Rangers patrol Gunung Leuser National Park in Indonesia. UN report: Protecting 30 percent of planet by 2030 is still possible, but more action is needed Climate and Environment
The international community has made some progress towards meeting its commitment to protect 30 percent of the planet’s land area by 2030, but there is a need to accelerate action in this direction, according to an official report by the UN Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
According to the report, 17.6 percent of the world’s land and inland waters and 8.4 percent of ocean and coastal areas are currently within protected areas. Experts note a slight increase in protected areas since 2020 – by 0.5 percent.
“Today’s landmark report shows that some progress has been made over the past four years, but we have not gone far enough or fast enough,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
To reach the 30 percent target, by 2030 an area of land equal to Brazil and Australia combined must be protected (12.4 percent) and an area of sea larger than the Indian Ocean (21.6 percent).
Protected and protected areas are vital for both nature and people, the report says. They play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity.
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In December 2022, Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and seas by 2030, including through protected areas, through the Kunming–Montreal Global Framework. The report, published today, is the first formal assessment of global progress towards this goal. The report finds that the greatest progress has been made in protecting ocean areas, mostly in national waters. In areas beyond national jurisdiction, the amount of protected area remains very small. Less than 5 per cent of the world’s land area is protected area. Protected areas and conservation areas are not always created in the places that need conservation the most. Only 20 percent of areas identified as the most important for biodiversity are fully protected. Another third of these important areas are entirely outside protected areas.
“This report is a stark reminder that with just six years to go until 2030, the window for… conserving 30 percent of the Earth is closing. The 30 by 30 initiative is an ambitious goal, but it is still achievable if the international community works together across borders, demographics and sectoral factors,” said Gretel Aguilar, Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).