Kingdom of Bahrain Portal for Sustainable Development Goals

Goal Fifteen: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Forests cover 30 per cent of the Earth’s surface and in addition to providing food security and shelter, forests are key to combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and the homes of the indigenous population. Thirteen million hectares of forests are being lost every year while the persistent degradation of dry lands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares. Deforestation and desertification – caused by human activities and climate change – pose major challenges to sustainable development and have affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the fight against poverty. Efforts are being made to manage forests and combat desertification.

Overview of some indicators

Red list index : Critically endangered

24%

Red list index: Endangered

24%

Red list index: Not evaluated

Indicators

Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
- Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
- Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.
- Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management
Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
- Indicator 15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area
Target 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
- Indicator 15.4.1: Coverage by protected areas of important sites for mountain biodiversity (Excel, 0.01MB, 1 Sheet)
- Indicator 15.4.2: Mountain Green Cover Index (Excel, 0.01MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
- Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index (Excel, 0.01MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 15.6: Ensure fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources
- Indicator 15.6.1: Number of countries that have adopted legislative, administrative and policy frameworks to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 15.7: Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
- Indicator 15.7.1: Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked
Target 15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species
- Indicator 15.8.1: Proportion of countries adopting relevant national legislation and adequately resourcing the prevention or control of invasive alien species
Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
- Indicator 15.9.1: Progress towards national targets established in accordance with Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 (Excel, 0.11MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 15.a: Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainable use biodiversity and ecosystems
- Indicator 15.a.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems (Excel, 0.01MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 15.b: Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
- Indicator 15.b.1: Official development assistance and public expenditure on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems (Excel, 0.01MB, 1 Sheet)
Target 15.c: Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
- Indicator 15.c.1: Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked

Policies & initiatives support the goal

Protected Areas and Conservation Efforts

Bahrain’s commitment to land conservation and sustainable development is evident through its participation in the global 30x30 initiative, pledging to protect 30 percent of its land and ocean by 2030. The establishment of protected areas has been a key strategy in achieving this goal, such as the declaration of Wadi Al-Buhair as a natural reserve in July 2022.

Legal Framework and International Cooperation

Bahrain enacted Law No. (5) of 2021 on Regulating and Controlling International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Animal and Plant Groups, aligning with global conservation efforts under the Convention on International Trade of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and ensuring sustainable trade practices. Bahrain submits Annual CITES Reports covering the status of legal and sustainable international wildlife trade of endangered species.

Afforestation Efforts

Launched under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women, the “Forever Green” national campaign for tree planting aims to expand green areas, support envMironmental conservation, and uphold the agricultural sector’s development. As part of its net zero plans, the Kingdom committed to doubling the number of trees from 1.8 million to nearly 3.6 million trees by the year 2035 through the expansion of afforestation projects in various streets and intersections, and municipal and government projects. In 2022, the annual tree planting target was surpassed, with 150,000 trees planted.