Life on land: background paper

Abstract

The present document is one of the background papers for the fourth session of the Africa regional forum on sustainable development, which is being held in preparation for the 2018 high-level political forum on sustainable development, to be held in New York from 9 to 18 July 2018. The theme of the regional forums is “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”. This paper provides a brief assessment of the status of and progress made in efforts to achieve sustainable development goal 15 of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the corresponding goal 7 of agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. In addition, the challenges and lessons learned pertaining to combating land degradation and the sustainable management of forests and biodiversity are highlighted. An outline is also provided of some key messages, including actions to accelerate the achievement of those two goals in Africa. The paper draws from existing assessments and literature on the two related goals. Life on land is crucial for the attainment of most of the sustainable development goals and for fostering a transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies in Africa. The land, forests and biodiversity resources of Africa underpin diverse livelihoods and economic sectors and, as a result, form the foundation for poverty eradication, sustained and inclusive growth and sustainable development in the region. This underlines the importance of achieving goal 15.