Turning the tide: How global conservation efforts are curbing biodiversity loss

The Health of Biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction

The health of our planet’s biodiversity is teetering on the brink. Human activities have driven numerous species to the edge of extinction, calling for an urgent need for effective conservation measures. A monumental study recently published in the journal Science has brought hope, demonstrating that global conservation efforts can and do mitigate biodiversity loss.

Conservation Efforts and Positive Outcomes

Over a span of ten years, international researchers conducted an extensive review of 665 conservation trials, encompassing efforts dating back to 1890. These varied from ecosystem-based approaches like hatching Chinook salmon to targeted interventions like the eradication of invasive algae. This comprehensive evaluation spans continents and oceans, encompassing a diverse range of species.

The study’s findings are both heartening and illuminating. Approximately two-thirds of the conservation actions examined yielded positive outcomes for biodiversity. For instance, deforestation rates in the Congo Basin plummeted by 74 percent following the implementation of effective forest management plans. Similarly, Florida’s barrier islands saw Least Tern breeding rates double as a result of meticulous predator management strategies.

However, the results were not universally positive. In one out of every five cases, conservation measures failed to benefit the targeted species and sometimes even led to declines. Yet, even in these instances, there were inadvertent benefits for other species. For example, efforts to create marine protected areas for Australian seahorses resulted in an increase in their natural predators.

Challenges and the Need for Global Inclusivity

Despite these successes, the study revealed significant challenges. The geographical distribution of the trials was skewed, with half of them conducted in Western Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. This under representation of the Global South, especially in biodiversity hot spots like sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia, points to a need for a more globally inclusive approach to conservation research.

Inadequate Funding for Conservation

Furthermore, the current funding levels for conservation are woefully inadequate. The 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework set ambitious goals, including halting the decline of nature by the end of this decade and mobilizing at least $200 billion annually from various sources. Yet, current investments fall short, with only an estimated $121 billion being allocated each year to conservation efforts worldwide.

Optimism and the Way Forward

Dr. Penny Langhammer, executive vice-president of the environment charity Re:wild and a co-author of the study, provided an optimistic view on the findings. She stated, “If you read the headlines about extinction these days, it would be easy to get the impression that we are failing biodiversity – but that’s not really looking at the whole picture.” Langhammer emphasized that conservation, when effective, significantly improves biodiversity and slows its decline.

Dr. Joseph Bull, an associate professor in climate-change biology at the University of Oxford and another co-author, highlighted the disparity in conservation funding. He stressed that “these measures are clearly not being funded at a sufficient scale to actually start to reverse global declines in biodiversity.”

FALL FUNDRAISER

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 15: Life on Land
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article discusses the urgent need for effective conservation measures to mitigate biodiversity loss. This aligns with SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, and halting and reversing land degradation and biodiversity loss. The mention of marine protected areas and the increase in natural predators also connects to SDG 14, which aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources. Additionally, the underrepresentation of the Global South in conservation research highlights the need for global partnerships and collaborations, linking to SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
• 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.
• Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information.
• Target 17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South, and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology, and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, particularly at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism.

The article highlights the positive outcomes of conservation actions, such as the reduction of deforestation rates and the doubling of breeding rates for certain species. These align with Target 15.1 and Target 15.5 under SDG 15, which focus on the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of ecosystems and the protection of threatened species. The mention of marine protected areas connects to Target 14.5 under SDG 14, which aims to conserve coastal and marine areas. The need for a more globally inclusive approach to conservation research relates to Target 17.6 under SDG 17, which emphasizes enhancing international cooperation and knowledge sharing.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
• Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index
• Indicator 14.5.1: Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas
• Indicator 17.6.1: Number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements and projects between countries

The article mentions the reduction of deforestation rates in the Congo Basin as an outcome of effective forest management plans. This can be measured using Indicator 15.1.1, which tracks the forest area as a proportion of total land area. The positive outcomes for biodiversity can be assessed using Indicator 15.5.1, which measures the Red List Index, indicating the extinction risk of species. The establishment of marine protected areas for Australian seahorses can be measured using Indicator 14.5.1, which assesses the coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas. The need for global partnerships and collaborations can be measured using Indicator 17.6.1, which tracks the number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements and projects between countries.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Fuente: nationofchange.org

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