Sustainable Development Goals
WRI's involvement in the UN's commitment to building a better world
WRI and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 interconnected global goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They serve as a blueprint for addressing the most pressing global challenges, aiming to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.
The Sustainable Development Goals are crucial for shaping a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. They represent a shared vision and commitment to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges and building a better world for present and future generations.
Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland’s (WRI) mission is promote and advance wildlife rehabilitation, welfare and protection across Ireland. In addition, to our direct conservation-related rehabilitation activities, we also advance the protection of wild animals and their habitats through education, advocacy and outreach. Given the interconnected nature of natural systems, by necessity this requires the promotion not only of direct animal rehabilitation issues, but also wider issues arising from human impacts on the environment, such as wildlife crime, wildlife-human conflicts, environmental degradation and pollution, habitat loss and the climate emergency.
Accordingly our activities relate to a broad number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Anthropogenic activities are driving a sixth mass extinction event globally, it is only by combatting a broad range of human impacts in a connected and holistic manner that we can hope to reverse Ireland’s wildlife and biodiversity crisis.
While our core focus is the rehabilitation and protection of wildlife, for our activities to be effective and sustainable wider engagement in environmental issues is key. This includes
cooperation and engagement with Ireland’s other environmentally minded organisations, such as the IEN to help drive environmental policy changes and improve enforcement through
advocacy activities. By working to improve the status of wildlife in Ireland, we are simultaneously contributing to a broad range of SDGs, as outlined below. Therefore we are contributing towards advancing Ireland’s implementation of these sustainable development goals.
Selected UN SDGs, listed in approximate order of priority related to WRI activities:
15. Life on Land
WRI’s primary focus is on land based animals, although we also contribute to Irish efforts to conserve and rehabilitate aquatic megafauna. WRI supports the rehabilitation of wildlife throughout Ireland, ranging from birds and land mammals to seals. Every year, more than 4,000 orphaned, injured or sick wild birds and mammals from all across Ireland, are treated by rehabilitators nationwide. In addition to conducting rehabilitation activities/training, WRI has active programmes directed against wildlife crime (poaching, baiting etc.), and towards the training of a national network of volunteer rehabilitators, and public education on wildlife and habitat destruction related matters.
It is important to protect and conserve wildlife in its own right, but these animals (particularly keystone species) also provide crucial ecosystem services and functions, which cannot be replicated in biodiversity poor habitats.
Key Life on Land targets in line with WRI operations:
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.
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.
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.a: Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems.
15.c: Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood
opportunities.
3. Good Health and Well Being
WRI is committed to the conservation and rehabilitation of native species and the preservation and restoration of natural environments, which benefits not only native flora and fauna but also the human population. A functioning environment, including wild animal populations, has direct benefits to human health and wellbeing. Additionally, there are proven health benefits to humans from exposure to nature. Furthermore, there is a well-established link between ecosystem (EcoHealth) and animal health with that of humans (One Health).
The combination of encroached and persecuted wildlife and industrial-scale agriculture has been shown to increase the rate of zoonotic disease transmission leading to human pandemics
such as Ebola, Sars and Covid19. In addition to helping to maintain wild animal health, WRI is enshrining One Health approaches and animal pathogen biomonitoring in the research and
veterinary activities of our rehabilitation hospital.
Key Good Health and Well Being targets in line with WRI operations:
3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable disease.
3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
2. Zero Hunger
Long term sustainable and viable food production systems are reliant upon healthy functioning ecosystems and their wildlife. WRI supports this goal by rehabilitating crucial keystone species, advocacy for improved wildlife crime protection (enforcement of existing Irish and European legislation) and the promotion of the protection and restoration of natural habitats which are crucial for biodiversity, including essential pollinator species, and ecosystem services vital to sustainable agriculture.
Key Zero Hunger targets in line with WRI operations:
2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
2.5: By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed.
13. Climate Action
WRI’s advocacy, educational and research activities help to highlight the effects of climate change on Irish fauna, and our promotion of natural habitat restoration advocacy helps to
address Irish climate change goals (e.g. reforestation with native species). Similarly, Ireland’s extant megafauna play a crucial role in maintaining natural habitats. For example, their soil
disturbance and seed dispersal activities facilitate renewal and spread of natural habitats which act as carbon sinks (e.g. forests). By protecting and rehabilitating such species WRI
indirectly improves Ireland’s ability to counter the growing climate crises.
Our outreach and advocacy activities directly impart an understanding of the plight of wildlife and humans affected by global warming on the general public, assisting with keeping climate related issues to the forefront of national discourse and governmental policy formation.
Key Climate Action target in line with WRI operations:
13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
14. Life Below Water
WRI raises public awareness of the plight of marine species, which are facing a plethora of anthropogenic-threats. WRI directly supports seal conservation (a crucial marine keystone
species) for example through our funding of Seal Rescue Ireland. WRI is also currently applying to the Save Our Seas Foundation (June 2020) to raise funds to enable research and
educational activities related to Irish chondrichthye (sharks, skates and rays) species to be conducted.
WRI has also recently established links with the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, which conducts marine focused rehabilitation, conservation and research activates (e.g. sea turtle rehabilitation, marine plastic and environmental pollution research, habitat restoration activities and human-induced diseases and human impacts on marine wildlife health).
Key Life Below Water targets in line with WRI operations:
14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
14.7: By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.
14.a: Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries.
14.c: Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of The Future We Want.
4. Quality Education
WRI seeks to provide quality education related to the importance of natural habitats and conserving Ireland’s biodiversity to all, through targeted educational programmes to those
interested in conducting rehabilitation activities (courses and conferences), as well as life-long learning, outreach and public engagement with the general populace, with an emphasis
on developing a curriculum based series of modules to raise awareness in children (the next-generation of environmentally conscientious citizens) through our social media, webinars,
media contributions and advocacy.
Key Quality Education targets in line with WRI operations:
4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
Linking with our Zero Hunger and Good Health and Wellbeing activities, healthy biospheres are crucial to producing healthy and productive habitats and returning ecosystem service
benefits to the human population, including clean air and fresh water. Our advocacy and educational activities related to habitat protection and the rehabilitation and return of animals
to the wild, particularly keystone species, contributes to the conservation and restoration of Ireland’s waterways.
Key Clean Air and Sanitation targets in line with WRI operations:
6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
