NAIROBI, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The attainment of environment-related sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030 could be a mirage amid climate change, habitat loss and unsustainable lifestyles, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) said in a joint report launched on Saturday, also the International Day for Biological Diversity.

According to the Measuring Progress: Environment and the SDGs report, countries are lagging behind in climate response and biodiversity protection despite making progress in reforestation, waste management alongside expanding access to clean water, energy and sanitation.

"We have still not embraced the rate of change necessary to come in line with the 2030 Agenda," said Elizabeth Mrema, the executive secretary of CBD.

Mrema said the report was a wake-up for a paradigm shift in the way societies relate with nature to reduce carbon footprint, depletion of vital ecosystems and accelerate green growth.

The measuring progress report that reviewed data and information on environmental aspects of each of the 17 SDGs said economic development has not fully aligned with the protection of habitats that sustain livelihoods.

It calls for improved data collection to promote appreciation of environmental sustainability amid a quest for economic growth.

"Our comprehension of the environmental dimension of the SDGs is lagging," said Jian Liu, director of the Science Division at UNEP.

Jian said that a better understanding of the nexus between environmental sustainability, human health and inclusive growth was paramount to strengthen action on the climate crisis and biodiversity loss.

The report reveals that biodiversity loss has escalated since the increasing extent of protected areas and other protective measures have not led to reductions in the number of species under threat of extinction.

It says that existing data products, statistics and indicators seem to be under-utilized, and governments have failed to place an emphasis on that data when crafting policy.

The report calls for strengthening environmental data capacities if policymakers are to improve their understanding of the priority actions required to bend the curve of continuing environmental deterioration and advance the chances of meeting the environmental SDGs. Enditem

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