The future of tropical forests under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

TLDR

The 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals set 17 broad ambitions for post‑2015 development, offering policy levers for society, environment, and economy, while tropical regions—rich in biodiversity yet experiencing rapid urbanization—face severe deforestation that threatens biodiversity, climate, and socioeconomic equity. The study aims to identify context‑specific opportunities and challenges for SDG implementation in tropical regions and to propose pathways that could enhance social, environmental, and economic outcomes. The authors conduct a rapid qualitative review of academic and policy literature on development and tropical forests, applying the SDG framework to assess relevant issues. The review uncovers critical knowledge gaps while highlighting key synergies between the SDGs and tropical forests.

Abstract

In September 2015, member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a set of 17 ambitions for the post-2015 global development agenda. The goals do not offer a prescriptive plan but establish levers of policy action that seek to improve the three pillars of sustainable development: society, environment, and the economy. To facilitate achieving the SDGs, it will be critical to identify context-specific opportunities and challenges for implementation. Tropical regions of the world currently host not only the highest levels of biodiversity but also some of the highest rates of urbanization and development globally. Moreover, tropical forest deforestation is a globally significant issue; it has adverse impacts on biodiversity, climate systems, and socioeconomic equality. Here, we provide a rapid overview and qualitative assessment of the academic and policy literature on development and tropical forests, using the framework of the SDGs to examine issues broadly relevant to both tropical forests and sustainable development. Our assessment gathers existing knowledge and reveals critical knowledge gaps. In doing so, we identify key synergies between SDGs and tropical forests. We also suggest potential pathways of influence to improve social, environmental, and economic conditions in these rapidly developing regions of the world.