Plants, animals, forests, and arable land are critical for the sustenance of human life on Earth. However, today Earth is witnessing large scale deforestation, sources for clean air and water, along with the habitats of billions of living beings are being compromised. There is also significant loss of biodiversity, and several animal species are already extinct or facing extinction. Land degradation, droughts and desertification are increasing every year. SDG 15 aims to conserve and restore our terrestrial ecosystems including forests, wetlands, drylands and mountains.

Tamil Nadu comprises of parts of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Coastal Eco-system which supports a rich biological diversity. Tamil Nadu ranks first among the States in the country in angiosperm diversity. It accounts for nearly one-third of the total flora of India. Tamil Nadu is pursuing a plethora of initiatives to protect its land ecosystems