NEW YORK—The Philippines has called for a better recognition of the linkages between nature and the achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a session of the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development.
In her statement delivered at the session on the review of the implementation of SDG 15, which is to “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss,” Minister Leila C. Lora-Santos underscored the need to mainstream biodiversity into economic sectors.
According to Lora-Santos, this links to the current agenda on mainstreaming of biodiversity into economic sectors—including energy—of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which the parties discussed in July in Montreal, Canada.
“[We] highlight the need for taking biodiversity into account and ensuring both environmental and social safeguards in [energy and other] industrial development,” the minister said.
Lora-Santos cited that nearly 40 percent of migratory birds are in decline, and 1 in 9 is threatened with global extinction due to threats that might be found at any point of their marathon “flyways.” Such threats include agricultural and coastal development leading to loss or degradation of habitat, and inappropriately sited or operated wind turbines and power lines resulting in collision, electrocution or displacement.
“In 2017 the Philippines hosted the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species, and supported the passing of a resolution on conserving coastal habitats for migratory species. The Conference also established an Energy Task Force, a multistakeholder expert group including environment and energy ministries, financiers, project developers, utilities companies, nongovernment organizations and scientists, which is developing best practice and raising awareness of the need and means to integrate biodiversity considerations into renewable energy development and transmission,” Lora-Santos expounded.
SDG 15 specifically calls on the international community to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.”
This goal is said to be a critical measure of overall progress against the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as a key enabler of many other goals and targets, and central to providing environmental support services critical to ensuring, among others, safe and sustainable water supplies and mitigating climate change.
SDG 15 is one of the goals under review in this year’s HLPF, the main UN platform on sustainable development that has a central role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda at the global level.
Image credits: New York PM