Turning the Tide on Biodiversity Loss: 6 Key Principles for Protected Areas | One Earth

A new paper by leading conservation experts lays out 6 principles that guide governments to achieve a high-quality protected area network, providing the best chance of halting and reversing biodiversity loss while upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. www.oneearth.org/guide-to-exp...
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In December 2022, more than 190 countries sealed a landmark deal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework -- the GBF -- calls upon governments to rapidly accelerate the protection and restoration of nature. Protected and conserved areas will play a key role. Currently, the world only safeguards 17% of terrestrial areas and 8% of marine areas. Target 3 of the framework greatly expands these areas, setting a '30 by 30' goal -- to protect and conserve 30% of all lands, freshwater bodies, and oceans by 2030. With just seven years remaining, it's vitally important that we prioritize quality over quantity when designating new areas to support biodiversity and ecosystems.
* Principle 1. Make ‘areas of particular importance for biodiversity’ the primary focus.
Past efforts to expand protected and conserved areas have often ignored the one thing that matters most -- the rich biological diversity that makes life on Earth possible.
There are 12 major biodiversity elements around which governments should design their conservation targets --rare or threatened species; threatened ecosystems; range-restricted species; globally significant ecosystems; ecosystem integrity; areas for species life stages; species aggregation areas; climate refugia; high-carbon ecosystems; water bodies supporting wildlife; representative ecosystems; ecological connectivity. The paper provides recommended methods and data sets for each of these 12 key biodiversity elements.
* Principle 2. Be clear about ecosystem representation goals.
Focusing on the amount of representation of different ecosystem types does not necessarily mean critical biodiversity areas will be captured, so transparency of mapping approaches is essential.
* Principle 3. Plan for ecological connectivity.
Ensuring ecological connectivity across landscapes, rivers, and seascapes is critical for the natural movement of species, especially with climate-driven changes in habitats.
* Principle 4. Be clear about the reasons behind conserving ecosystem services.
To meet the topline goals of the GBF, ecosystem services should not be the sole reason for the establishment of conservation areas. A clear, positive link with biodiversity is needed.
* Principle 5. Utilise spatial planning principles and tools.
A large array of data sources are available to support conservation priorities, and technology can be used to leverage this data for optimal decision-making.
* Principle 6. Ensure planning is equitable and inclusive.
Governments must safeguard human rights when implementing new conservation areas -- with the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
30 by 30 is a global goal. Every government will be developing specific area-based targets commensurate with the needs of its biodiversity, ecosystems, and people. While national targets may differ in extent, following these 6 principles will ensure that protected and conserved areas prioritize the best long-term outcomes for biodiversity.
#GBF #biodiversity #30x30

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Read the full paper here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/inc3.24