15. LIFE ON LAND

LIFE ON LAND

The aim of SDG #15 is to commit businesses to sustainable use of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems, including sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, and halting land degradation and biodiversity loss. Forests cover 30% of the Earth’s surface. They play a key role in combating climate change, protecting biodiversity, and providing food and shelter to indigenous peoples and animal species, including species threatened with extinction.23 Alarmingly, the UN notes that progress to protect terrestrial biodiversity has stalled over the last 5 years. An estimated 13 million hectares of forests are lost annually, while the persistent degradation of drylands has led to the desertification of 3.6 billion hectares24 .

In line with the agricultural production sector’s increasing focus on fostering terrestrial biodiversity and preventing land degradation, RTRS Standard addresses SDG #15 in depth through multiple indicators under Principle 4 (Environmental Responsibility) and Principle 5 (Good Agricultural Practices).

SDG TARGETS AND RELATED RTRS INDICATORS

SDG Targets

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.

RTRS Indicators

RTRS: 4.4.1, 4.4.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3

Responsible expansion of soy cultivation in line with the RTRS Standard must involve the minimal amount of land conversion/ clearing possible, including a total prohibition of conversion of any natural land (4.4.1, 4.4.2) (Glossary). Moreover, the RTRS certified producers must conduct an identification and mapping of the status of natural vegetation along watercourses, and formulate a plan with a timetable for restoring any natural vegetation which might have been removed due to their agricultural practices (5.2.1, 5.2.2). Natural wetlands must not be drained as a result of soy production activities (5.2.3).

SDG Targets

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.

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.

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.

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.

RTRS Indicators

RTRS: 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, 5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.3.4

RTRS producers must prepare a map of where native vegetation is present on their farms and formulate a plan for how this vegetation will be preserved (4.5.1), (4.5.2). Moreover, producers are to maintain soil quality, prevent soil erosion, and implement crop rotation plans (5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.3.4).

RTRS: 4.3.3, 4.3.4, 4.4.1, 5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.3.4, 5.4.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4, 5.5.1, 5.6.1, 5.6.2, 5.7.1, 5.7.2, 5.9.1, 5.9.2

The Standard addresses the issue of land degradation as a consequence of various aspects of soy production particularly in depth, as alignment with the SDG target 15.3 was found for 17 RTRS indicators. When possible, RTRS certified producers are expected to introduce various activities to increase sequestration of GHG on the farm and beyond (4.3.3, 4.3.4). Monitoring and maintaining of soil quality and preventing soil erosion are also required (5.3.2, 5.3.3, 5.3.4). Crop Management Techniques and other measures must be introduced in order to reduce the negative environmental impacts of phytosanitary products, agrochemicals, and biological control agents (5.4.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4, 5.5.1, 5.6.1, 5.6.2, 5.7.1, 5.7.2, 5.9.1, 5.9.2).

RTRS: 4.5.4

RTRS: 4.5.4

SDG Targets

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.

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.

RTRS Indicators

RTRS: 4.5.3, 4.5.4

Another way in which RTRS certified producers are required to foster on-farm biodiversity is by protecting endemic, rare, threatened or endangered species permanently or temporarily present on the property (4.5.3). This includes initiating conservation activities to promote wildlife inside and outside of the farm (4.5.4).

RTRS: 5.8.1, 5.8.2

Producers are required to identify and monitor invasive introduced species and new pests (5.8.1). Major outbreaks of existing pests are to be communicated either through existing systems or to the proper authorities and relevant producer organizations or research organizations (5.8.2).

More information

The RTRS Standard addresses the issues of land degradation and biodiversity loss as a consequence of expanding soy production by providing clear territorial boundaries for where land conversion by RTRS producers is not allowed. Firstly, the RTRS has provided maps of areas which may not be cleared and converted after May 2009, which are made available in the Annex to the Standard (4.4.1 a) For use in geographies not covered by the RTRS maps, universal criteria are provided for identifying areas protected by the Standard (4.4.1 b). Moreover, RTRS also specifies that after 3 June 2016, no conversion is allowed in any natural land (4.4.2), which is defined in a separate Glossary accompanying the Standard as “all land with natural, native vegetation, including, but not limited to, native forests, riparian vegetation, natural wetlands, savannahs, prairies, and woodlands”. Moreover, the RTRS requires producers to safeguard on-farm biodiversity, hire a trained professional to conduct an identification of on-farm native vegetation and wildlife, formulate status indicators and baseline and measures for monitoring and protection (4.5.2).

SDG 15: Case study

Title: RTRS maps

Organisation: RTRS, WWF, IDH - The Sustainable Trade Initiative, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, BACP - British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

Location: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay

Case: RTRS maps are a zoning tool designed to guide responsible soy production in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, identifying areas where biodiversity is most relevant and should therefore not be converted. It also defines where expansion can take place over areas already consolidated. RTRS has developed its zoning tool to guide the expansion of soy farming and promote ecosystem conservation. This initiative was carried out jointly by producers, the industry and civil society organizations, both regional and international. Visit the maps: https://responsiblesoy.org/mapasrtrs?lang=en

More information

RTRS certified producers are required to identify and, when possible, implement opportunities for increased carbon sequestration. If existing opportunities for carbon sequestration are not being implemented, the producers are required to provide a justification to the auditor (4.3.4). The Standard also provides multiple examples of the forms that carbon sequestration activities could take. Similarly, extensive guidelines are provided in the Standard for activities that could be undertaken by producers to implement and promote conservation activities inside and outside of the farm (4.5.4). Moreover, the Standard focuses extensively on the industry-specific issue of land, water, and biodiversity degradation as a result of improper use of agricultural chemical products, calling for responsible and documented handling, storage, and disposal by RTRS producers (5.4.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4, 5.5.1, 5.6.1, 5.6.2, 5.7.1, 5.7.2, 5.9.1, 5.9.2).