Cool Earth and the Sustainable Development Goals

The 193 member states of the United Nations have agreed 17 goals for sustainable development, to be met by 2030.

The goals are intended to provide a pathway to a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable future for all countries.

Only one of the goals explicitly mentions forests. But forests, and the people who live in them, play a vital role in achieving the outcomes of all 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Goal 15 is: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.”

It’s an ambitious goal, and there are lots of targets along the way. For example, by 2020 countries should be promoting the implementation of sustainable forest management, halting deforestation and restoring degraded forests.

It sounds like a lot to do in three years.

But Cool Earth’s partner communities are ahead of the game. While the headline achievement in our projects is keeping rainforest standing, they do a lot more besides.

Cool Earth’s model could not only help UN countries achieve Goal 15. By working alongside indigenous villages and strengthening communities, our approach helps each one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that countries are working towards for 2030.

United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals

See how Cool Earth's partnerships are working towards the sustainable development goals

Goal 1

Goal 1

End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Deforestation begins with poverty. Cool Earth works with communities to put them back in control of their resources: providing funds and support to help them out of poverty and keep their most valuable assets standing.

Goal 2

Goal 2

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Forests are a secure source of food for approximately 1.75 million people. Cool Earth’s Asháninka and Awajún partners in Peru are cultivating fishponds to provide community members with an important source of pollution-free protein.

Goal 3

Goal 3

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Maternal healthcare workshops are helping our Asháninka partners in Peru have healthy, happy births. In every project, Cool Earth supports emergency evacuation funds to get lifesaving treatment to those in need.

Goal 4

Goal 4

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Our partners build better schools and spend funds on resources and grants for students as a commitment to future generations.

Goal 5

Goal 5

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

The AMARNO jewellery collective in our Awajún project provides a source of income for women in the community. 98% of the women say they feel empowered as a member of AMARNO.

Goal 6

Goal 6

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

This year we ensured that the entire village of Coveja in our Asháninka project has access to clean, safe water. We’re also working on improving water and sanitation in our Yakolima project in PNG.

Goal 7

Goal 7

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

Many of our partner communities use sustainable energy to meet their needs. Solar power provides much needed light in many of our Asháninka partner villages and we’re working with communities in Lubutu in the DRC to find the most appropriate and sustainable alternative to cooking with fuelwood.

Goal 8

Goal 8

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

All members of our communities are invited to join growers’ cooperatives to improve their income. We employ community members as technicians and ensure that everyone gets a high price for their crop.

Goal 9

Goal 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.

Boats are the first thing many of our partners purchase with Cool Earth funds. This enables them to evacuate medical emergencies and purchase building supplies and other provisions from larger towns down river.

Goal 10

Goal 10

Reduce inequality within and among countries.

Racism and inequality affects many of our partners. Historically many of their lands were threatened by states that perceived them as inferior. Cool Earth is working to help our partners voices be heard to change the misconceptions around indigenous communities.

Goal 11

Goal 11

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Many of our partner villages have set up village watches to monitor illegal activities such as logging and poaching in the surrounding areas. Our partners live in a sustainable way in harmony with the forest and have withstood thousands of years of threats.

Goal 12

Goal 12

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Indigenous people have lived in forests for thousands of years and know best how to sustainably manage their resources. Supporting them to counter threats is the best way to ensure their sustainable way of life continues.

Goal 13

Goal 13

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Forests are the most important natural resource for combatting climate change. Halting deforestation and degradation will go a long way to protecting the planet.

Goal 14

Goal 14

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Deforestation on the coast of Papua New Guinea creates soil erosion, which has a disastrous effect on coral and mangrove landscapes. Halting deforestation helps keep the marine environment healthy.

Goal 15

Goal 15

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

This is what our partners do best. They rely on the forest for water, food, and income and they are the best placed to keep it healthy and standing.

Goal 16

Goal 16

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Cool Earth ensures that everyone in our partner communities has a voice. We make sure our partners are registered with birth certificates so they can gain access to the services they need, and we help to build and train community associations so that everyone has a say.

Goal 17

Goal 17

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Cool Earth’s model is simple, scalable, and incredibly effective. In just 8 years we have grown from a village in Peru to working across three continents. Starting with partnerships on a village level, we’ve created a global force for sustainable development.

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