Life on Land
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
Forest area (% of land)
31.0% (est)
FAO estimate · 2025
Annual deforestation (2015-2025 avg)
10.9 million hectares (est)
FAO estimate · 2025
Threatened species (28% of assessed)
47,187 (est)
IUCN Red List · 2025
Red List Index deterioration since 1993
12% (est)
IUCN estimate · 2025
Global Progress Score
Based on Sustainable Development Report 2025
Historical Trend (2015–2025)
Regional Comparison (2025)
Goal 15: Life on Land — Score per Country (2025)
Each country is scored 0–100 based on its progress toward this goal. Drag to rotate. Hover or tap a country to see its score.
Key Targets
SDR 2025 scores SDG 15 at 55.4/100 globally. Protected area coverage reached 17.6% of land and 8.3% of ocean in 2025 — progress but far from the 30% target by 2030 (CBD). Deforestation rates improved in 2023-24 in Brazil and Indonesia, but remained high in the Congo Basin and Southeast Asia. The biodiversity finance gap — estimated at $700 billion/year — is the largest of any SDG (OECD 2024). The EU Nature Restoration Law (2024) set binding targets to restore 20% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, the most ambitious domestic biodiversity legislation ever passed.
$700B/yr
the global biodiversity finance gap — the difference between what is spent and what is needed to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, the largest financing gap of any SDG.
OECD: Financing Nature 2024; SDR 2025 (SDSN)
Key Insights
The 6th Mass Extinction
The IUCN Red List shows 44,000+ species threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 37% of sharks and rays, 33% of reef corals, and 26% of mammals. Species populations have declined 69% on average since 1970. The extinction rate today is 1,000× the natural background rate — and accelerating.
Deforestation Continues
4.7 million hectares of forest are lost annually — an area larger than Switzerland. Tropical forests in the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia are the most affected. Forests store 45% of terrestrial carbon; deforestation is responsible for 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The Restoration Opportunity
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) targets restoring 350 million hectares of degraded land. This could generate $9 trillion in ecosystem services, sequester 13-26 Gt of greenhouse gases, and protect watersheds serving billions. Restoration at scale is one of the most cost-effective climate solutions available.
Nature as Economy
$44 trillion — over half of global GDP — is highly or moderately dependent on nature. Yet only 0.04% of global GDP is spent on biodiversity conservation. Pharmaceutical companies, fisheries, agriculture, and tourism all depend on healthy ecosystems. The Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework calls for $200B/year in biodiversity finance.
Core Challenges
Agriculture as the Driver
Agricultural expansion drives 70-80% of tropical deforestation. Cattle ranching, soy farming, palm oil, and cocoa production are the primary culprits. Supply chain transparency laws (EU Deforestation Regulation, 2023) are beginning to create accountability, but implementation and enforcement remain contested.
Poaching & Wildlife Trade
Illegal wildlife trade is a $23 billion/year criminal industry — the 4th largest illegal trade after drugs, counterfeits, and human trafficking. Rhinos, elephants, pangolins, tigers, and thousands of plant species are being pushed toward extinction to supply demand primarily in Asia.
Invasive Species
3,500+ alien species have established in new regions, threatening native ecosystems, agriculture, and human health. Economic damages from invasive species total $423 billion/year globally. Island ecosystems are particularly vulnerable — 80% of documented extinctions are on islands.
2030 Outlook
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022) set the 30×30 goal — protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030. Currently 17% of land is under some protection. Transforming food systems, halting deforestation, managing invasive species, and mobilizing $200 billion/year in biodiversity finance are the non-negotiable requirements. Nature's loss is ultimately humanity's loss.