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Time to rethink biodiversity: SDG 14 & 15

  • Torrey Sanseverino
    Research Manager, Sustainable Development Goals
  • Dr Nick Atkinson
    Chief Science Officer
  • Ellie Ould
    Carbon Ratings Analyst
  • Euan Casey
    Research Analyst
  • Natural Capital
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 goals which were designed to transform the world in every aspect of sustainable development. These goals are yet to be achieved.

In the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), the SDG framework is commonly used to express the non-carbon impacts of projects. Our internal analysis finds that approximately 50% of the existing VCM projects worldwide now have an associated SDG claim. Demand for projects with these types of co-benefits in the VCM is increasing, and supply is being encouraged. As such, it is imperative that the underlying mechanisms of the SDG Framework are understood.

SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) are frequently associated with biodiversity, including within the VCM. SDG 15 is the sixth most commonly reported SDG co-benefit claim, accounting for 10.5% of all SDG claims within the VCM.

Our analysis shows that SDG 14 & 15 do not strongly represent biodiversity impacts. This is because a majority of the SDG 14 & 15 indicators do not measure biodiversity directly, as well as a lack of available data for some of the underlying indicators.

In our view, increasing the applicability of the SDG framework to the VCM will require improved transparency on the meaning of SDG 14 & 15 claims and increased buyer awareness. Additionally, due to the complexity of the co-benefit claims in the VCM, alternative biodiversity measures may provide more insight. Nevertheless, co-benefit claims should not be reduced to a binary measure, but rather be viewed on a scale of impact.

Contents

  • Abbreviations

  • Introduction

  • 1. Weak links between biodiversity and SDG 14 & 15

  • 2. Lack of available data

  • 3. Emerging questions

  • Key Takeaways

  • Appendices

  • References

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