Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water), and 15 (Life on Land) are critical for tackling the escalating environmental challenges faced by India. Climate change and environmental degradation pose serious threats to the nation’s unique geographic and ecological diversity, with profound implications for its water resources, marine ecosystems, and terrestrial landscapes. These challenges disrupt biodiversity, compromise ecosystem services, and jeopardize the livelihoods of millions who depend on these natural systems, particularly in rural and coastal areas. The study adopts a qualitative approach to evaluate the efficacy of mixed methods in analyzing the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It explores key drivers, including unsustainable water resource management, pollution, deforestation, habitat loss, and overexploitation of marine resources, which exacerbate ecological vulnerabilities. The findings highlight significant gaps in current policies and practices, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to sustainable development. Greater emphasis is placed on community engagement, participatory decision-making, and capacity building at local levels to ensure inclusive and context-specific solutions. The study also underscores the importance of aligning national and regional policies to address climate-related risks comprehensively while fostering long-term resilience in water resource management. Moreover, this research demonstrates the critical role of improved policy coherence and adaptive water resource engineering practices in mitigating climate impacts and preserving aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. Achieving the SDGs requires a concerted focus on the intersection of engineering innovation, ecological preservation, and socio-economic development. By fostering sustainable practices and promoting inclusive community involvement, this study provides actionable insights into safeguarding India’s ecosystems and ensuring the resilience of its water resources in the face of ongoing and future challenges.

Keywords:Climate, marine, biodiversity, ecosystem, sustainable, resource, conservation, target, degradation, species, environment, development, challenges

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1. International Institute for Sustainable Development. Mission and Goals - Sustainable Development. Available from: https://www.iisd.org/mission-and-goals/sustainable-development
2. United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals. Available from: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
3. Climate. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/science/climate-meteorology
4. Indian Society for Public Policy. India’s Climate Change Policy: Challenges and Recommendations. Available from: https://www.ispp.org.in/indias-climate-change-policy-challenges-and-recommendations/
5. Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. Available from: https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org/sustainable-development-goal-14-life-below-water/
6. The Global Goals. Goal 15: Life on Land. Available from: https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/15-life-on-land/
7. United Nations Environment Programme. Goal 15 - Life on Land. Available from: https://www.unep.org/topics/sustainable-development-goals/why-do-sustainable-development-goals-matter/goal-15-life-2#~text=Terrestrial%20ecosystems%20provide%20a%20series%20of%20goods%2C%20raw, climate%20and%20maintain%20the%20productivity%20of%20agricultural%20systems
8. Rockström J, Steffen W, Noone K, Persson Å, Chapin FS, Lambin EF, et al. A safe operating space for humanity. Nature. 2009;461(7263):472-475. doi: 10.1038/461472a
9. Steffen W, Rockström J, Richardson K, Lenton TM, Folke C, Liverman D, et al. Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science. 2015;347(6223):1259855. doi: 10.1126/science.1259855

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water), and 15 (Life on Land) are critical for tackling the escalating environmental challenges faced by India. Climate change and environmental degradation pose serious threats to the nation’s unique geographic and ecological diversity, with profound implications for its water resources, marine ecosystems, and terrestrial landscapes. These challenges disrupt biodiversity, compromise ecosystem services, and jeopardize the livelihoods of millions who depend on these natural systems, particularly in rural and coastal areas. The study adopts a qualitative approach to evaluate the efficacy of mixed methods in analyzing the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It explores key drivers, including unsustainable water resource management, pollution, deforestation, habitat loss, and overexploitation of marine resources, which exacerbate ecological vulnerabilities. The findings highlight significant gaps in current policies and practices, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to sustainable development. Greater emphasis is placed on community engagement, participatory decision-making, and capacity building at local levels to ensure inclusive and context-specific solutions. The study also underscores the importance of aligning national and regional policies to address climate-related risks comprehensively while fostering long-term resilience in water resource management. Moreover, this research demonstrates the critical role of improved policy coherence and adaptive water resource engineering practices in mitigating climate impacts and preserving aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. Achieving the SDGs requires a concerted focus on the intersection of engineering innovation, ecological preservation, and socio-economic development. By fostering sustainable practices and promoting inclusive community involvement, this study provides actionable insights into safeguarding India’s ecosystems and ensuring the resilience of its water resources in the face of ongoing and future challenges.

Keywords:Climate, marine, biodiversity, ecosystem, sustainable, resource, conservation, target, degradation, species, environment, development, challenges

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. International Institute for Sustainable Development. Mission and Goals - Sustainable Development. Available from: https://www.iisd.org/mission-and-goals/sustainable-development
2. United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals. Available from: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
3. Climate. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/science/climate-meteorology
4. Indian Society for Public Policy. India’s Climate Change Policy: Challenges and Recommendations. Available from: https://www.ispp.org.in/indias-climate-change-policy-challenges-and-recommendations/
5. Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. Available from: https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org/sustainable-development-goal-14-life-below-water/
6. The Global Goals. Goal 15: Life on Land. Available from: https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/15-life-on-land/
7. United Nations Environment Programme. Goal 15 - Life on Land. Available from: https://www.unep.org/topics/sustainable-development-goals/why-do-sustainable-development-goals-matter/goal-15-life-2#~text=Terrestrial%20ecosystems%20provide%20a%20series%20of%20goods%2C%20raw, climate%20and%20maintain%20the%20productivity%20of%20agricultural%20systems
8. Rockström J, Steffen W, Noone K, Persson Å, Chapin FS, Lambin EF, et al. A safe operating space for humanity. Nature. 2009;461(7263):472-475. doi: 10.1038/461472a
9. Steffen W, Rockström J, Richardson K, Lenton TM, Folke C, Liverman D, et al. Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science. 2015;347(6223):1259855. doi: 10.1126/science.1259855