Sustainability challenge and related SDGs:
Human activities have altered nearly 75% of the Earth's surface. This affects ecosystems on land and in the oceans and the services they provide that are essential for our survival. Nature provides us with oxygen, pollinates our crops and produces our food, feed and fiber. A sustainable future is only possible if we carefully manage the available resources. Pristine ecosystems must be protected, while many ecosystems that we use and have used must be restored.
Currently, 15% of land- and freshwater areas are protected, compared to only 7% of oceans. Moreover, many of these areas are not fully ecologically representative or effectively or equitably managed. They cover only a portion of the areas most important to biodiversity worldwide.
Possible solutions and their contribution to achieving the SDGs
#ConservationNow ensures the flourishing of various ecosystems such as wetlands, coral reefs and fertile soils. It also ensures the well-being of the people’s livelihood, which depends on these ecosystems.
This means that #ConservationNow includes not only protective measures, such as keeping a coastline from being washed away by stormwater but also restoration and rehabilitation measures.
Examples of services provided by #ConservationNow include dredging (removing sediment from water bodies to ensure flow), soil clean-up (removing heavy metals), pollination or removing excess phosphorus from waterbodies. #ConservationNow includes companies that develop or execute solutions and those that plan and fund these measures.
Functioning ecosystems will always remain a basic requirement for our and all other species to thrive. Therefore, SDG 14 and SDG 15 focus on the biodiversity of "Life under water" and "Life on land." In addition, SDG 6 "Clean water and sanitation" addresses functioning freshwater ecosystems.
Primarily related SDG Targets: 6.6, 14.2, 14.5, 14.c, 15.1, 15.3, 15.5, 15.8, 15.a
Investment Rationale and Growth Potential
The world's population is becoming increasingly aware that their lives depend on functioning ecosystems. Given this increased awareness and the ongoing degradation of nature, national governments will step up their conservation efforts in the future. Important drivers are accordingly large and significant international agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity or the Paris Agreement.
