Biodiversity 101: What you need to know about the variety of life on Earth
Biodiversity 101: What you need to know about the variety of life on Earth and how to protect it The Nature Conservancy
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Biodiversity: A Valuable Asset for Sustainable Development
Biodiversity provides us all an amenity list that can’t be topped. But its value goes well beyond its tangible benefits to humankind.
Biodiversity’s Beauty
For example, biodiversity is beautiful. It makes the world more colorful, interesting, and thought-provoking.
Humor and Awe
It has the ability to make us laugh and humbles us and leaves us in awe.
Cultural and Spiritual Enrichment
It enriches us culturally and spiritually by connecting us to something much greater than ourselves.
The Great Bear Rainforest
The Kermode or “spirit bear” is found only within the Great Bear Rainforest on Canada’s Pacific coast. Many First Nations within the Great Bear Rainforest are deeply connected to this unique bear and the other incredible biodiversity of this large ecoregion.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species | Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts | Indicator 15.9.1: Progress towards national targets established in accordance with Aichi Biodiversity Targets |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.b: Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems | Indicator 15.b.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 15: Life on Land
The article highlights the importance of biodiversity and its value in making the world more colorful, interesting, thought-provoking, and culturally and spiritually enriching. These aspects are directly related to SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, and halting biodiversity loss.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
The article emphasizes the beauty and value of biodiversity, highlighting its ability to make the world more colorful, interesting, thought-provoking, and culturally and spiritually enriching. By protecting and preventing the extinction of threatened species, we can preserve these unique and valuable aspects of biodiversity.
Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts
The article mentions the connection between biodiversity and cultural/spiritual enrichment, particularly in the Great Bear Rainforest. By integrating ecosystem and biodiversity values into planning, development, and poverty reduction strategies, we can ensure the preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for the benefit of local communities.
Target 15.b: Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
The article highlights the value of biodiversity and its tangible and intangible benefits. By mobilizing and increasing financial resources, we can support conservation efforts and ensure the sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index
The article does not explicitly mention this indicator, but it implies the importance of preventing the extinction of threatened species. The Red List Index measures changes in the overall extinction risk of species over time, providing a way to assess progress in halting biodiversity loss.
Indicator 15.9.1: Progress towards national targets established in accordance with Aichi Biodiversity Targets
The article does not mention this indicator directly, but it implies the need to integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning. Progress towards national targets established in accordance with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets can be used to measure the integration of these values into planning and development processes.
Indicator 15.b.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems
The article does not mention this indicator explicitly, but it implies the need for increased financial resources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems. Monitoring official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use can help measure progress towards mobilizing and increasing financial resources.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species | Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts | Indicator 15.9.1: Progress towards national targets established in accordance with Aichi Biodiversity Targets |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.b: Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems | Indicator 15.b.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems |
Source: nature.org
