SDG15 Life on Land

This site contains links to the activities and tools ESCAP has used to strengthen environment statistics in Asia and the Pacific. It also contains a collection of outputs from these activities. One of the purposes of the self-learning materials is to provide background to reading the guidance documents. Another purpose is to provide insights into policy applications and data sources.

World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5 to raise awareness and generate action on a pressing environmental issue. The Day offers an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments and renew our resolve in overcoming the environmental challenges facing the world today. Held annually since 1974, World Environment Day is a vital platform for promoting progress on the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Forests, and forest monitoring in particular, are critical to ensuring that countries stay on target with emission reduction goals within the framework of the Paris Agreement. A robust National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) can support the formulation, monitoring and adjustment of sub- and national forest-related policies, inform citizens and stakeholders and help track progress towards sustainable forest management and reducing emissions related to forest loss.

Forests, and forest monitoring in particular, are critical to ensuring that countries stay on target with emission reduction goals within the framework of the Paris Agreement. A robust National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) can support the formulation, monitoring and adjustment of sub- and national forest-related policies, inform citizens and stakeholders and help track progress towards sustainable forest management and reducing emissions related to forest loss.

To help address the challenges of drought monitoring, Mongolia became the first pilot country for ESCAP’s Regional Drought Mechanism. The process began in 2013 following a request to ESCAP to pilot the Mechanism through the Mongolian National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) within the Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IRIMHE).

Similar to coral reefs and seagrass, mangroves are extremely biodiverse ecosystems that are critical as nursery grounds for many marine species, including those essential to global fisheries. They purify water, stabilize coastlines, provide protection from storms, and are important sources of food and resources for local communities.

The Land Development Department of Thailand (LDD), uses space applications to support the country’s agricultural sector in many ways, including surveying soil classification for agricultural planning, and for agricultural land census. Surveying soil classification for agricultural planning uses satellite images in combination with aerial imagery, such as through the Soil series visualisation system.