SDG 15, Life on Land, aims to protect and restore ecosystems on land and to thereby combat biodiversity loss. Two WU students, Melina and Marcus, explain the importance of green space in urban areas, noting that these are critical for our enjoyment of the cities we live in (see also our videos on SDG 11, Sustainable Cities). They call on everyone to be part of preserving today’s nature; for example, by participating in urban gardening activities like those at WU, run in collaboration by our Environmental Management team and STaR.

Next, in our researcher interview, Zully Rosadio Cayllahua, Research Associate at the Institute of Ecological Economics, elaborates on the impact of resource extraction on our planet’s biodiversity. Zully shares her passion for SDG 15, which started at the age of 12, back in her home country, Peru. Her current research focuses on quantifying resource extractions while looking at the entire supply chain, from the initial material production to the final consumption. She is particularly interested in studying the extraction of forestry products and its impact on biodiversity. Zully concludes by sharing valuable tips on individual action that could help to ease the impact of deforestation by reminding us of the impact of meat consumption (see also our researcher interview on SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production).

Additional Links:

• SDG 15: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal15

• Cross-campus Green Buddies initiative at WU [materials mostly in German]: https://www.wu.ac.at/en/star/sustainability-wu/involvement-for-all/green-buddies

• World Wildlife Fund: https://www.worldwildlife.org

• Forest Stewardship Council: https://fsc.org/en

• David Attenborough:  A Life on Our Planet: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11989890