May 20, 2021

Andrew Campbell 

A United Nations report "Protected Planet Report 2020" was released on May 19 with updated information tracking progress towards global targets for protected and conserved areas. It implied since Aichi Target 11 was adopted in 2010, over 21 million km2 have been added to protected and conserved areas, equivalent to 42% of nowadays areas, if compared with the past decade.

The "Protected Planet Report" is regularly issued by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in association with the global non-profit National Geographic Society. According to the report, protected and conserved areas have progressed to cover Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) for biodiversity, with 65.5% of KBAs now partially or fully covered. Nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement in terrestrial, inland water, marine and coastal KBAs.

In concluding remarks, the report pointed out the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated lives, livelihoods, and economies and proclaimed to stop biodiversity decline. In addition, the report urged the implementation of global conventions to recognize and enhance the potential of protected and conserved areas, including climate change, water security, and disaster risk management. The lessons learned beyond Aichi Target 11 should pave the way for more effective and equitable systems of protected and conserved environmental areas.

Experts will gather at Kunming, China, in October for a UN conference to discuss this issue again, especially the quality of the protected areas.

Photo:webshot.