What are the Sustainable Development Goals and do we care?
The UN came up with these back in 2015. Here’s why they’re still relevant and how they guide CarbonABLE’s project selection.
The 17 goals to get us to the future
SDGs. We talk about them all the time when we talk about the nature-based decarbonization projects funded and monitored by carbonABLE. What does SDG mean? It doesn’t mean So Damn Good, although, we think that the nature-based projects we fund ARE so damn good.
SDG stands for Sustainable Development Goal. These are a series of thematic goals outlined in 2015 by the United Nations and endorsed by 193 countries.
Though they are not legally binding, countries follow up and review the progress they make on the goals. The goals also serve as a guideline for companies or other organizations in their planning. They cover five pillars of action: people, prosperity, planet, peace, and partnership. If you want to dive in deeper, here’s your rabbithole.
Why does carbonABLE care?
Meant to guide global, national, regional, and local policy framework through 2030, these goals are like questions or boxes we must tick before engaging in an action. At CarbonABLE, before we fund any decarbonization project, we verify that the project meets at least 3 of the 17 goals. This lets us know that the project is true to our mission of restoring natural carbon sinks while respecting local communities and biodiversity. Here are some goals our projects often cover:
SDG #13: Climate action (of course)
This goal calls for urgent action to fight climate change. At today’s rate, cutting emissions alone won’t be enough to stop the climate crisis. So carbonABLE funds projects that address removing emissions by regenerating natural carbon sinks (like forests and wetlands) that absorb excess carbon and greenhouse gases.
SDG #15: Life on land
Calling for protection, restoration and sustainable use of land ecosystems, this goal aims to reverse land degradation and stop biodiversity loss. CarbonABLE projects that restore forests often meet this goal. Restoring forests restores wildlife habitats, often for endangered species. At the same time, this sequesters carbon in the trees and the soil.
SDG #14: Life below water
Our oceans, seas, rivers, and other water-based ecosystems are the key to life. This goal aims to protect, restore and use sustainably the marine resources this planet offers. CarbonABLE projects that restore wetlands, like mangroves, meet this goal. Wetlands often act as nurseries for marine wildlife. Protected wetlands are a big win for underwater biodiversity!
SDG #8: Decent work and economic growth
Protecting the environment and the people who live there go hand in hand, and this goal speaks to everyone’s right to earn a living. Therefore carbonABLE selects projects where local communities will be included in the carbon sink restoration and management. This helps heal the ecosystem and gainfully employ the people who live nearby.
Bringing DeFi to the SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals can be considered like a map to a liveable future. And DeFi? It’s the really solid hiking boots that are going to get us there!
Just like there is not 1 SDG, there is not 1 solution for climate change. We need many solutions to get out of the climate crisis: leveraging the power of DeFi to fund as many rewilding projects as possible is the climate solution we can commit to. Will you join us?
