GEODIVERSITY AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Geodiversity & sustainable development goals 14 & 15.
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Case study:
SDG 14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
Ocean acidification, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, affects the ability of marine organisms to make their shells out of calcium carbonate. It is the "evil twin of global warming". As explained for SDG 13 (Climate Action), the sustainable use of geodiversity will be at the centre of moves to decarbonise economies; from the responsilbe mining of metals needed for the technologies of the future, to the geological storage of carbon dioxide following its capture from the atmosphere. These developments - routed in our use of geodiversity - will not only tackle global warming, but also support a healthier marine biosphere.
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Case study:
SDG 15.4: By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development.
It is often said that if we think of the world's organisms - biodiversity - as the actors in a play, then the stage on which the play is set is geodiversity. It underpins all our environments and ecosystems, and unless we conserve geodiversity, then we cannot protect biodiversity.
The links between geodiversity and biodiversity can be seen all around the world - here is one example from the Ngorongoro Lengai UNESCO Global Geopark in Tanzania: