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Biodiversity Goals at Risk: Major UN Target Set to Miss
23 Sep
Summary
- Nations likely to miss UN's 30% land and sea protection by 2030.
- Current protection stands at 20% land and 10% sea coverage.
- Significant funding shortfall exists for marine and land protection.
Governments are falling substantially short of the United Nations' goal to protect at least 30% of the world's land and seas by 2030. This target, part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, has seen progress, with an additional 1.3 million sq km of land and 6 million sq km of marine areas protected since the agreement's inception.
However, total coverage remains at only 20% for land and 10% for marine ecosystems. Research indicates that even fulfilling all existing pledges by 2030 would only result in 26% terrestrial and 13% marine protection. This shortfall is compounded by a significant annual funding gap of $75 billion to $150 billion.
Experts emphasize a critical distinction between protection on paper and in practice, noting that only 3.5% of currently protected ocean areas are considered effectively managed. The upcoming UN Convention on Biological Diversity conference in Yerevan, Armenia, will address the urgent need for accelerated implementation to meet the framework's 23 targets.
