Nations remain short of UN target to protect 30% of land and sea
A study by Campaign for Nature and Together for the Ocean estimates existing commitments would leave protection well below the 2030 goal, with conservation funding a major barrier.
Countries are off track to meet the United Nations goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and sea by 2030, according to a study by Campaign for Nature and Together for the Ocean.
The 30×30 target was adopted in 2022 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The study estimates about 20 per cent of land and inland waters and 10 per cent of the global ocean are currently protected or conserved.
If countries fulfil existing quantified commitments, the study projects coverage could reach 27 per cent for land and inland waters and 12 per cent for the ocean by 2030. The Convention on Biological Diversity also warned last month that countries were not on track.
The study identifies conservation finance as a major obstacle. It estimates annual spending at about $24 billion, against a yearly need of $100 billion to $180 billion. For the ocean, it puts current spending at $1.8 billion against an estimated $16 billion needed each year.
Nations are due to discuss progress at the UN biodiversity summit in Yerevan from 19 October.
