Development Goal 14.

References: 

[1] AZ Quotes

[2] UN

[3] Earth Organization

[4] IAEA

[5] FAO

[6] UNEP