Progress being made on protected and conserved areas, but must go further, faster

Welcome, members of the press, to the launch of the Protected Planet Report on the side-lines of Convention on Biological Diversity COP 16, during which the world is looking to speed up implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, or GBF.

The GBF is, of course, a global push for humanity to live in harmony with nature, wisely using and fairly sharing biodiversity and ecosystem services. This report looks specifically at progress made against Target 3 to protect 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas by 2030.

The headline figures show glimmers of promise. The rise in coverage since 2020 is over twice the size of Colombia; 17.6 per cent of land and inland waters and 8.4 per cent of the ocean and coastal areas are now within protected and conserved areas. 

But we must not celebrate hard, because there is a great deal more work to be done to meet the 30 per cent target over the next six years, particularly on oceans. My colleague Neville Ash, Director of the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, will shortly talk you through the report and what is needed in detail.

Let me just say that while hitting the 30 per cent target is critical, we must not be seduced by bare numbers. The quality of protected areas matters greatly. Quality means ensuring real conservation outcomes in areas of real importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services. After all, designating marginal areas might gain a percentage point here or there, but it does very little for biodiversity.

Quality also means effective management and equitable governance that respects the rights and leadership of local communities, particularly Indigenous Peoples. People who have deep roots in areas of importance for biodiversity should not be moved or side-lined, not least because they know local biodiversity better than anyone and can help, or indeed lead, in efforts to conserve it. 

We also should not focus too narrowly on Target 3, which cannot be met in isolation. Progress on targets covering funding, stakeholder engagement, spatial planning, pollution and more will be needed to ensure effective protected areas that are connected, integrated into the landscape and seascape and provide long-term benefits. And of course, progressing solely on Target 3 would not fulfil the vision of the GBF. We are seeking to live in harmony with the nature all around us, not separate from nature that is tucked away in protected enclaves.

This report is an important contribution to COP 16. It shows that progress has been made and that progress can be made. I hope that it inspires the world to go harder after Target 3, and indeed every target of the GBF, so that by 2030 we are well on the way to securing a healthy and biodiverse natural world for the benefit of all species on this planet.