Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key.
In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.
On this page, you will learn more about 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".
What is Goal 15 about?
According to the UN "Preserving diverse forms of life on land requires targeted efforts to protect, restore and promote the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and other ecosystems. Goal 15 focuses specifically on managing forests sustainably, restoring degraded lands and successfully combating desertification, reducing degraded natural habitats and ending biodiversity loss". In the link above, you can read about the targets and indicators to Goal 15.
Healthy ecosystems with flourishing biodiversity are often the main reasons why tourists visit a destination. However, tourism can also contribute to biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystems if not managed responsibly. Tourism infrastructure may negatively affect ecosystems and habitats. Waste and wastewater are introduced in fragile environments and disturb the natural balance. Illegal hunting as well as souvenirs and food products derived from endangered species threaten local biodiversity.
How does Green Key help to achieve goal 15?
SDG 15 addresses the issues related to the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services due to unsustainable management and environmental pollution. In fact, two of Green Key’s strategy focal points for 2030 revolve around biodiversity and environmental pollution, as they both heavily affect the hospitality industry, thus representing either a threat, if resources are ill-managed, or a big opportunity, if sustainability is implemented.
Conservation of terrestrial and freshwater eco-systems (SDG target 15.1), sustainable forest management (SDG target 15.2), biodiversity conservation of mountains and natural habitats (SDG targets 15.3, 15.4), support of local communities against poaching and illegal trafficking of endangered species (SDG targets 15.6, 15.c), as well as containment of invasive species (SDG target 15.8) are some of the principles that contribute to shaping 2022-2025 Green Key criteria for certified establishments.
Here are some of the ways the programme promotes the achievement of SDG 15:
RESPONSIBLE SOURCING – Ensuring that products and supplies used in the daily operations are manufactured according to sustainable practices is key to make sure that the establishments are not indirectly contributing to environmental harm. For this reason, Green Key asks its certified establishments to source goods and services from eco-certified suppliers (criterion 13.5) and to make sure that e.g. food products (criteria 8.1, 8.10), sanitary paper (criterion 5.5) and office supplies (criterion 13.2) are also eco-labeled. Paper use should also be reduced (criterion 13.3) to lower the strain on forest ecosystems: woods and trees act as natural carbon-sequestration devices that trap CO2 from the atmosphere and turn it into biomass. Logging trees for paper production inevitably consumes energy and water for industrial processes, but also limits the ecosystem capacity to both act as a habitat for biodiversity and to mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere;
ENDANGERED SPECIES - It is not permitted for Green Key certified establishments to sell or display endangered animal or plant species within their premises certified (criterion 11.7), nor to serve food products derived from such species in restaurants (criterion 8.3). Establishments are required not to deal in products deriving from poaching and illegal trafficking (criterion 11.3) and to support local communities build capacity against these harmful activities (criterion 11.6). Establishments are also asked to respect animal welfare and not exploit domesticated or wild animals for entertainment purposes (criterion 11.8);
GREEN AREAS –. For gardens and other green arrangements to be sustainable in the long run and easily maintained, Green Key promotes local biodiversity and the use of native species (criterion 10.4), as they are more resilient and adaptable to local weather and climate conditions. At the same time, invasive species that threaten local biodiversity should be avoided and actively dealt with according to safe and effective protocols (criterion 10.5);
PROMOTING LOCAL NATURE – Only by knowing the local nature, can visitors appreciate its aesthetic, economic and environmental value. Educating tourists about local ecosystems and species is one of the ways establishments can generate positive impact on their surroundings and local communities. Green Key certified establishments are required to provide guests with information about nearby parks, landscapes, and nature conservation areas (criterion 12.1). The information must include the encouragement to follow established guidelines or codes of conduct to minimise visitors’ negative impact on the environment (criterion 12.4).
It is worth mentioning that Green Key has taken part in the GA:IA 2030 biodiversity campaign along with the other programmes run by the Foundation for Environmental Education. Green Key’s objective is to raise awareness among pivotal players in the hospitality industry, as well as to share best practices by certified establishments in the field of biodiversity conservation.
A document describing Green Key’s overall contribution to all 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be downloaded here.
