The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) has unveiled a comprehensive guide aimed at realizing Target 3, also known as the “30×30 target,” of the Global Biodiversity Framework. This initiative seeks to conservatively safeguard a minimum of 30% of Earth’s land and water by 2030. The guide, introduced at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Vancouver, Canada, provides a roadmap to implement the target while ensuring fairness and equity.
A GUIDE FOR ALL
Designed for a diverse audience ranging from government officials, policymakers, and technical experts to private and public sector stakeholders, international organizations, NGOs, community groups, and Indigenous peoples, the guide emphasizes empowering these entities to act as stewards of their territories.
Dr. Grethel Aguilar, Acting Director General of IUCN, highlighted the urgency of achieving the ambitious conservation goal within the next six years. She praised the guide’s significance in enabling countries to achieve lasting positive outcomes for both biodiversity and society, underscoring the pivotal role of Indigenous peoples and local communities in realizing a better global environment.
30X30 TARGET
The 30×30 target, outlined in the Convention on Biological Diversity framework and ratified in December 2022 during the 15th Conference of Parties in Canada, outlines specific requirements for effective conservation efforts. It emphasizes the need to protect and manage at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, coastal, and marine areas through ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas. These efforts should be equitably governed and integrated into broader landscapes and seascapes, all while respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
Developed in collaboration with partners and drawing on expertise from IUCN’s specialist groups, the guide was supported by the Global Environment Facility through WWF. It aims to provide a comprehensive resource for achieving inclusive, equitable, and effective implementation of the 30×30 target outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
For access to the guide, please visit: “A Guide to Inclusive, Equitable and Effective Implementation of Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.”
