Protected Area targets have been set globally, regionally, and sometimes at a country level. During the last decade, the global protected area targets that all country signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) committed to were the CBD's Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Specifically, Aichi Target 11 which stated that:
at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes by 2020.
The new Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted in December 2022 at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15). CBD country signatories have committed to implementing the protected area target (Target 3) of the new GBF by the year 2030. The text of Target 3 is below:
Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities including over their traditional territories.
Regionally, the Micronesia Challenge aims to effectively conserve at least 30% of near-shore marine resources and 20% of terrestrial resources across Micronesia by 2020. An example of a country-based target is Fiji that aims to have 30% of reefs protected by 2015 and 30% of waters managed as a marine protected area network by 2020. During the 24th Micronesia Island Forum in 2019, the Leaders recognized the success in the first 15 years of the Micronesia Challenge and endorsed the new Micronesia Challenge 2030 goals to effectively manage 50% of marine resources, including the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and 30% of terrestrial resources by 2030.
Below are various efforts that have been carried out to assess global and regional progress towards the Aichi protected area targets. The paper by Govan (2009) is the most comprehensive assessment of marine protected areas (MPAs), including all LMMAs in the Pacific Islands. Govan’s data has now been incorporated into the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA). Several of the papers below attempt to assess progress towards targets which relate to factors such as management effectiveness, biodiversity coverage, governance and finance etc.
As we move closer to 2030, further technical guidance on implementing the new GBF Target 3 that becomes available will be added to the resources section below. Furthermore, the resources section will be updated as needed to include any new papers or guidance related to taking stock of national, regional and global progress in implementing the GBF Target 3.
High-profile international commitments for ocean protection: Empty promises or meaningful progress?
As 2020 approaches, countries are accelerating their commitments to protect 10% of the ocean by establishing and expanding marine protected areas (MPAs) and other area-based protections.
How far have we come? A review of MPA network performance indicators in reaching qualitative elements of Aichi Target 11
Effective networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are explicitly recognized and called for in international biodiversity conservation strategies such as the Aichi Targets.
How is your MPA Doing?
This guidebook offers managers and other conservation practitioners a process and methods to evaluate the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for the purposes of Adaptive Management.
How many bird and mammal extinctions has recent conservation action prevented?
Aichi Target 12 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) contains the aim to ‘prevent extinctions of known threatened species’.
Improving biodiversity protection through artificial intelligence
Over a million species face extinction, highlighting the urgent need for conservation policies that maximize the protection of biodiversity to sustain its manifold contributions to people’s lives.
Include biodiversity representation indicators in area-based conservation targets
Advances in spatial biodiversity science and nationally available data have enabled the development of indicators that report on biodiversity outcomes, account for uneven global biodiversity between countries, and provide direct planning support.
Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool for Research and Conservation Planning (IBAT)
IBAT compares the current distribution of protected areas with the distribution of Key Biodiversity Areas, displaying the extent to which Aichi Target 11 (Convention on Biological Diversity) is being delivered strategically. By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 p
Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) - Information Brochure
The Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) is an approach to support protected areas planning, monitoring and evaluation and to improve management patterns and conservation outcomes.
IUCN WCPA Technical Note - Equity in conservation – what, why and how?
Achieving the target to conserve 30% of land and sea requires strong emphasis on equity.
IUCN WCPA Technical Note - IMPROVING PROTECTED AND CONSERVED AREA MANAGEMENT TO SAFEGUARD ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY AND MINIMISE ZOONOTIC DISEASE RISK
This Technical Note provides advice to managers of protected and conserved areas1 (PCAs) for applying a ‘One Health’ approach for the benefit of environmental, animal, and human health.
IUCN World Heritage Outlook 3
IUCN World Heritage Outlook 3 builds on three cycles of Conservation Outlook Assessments undertaken since 2014. It presents the main results for 2020, but also some longer-term trends based on a comparison of three data sets now available.
Lessons learnt in global biodiversity governance
INEA has featured many articles covering the dilemmas, puzzles, and tensions related to global biodiversity governance; this coverage was infrequent in earlier issues but has steadily increased as both environmental diplomacy and international law on biodiversity conservation and environmental ju
Machine learning prediction of connectivity, biodiversity and resilience in the Coral Triangle
Even optimistic climate scenarios predict catastrophic consequences for coral reef ecosystems by 2100. Understanding how reef connectivity, biodiversity and resilience are shaped by climate variability would improve chances to establish sustainable management practices.
Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Forestry
Forests are host to most of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity. The conservation of the world’s biodiversity is thus utterly dependent on the way in which we interact with and use the world’s forests.
Mainstreaming biodiversity: A review of national strategies
Biodiversity is suffering dramatic declines across the globe, threatening the ability of ecosystems to provide the services on which humanity depends. Mainstreaming biodiversity into the plans, strategies and policies of different economic sectors is key to reversing these declines.
Making Money Local: Can Protected Areas Deliver Both Economic Benefits and Conservation Objectives?
This publication has been developed as a contribution to Phase II of the Two-phase Strategy on Protected Areas of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and prepared pursuant to various paragraphs of COP decision XIII/2 on protected areas, in particular paragraph 5(a-e),
Making waves: The science and politics of ocean protection
Lubchenco, Jane, and Kirsten Grorud-Colvert. 2015. Making waves: The science and politics of ocean protection. Science Vol. 350 No. 6259: 382-383.
Management Plan for Upland Areas of Lake Lanoto'o National Park, 2018-2023
The management plan describes the priority strategies for the upland areas of the Lake Lanoto'o National Park that will nest maintain and improve the key conservation values in these areas by reducing the impact of threats including from climate change.
Mapping Multilateral Environmental Agreements to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets
Mapping Multilateral Environmental Agreements to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets
Technical report:
Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdictions - What to do?
In June, 2015 the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution calling for the development of an international legally-binding
Marine Conservation Agreements - Guidance for the Tourism Industry in Fiji
This summary provides resorts, tourism operators, and policy makers with an introduction to marine conservation agreements (MCA) and outlines a process for planning and implementing an MCA in Fiji.
Marine Protected Areas: Smart Investments in Ocean Health
Marine protected areas (MPAs) that effectively protect critical habitats, species and ecological functions are an essential tool for recovering, protecting and enhancing biodiversity, productivity and resilience, and for securing these benefits for current and future generations.
Marine protection targets: an updated assessment of global progress
Oonzaier, L. B. and D. Pauly. 2016. Marine protection targets: an updated assessment of global progress. Oryx 50(1), 27–35.
Marine-Related Learning Networks: Shifting the Paradigm Toward Collaborative Ocean Governance
Formal and semi-formal networks are emerging as effective, collaborative, and adaptable approaches for addressing complex, rapidly evolving ocean governance issues.
Marshall Islands' National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
The purpose of this Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) is to Assist the Marshall Islands to Plan for the Conservation of its biodiversity and for in the sustainable use of its biological resources.
Mismatches in Scale between highly Mobile Marine Megafauna and Marine Protected Areas
Marine protected areas (MPAs), particularly large MPAs, are increasing in number and size around the globe in part to facilitate the conservation of marine megafauna under the assumption that large-scale MPAs better align with vagile life histories; however, this alignment is not well established
National and Regional Networks of marine protected areas: a review of progress
Most of the marine protected areas (MPAs) around the world, estimated to number about 5000, have been established both on an ad hoc basis and through systematic planning processes. The
National and Regional Networks of Marine Protected Areas: A Review of Progress
United National Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre. 2008. National and Regional Networks of Marine Protected Areas: A Review of Progress. Cambridge, U.K.
National Protected Area Partnerships
National-level evaluation of a community-based marine management initiative
Community-based approaches to conservation and natural resource management are considered essential to meeting global conservation targets.
Nauru Biological Rapid Assessment (BIORAP) - Full Report
The findings of this BIORAP survey have identified or re-confirmed the critical importance of the biodiversity and ecosystems of Nauru's terrestrial and marine environments and the urgent need for follow-up activities to manage and mitigate threats for their conservation.
O Le Pupu Pu'e National Park (Ramsar Site) Management Plan 2020-2030
O Le Pupu-Pu'e National Park was the first Park established in Samoa at a time when the environment movement and concerns for our unique biodiversity and natural features was still only a passing thought.
Ocean Protection: Present Status and Future Possibilities
Toropova, C., Meliane, I., Laffoley, D., Matthews, E. and Spalding, M.
Oceanian Sovereignty: rethinking conservation in a sea of islands
In an age of dramatic environmental and ecological challenges, the dynamics of sovereignty associated with the conservation of natural resources in Oceania are in flux.
Pacific Coral Reef Action Plan 2021–2030
Many Pacific coral reefs are being damaged by habitat disturbance, pollution, fishing and climate change. Climate change is believed to be the greatest human-induced threat to corals in the Pacific region. The region needs an action plan to make cohesive decisions that will benefit coral reefs.
Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas 2021- 2025
This Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas2021-2025 is the principal regional strategy document for environmental conservation in the Pacific.
Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas 2021-2025
This new Pacific Islands framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas 2021-2025 was endorsed during the conference and subsequently at the 30th SPREP Meeting by 26 members countries and territories in 2021.
Pacific Islands Marine Portal
The Pacific Islands Marine Portal provides various information on the status of marine protected areas and much more.
Pacific Islands Regional Marine Species Programme 2022–2026
The Pacific Islands Regional Marine Species Programme (Marine Species Programme) of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is a regional strategy for conserving and managing dugong, marine turtles, whales and dolphins, sharks and rays, and seabirds, referred to thro
Padezaka Tribal Rainforest Conservation Area Management Plan - Choiseul Province, Solomon Islands
This Management Plan was prepared by the representatives of the Padezaka Tribe in partnership with the Natural Resources Development Foundation (NRDF), Integrated Forest Management Program (IFMP) and Ecological Solutions Solomon Islands (ESSI) in Choiseul.
PARKS The International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation, Issue 27 Special Issue on COVID-19 MARCH 2021
This special issue of PARKS is devoted to the impact and implications of COVID-19 on the world’s protected and conserved areas.
Participatory monitoring drives biodiversity knowledge in global protected areas
Protected areas are central in strategies to conserve biodiversity. Effective area-based conservation relies on biodiversity data, but the current biodiversity knowledge base is insufficient and limited by geographic and taxonomic biases.
Perspectives on Marine Protected Areas
Different perspectives to best manage the Pacific Ocean in the interests of all who live there.
PIPAP GIS Supplementary Training Video 1 : QGIS Basics
This package/collection of training materials constitute an introductory, basic-level training to open source GIS software (QGIS) targeting technical-level government officers.
PIPAP GIS Supplementary Training Video 2 : Building Maps in QGIS
This package/collection of training materials constitute an introductory, basic-level training to open source GIS software (QGIS) targeting technical-level government officers.
PIPAP GIS Supplementary Training Video 3 : Mapping GPS Data in QGIS
This package/collection of training materials constitute an introductory, basic-level training to open source GIS software (QGIS) targeting technical-level government officers.
Post-2020 biodiversity framework challenged by cropland expansion in protected areas
Protected areas (PAs) are essential for biodiversity conservation but are threatened by cropland expansion. Recent studies have only reported global cropland expansion in large PAs between 1990 and 2005.
