Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss
“Human life depends on the earth as much as the ocean for our sustenance and livelihood. Plant life provides 80 percent of our human diet, and we rely on agriculture as an important economic resource and means of development. Forests account for 30 percent of the Earth’s surface, providing vital habitats for millions of species and important sources for clean air and water; as well as being crucial for combating climate change.
“Today we are seeing unprecedented land degradation, and the loss of arable land at 30 to 35 times the historical rate. Drought and desertification is also on the rise each year, amounting to the loss of 12 million hectares and affects poor communities globally. Of the 8,300 animal breeds known, 8 percent are extinct and 22 percent are at risk of extinction.
“The Sustainable Development Goals aim to conserve and restore the use of terrestrial ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, drylands and mountains by 2020. Promoting the sustainable management of forests and halting deforestations is also vital to mitigating the impact of climate change. Urgent action must be taken to reduce the loss of natural habitats and biodiversity which are part of our common heritage.
“Conserving forests and other ecosystems is one of 17 Global Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. An integrated approach is crucial for progress across the multiple goals.” Sourced from the United Nations Development Program: www.undp.org
GR: Sustainable development is an oxymoron, a combination of contradictory terms. The human population is so large that its consumption of Earth’s resources is destroying those resources and the creatures that depend on them. Those who wish to profit from harvesting resources use the term together with the “progress—growth—development” mantra to disguise and falsely justify the damage they do. If foresters got together and reached a proper conclusion, they would declare a moratorium on logging, grazing, and harvesting of fruits, bark, and sap. These same foresters would then lobby for human population and pollution reduction while they stood guard at the edges of the forests.