In the accelerated push towards conserving 30% of the Earth's land and water by 2030, asking who, as well as what, is on the map must be at the heart of the conversation.
Why Human rights matter for marine conservation
Human rights matter for marine conservation because people and nature are inextricably linked. A thriving planet cannot be one that contains widespread human suffering or stifles human potential; and a thriving humanity cannot exist on a dying planet. While the field of marine conservation is increasingly considering human wellbeing, it retains a legacy in some places of protectionism, colonialism, and fortress conservation.
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. Equity in conservation is a matter of governance and includes recognition and respect for actors and their human and resource rights, equity in procedure (e.g., participation, accountability) and equitable cost/benefit distribution. Equity in conservation is crucial both for ethical reasons and for effective conservation and applies both to conservation actions on site, and to complementary actions designed to support conservation (e.g., stewardship incentives, support for local schools).