As nations prepare for the upcoming COP16 UN Biodiversity Conference, a new report highlights a troubling trend: governments worldwide are significantly lagging in their commitments to protect 30% of both land and ocean by 2030, known as the 30×30 target. Released by a consortium of nature NGOs and funders, the report titled “On Track or Off Course? Assessing Progress Toward the 30×30 Target in the Ocean” reveals that only 2.8% of the global marine protected areas (MPAs) are classified as “fully” or “highly” protected. This stark statistic underscores the reality that many designated MPAs are merely symbolic, lacking effective regulations or, in some cases, any protection at all.
The findings are particularly alarming, given that just 8.3% of the world’s oceans are currently designated as MPAs. The report’s authors stress that the effectiveness of these protections is crucial, emphasizing that “protected needs to mean protected.” This sentiment is echoed in the foreword written by former US Secretary of State John Kerry and former President of Costa Rica José María Figueres, who highlight the urgent need for meaningful conservation efforts to prevent species loss and safeguard marine biodiversity, which is essential for the livelihoods of millions worldwide.
Despite the pressing need for action, progress has been disheartening. As of late September 2023, only 19 countries and the European Union have submitted national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) that include marine biodiversity targets to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Since the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at COP15 in 2022, the total marine area under protection has increased by a mere 0.5%. At this rate, projections suggest that only 9.7% of the world’s marine areas will be protected by 2030, falling drastically short of the ambitious 30% target.
The report, produced by Metabolic Consulting and commissioned by the Bloomberg Ocean Fund, alongside organizations like Campaign for Nature and the Marine Conservation Institute, outlines a clear path forward. It identifies two critical dimensions where the global community is falling short: the quantity of marine areas under protection and the quality of that protection. To address these deficiencies, the report recommends five actionable steps for governments:
1. Increase the quantity of areas under conservation in both national and international waters.
2. Establish national marine conservation targets.
3. Improve the quality of marine conservation efforts.
4. Support Indigenous Peoples and local communities in conservation initiatives.
5. Unlock sufficient and durable financing to support these goals.
Among the few nations making strides is Niue, a small island nation in the South Pacific, which aims to protect 100% of its exclusive economic zone by 2030. Niue has already designated 40% of its exclusive economic zone as highly or fully protected MPAs, showcasing a model of ambitious conservation that other nations could emulate.
The report also highlights that only 14 countries globally have designated more than 30% of their waters as protected areas, with Monaco leading at 100%. However, only two of these—Palau and the UK—are likely to have effectively protected more than 30% of their waters, indicating a significant gap between designation and effective protection.
As the world gears up for the COP16 conference, the implications of this report are clear: without immediate and decisive action, the goals set forth in the 30×30 initiative may remain unfulfilled, putting marine biodiversity and the communities that depend on it at greater risk. The call for genuine protection is louder than ever, and the responsibility lies with governments to transform commitments into concrete actions.