Report on the Petition for State Protection of the Western Spadefoot and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

A formal petition has been submitted to the California Fish and Game Commission by the Center for Biological Diversity. The petition requests the inclusion of the western spadefoot (Spea hammondii) under the protective measures of the California Endangered Species Act. This action is prompted by a significant decline in the species’ population, driven by anthropogenic pressures that directly conflict with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

2.0 Species Status and Threats to SDG 15 (Life on Land)

The western spadefoot, an amphibian species once prevalent across California, is facing a high risk of extinction. Its population decline is a direct indicator of ecosystem degradation, challenging the objectives of SDG 15, which aims to halt biodiversity loss.

2.1 Primary Threats

• Habitat Loss, Degradation, and Fragmentation: The primary threat stems from the conversion of natural habitats for urban and infrastructure development. This directly contravenes SDG Target 15.5, which calls for urgent action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
• Climate Change: Changing climate patterns disrupt the species’ sensitive breeding cycles, aligning this conservation issue with SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Pollution and Invasive Species: Contamination of habitats and the introduction of non-native species further threaten the spadefoot, undermining efforts to protect and restore terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems as outlined in SDG 15.

3.0 Ecosystem Impact and Relation to Broader Development Goals

The survival of the western spadefoot is intrinsically linked to the health of specific seasonal wetland ecosystems, particularly vernal pools. The extensive loss of these habitats highlights a failure to integrate environmental protection with development planning.

3.1 Vernal Pool Degradation

An estimated 95% of California’s historic vernal pools have been destroyed. This loss has cascading effects on multiple sustainability objectives:

1. SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The destruction of these critical habitats is attributed to poorly planned development and road construction, indicating a lack of sustainable urbanization as called for in SDG Target 11.3.
2. SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): As a semi-aquatic species dependent on seasonal wetlands, the spadefoot’s decline is symptomatic of the degradation of water-related ecosystems, a core concern of SDG Target 6.6.
3. SDG 15 (Life on Land): Vernal pools are biodiversity hotspots. Their loss signifies a major setback for the conservation of unique ecosystems and the species they support (SDG Target 15.1).

4.0 Institutional Response and the Role of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

The petition for state-level protection underscores the critical role of effective and accountable institutions in achieving environmental goals. While a proposal for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act was made in 2023, a final decision remains pending. The weakening of national environmental regulations, such as the Clean Water Act, has increased the vulnerability of species like the western spadefoot. Therefore, this state-level petition represents a crucial action to leverage regional governance structures (SDG 16) to enforce environmental law and advance conservation targets in alignment with global sustainability commitments.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 15: Life on Land

• The article’s central theme is the protection of a terrestrial and semi-aquatic species, the western spadefoot. It directly addresses the goals of protecting biodiversity and halting its loss. The text states that the species’ “populations have been in steep decline for decades,” and there is a “risk of extinction.” The petition to list the spadefoot under the state Endangered Species Act is a direct action aimed at conserving life on land.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• The survival of the western spadefoot is explicitly linked to water-related ecosystems. The article notes their reliance on “seasonal breeding pools” and “vernal pools — a unique type of seasonal wetland.” Threats from “pollution” and the weakening of the “Clean Water Act” are mentioned, highlighting the connection between the species’ vulnerability and the protection of freshwater ecosystems.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The primary threat to the western spadefoot is identified as habitat loss driven by human development. The article specifies that their “home turf gets eaten up by roads and poorly planned development.” This connects the species’ decline to unsustainable urbanization and land use, which is a key concern of SDG 11.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article explicitly lists “climate change” as one of the threats harming the western spadefoot, alongside habitat loss and pollution. This connects the issue to the broader need for climate action to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

SDG 15: Life on Land

1. Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
   • The petition to protect the western spadefoot, a species “proposed for federal protections as a threatened species,” is a direct attempt to “prevent the extinction of threatened species.” The article’s focus on the “steep decline” of its population and the “risk of extinction” aligns perfectly with the urgency of this target.
2. 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…
   • The article highlights the spadefoot’s need for “high quality grasslands or shrublands connected to seasonal breeding pools” and its reliance on “vernal pools — a unique type of seasonal wetland.” The degradation and loss of these specific ecosystems are central to the problem, making their conservation relevant to this target.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

1. Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
   • The article’s emphasis on the loss of “vernal pools,” a type of wetland critical for the spadefoot, directly relates to this target. The statement that “Up to 95% of the state’s historic vernal pools have been lost” underscores the failure to protect these water-related ecosystems.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

1. Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
   • The article attributes the spadefoot’s habitat loss to “roads and poorly planned development,” which points to a lack of sustainable urban and land-use planning. This directly connects the environmental issue to the principles of sustainable human settlement management.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Implied and Mentioned Indicators

1. Indicator for Target 15.5 (related to Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index): The conservation status of the species.
   • The article provides a clear indicator of the species’ vulnerability by mentioning it was “proposed for federal protections as a threatened species” and is the subject of a petition for protection under the “state Endangered Species Act.” The classification of the species as “threatened” is a direct measure of its risk of extinction.
2. Indicator for Targets 15.1 and 6.6 (related to Indicator 6.6.1: Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time): The extent of habitat loss.
   • The article provides a specific, quantifiable indicator of habitat loss by stating, “Up to 95% of the state’s historic vernal pools have been lost.” This statistic serves as a direct measure of the degradation of a critical wetland ecosystem.
3. Implied Indicator for Target 11.3 (related to Indicator 11.3.1: Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate): The rate of land conversion for development.
   • While no specific numbers are given, the article implies a high rate of unsustainable land use. Phrases like “habitat is disappearing by the day” and “home turf gets eaten up by roads and poorly planned development” serve as qualitative indicators of rapid land conversion that is not integrated with environmental protection.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: biologicaldiversity.org