Global Civil Society & the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

Life on Land


Forests cover 30.7 per cent of the Earth’s surface and, in addition to providing food security and shelter, they are key to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. By protecting forests, we will also be able to strengthen natural resource management and increase land productivity.

At the current time, thirteen million hectares of forests are being lost every year while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares. Even though up to 15% of land is currently under protection, biodiversity is still at risk. Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty.

Efforts are being made to manage forests and combat desertification. There are two international agreements being implemented currently that promote the use of resources in an equitable way. Financial investments in support of biodiversity are also being provided.

Name Acronym Founded City HQ Country/Territory HQ Type I Type II

Association of the Network for International Research on Desertification

DesertNet International 2007 Sassari Italy D

Association of Working Communities of the Alpine Regions

AWCAR 1989 Innsbruck Austria E

Association of World Citizens

AWC 1975 Novato CA USA F

Association of World Reindeer Herders

WRH 1997 Kautokeino Norway D

Association pour la promotion de l'éducation et de la formation à l'étranger

APEFE 1976 Brussels Belgium G

Association Roger Riou

1975 Paris France G

Associazione A Sud Ecologia e Cooperazione

A Sud 2003 Rome Italy G

Associazione Internazionale per la Comunicazione Ambientale

AICA 2003 Alba Italy G

Associazione New Humanity

Milan Italy N

ATD Fourth World International

1958 Pierrelaye France F

Atlantic Salmon Trust

AST 1967 Perth UK F v

Atlas Alliance

1981 Oslo Norway G

Atlas Economic Research Foundation

Atlas Network 1981 Washington DC USA G f

Atlas Service Corps

2006 Washington DC USA G

Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine

ACNEM Sandringham VIC Australia N

Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators Network

AELERT 2004 Canberra ACT Australia G

Australasian Network for Ecology and Transportation

ANET N

Australasian Primate Society

1982 Magill SA Australia G

Australasian Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Conference

ARSPC S c

Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour

ASSAB 1972 Trangie NSW Australia N

Australasian Society of Zoo Keeping

ASZK 1976 D

Australasian Soil and Plant Analysis Council

ASPAC 1990 Warragul VIC Australia N

Australasian Wader Studies Group

AWSG 1981 Heathmont VIC Australia G v

Australasian Wildlife Management Society

AWMS 1988 Canberra ACT Australia N

Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching

ANZCCART 1987 Adelaide SA Australia G

Australian Council for International Development

ACFID 1965 Deakin ACT Australia G y

Austrian Middle East Environment Protection Association

AIMEEPA N

Austrian Society for Environment and Technology

Vienna Austria G

AVI

1961 Fitzroy VIC Australia G

Avoided Deforestation Partners

AD Partners 2007 Washington DC USA G

AWARE International

Paris France G

Balkan Environmental Association

BENA 1998 Thessaloniki Greece D

Balkan Federation of Apicultural Associations

Bucharest Romania D y

Balkan Society of Geometers

BSG 1994 Bucharest Romania D v

BALKANI Wildlife Society

1989 Sofia Bulgaria E

Baltic Earth

Geesthacht Germany E

Baltic Ecovillage Network

BEN F

Baltic Environmental Forum

BEF 1995 Riga Latvia F

Baltic Farmers Forum on Environment

BFFE 1998 Stockholm Sweden F

Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission

HELCOM 1974 Helsinki Finland E gy

Baltic Nest Institute

BNI 2007 Stockholm Sweden E j

Baltic Network against Life-Threatening Viral Infections

Baltic Antiviral Network 2013 Stockholm Sweden F

Baltic Sea Hydrographic Commission

BSHC 1983 Monte Carlo Monaco K g

Baltic Sea Project

BSP 1989 E

BalticSea2020

2005 Stockholm Sweden G

BalticWaters2030

BW2030 Stockholm Sweden G f

Bariloche Foundation

1963 Bariloche Argentina G f

Basel Action Network

BAN 1997 Seattle WA USA F

Basel Protocol on Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

1999 T g

Bat Conservation International

BCI 1982 Austin TX USA G v

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