{"id":17562,"date":"2024-02-29T13:12:36","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T21:12:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marine-conservation.org\/?page_id=17562"},"modified":"2024-05-10T14:33:22","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T21:33:22","slug":"publication-ocean-protection-quality-lags-quantity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/marine-conservation.org\/publication-ocean-protection-quality-lags-quantity\/","title":{"rendered":"Publication: Ocean Protection Quality is Lagging Behind Quantity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Report & Toolkit<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0 Key Findings<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Policy Recommendations<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0 30×30<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0 The MPA Guide<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0 Explore Results<\/a> |\u00a0\u00a0 Case Studies<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n\t

Published in Conservation Letters<\/em> in May 2024, this analysis* establishes a baseline for measuring marine protected area (MPA) quality and provides recommendations as the international community works toward the 30×30 goal established by the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming-Montreal Global Diversity Framework (Target 3).<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Top100_paper2\"\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t

* Paper analysis was completed in Feb 2023. To learn more about what has changed read here<\/u><\/a>.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t

“<\/i><\/strong>Growing understanding, support and momentum toward area-based global targets such as 30 by 30 are crucial for moving the dial on ocean conservation – but only provide meaningful progress when effective. Well-designed, managed, and enforced MPAs can provide enormous benefits for both people and nature. Now is the time for collective action – before it’s too late for our ocean and planet.<\/i>“<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

-Dona Bertarelli<\/h3>\n

Philanthropist, ocean advocate, and Patron of Nature for the International Union for Conservation of Nature<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

“<\/i><\/strong>Creating marine ‘protected’ areas that aren’t truly protected is like reshuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. Padding the numbers with paper parks may make some politicians look good, but it is not helping avert an environmental and human disaster.<\/i>“<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

-Enric Sala<\/h3>\nNational Geographic Explorer in Residence,
\nExecutive Director Pristine Seas<\/em>\n\t\t\t\t

“<\/i><\/strong>MPAs <\/i>can deliver significant benefits to people, nature, and the planet, but unfortunately, we see vast gaps between the amount of ocean covered by MPAs and the strength of those protections in many <\/i>cases. Quality – not just quantity – should indicate progress toward reaching the goal of protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.<\/i>“<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

-Beth Pike<\/h3>\nDirector of the Marine Protection Atlas,
\nMarine Conservation Institute<\/em>\n

\n\t\tReport & Toolkit\n\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t

Publication<\/a><\/h3>

Read the paper published in Conservation Letters<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead the Paper\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExplore Case Studies\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2024 Update\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t

Press Release<\/a><\/h3>

Read the press release in multiple languages<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnglish\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEspa\u00f1ol\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFran\u00e7ais\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t

One-Page Summary<\/a><\/h3>

Key findings and policy recommendations<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnglish\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEspa\u00f1ol\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFran\u00e7ais\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t

Social Media Toolkit<\/a><\/h3>

Sample posts and graphics to share<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccess the Toolkit\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

\n\t\tKey Findings\n\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\"2\"\n\t

1<\/h2>\nOnly one-third of the area designated within the largest 100 MPAs provides a level of protection that is likely to yield meaningful conservation benefits.
\n<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\"3\"\n\t

2<\/h2>\nOne-quarter of the largest 100 MPAs are not yet implemented, meaning they exist only on paper and are not active on the water.
\n<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\"4\"\n\t

3<\/h2>\n

Over one-third of the MPAs allow highly impactful activities, such as industrial fishing, which are the leading driver of biodiversity loss in the ocean.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"5\"\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t

4<\/a><\/h2>\n

Most of the large fully and highly protected areas are in isolated overseas territories, such as those designated by the United Kingdom and the United States.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\tPolicy Recommendations\n\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\"2\"\n\t

1<\/h2>\n

Only MPAs that are Implemented or Actively Managed should be counted towards global targets.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"3\"\n\t

2<\/h2>\n

Only MPAs that meet IUCN guidelines should be counted.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"4\"\n\t

3<\/h2>\n

Any MPA that allows industrial extraction should not be counted.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"5\"\n\t

4<\/h2>\n

Level of Protection is an important indicator that should be part of global reporting.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\t\tThe 30×30 Target\n\t<\/h2>\n\t

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by 196 parties, aims to increase biodiversity conservation on land and sea.<\/p>\n

Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) aims to protect at least 30% of global marine and coastal area in “effectively conserved and managed” areas by 2030, “ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes.” This is known as the ’30×30′ target.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"Photo:\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Clinton Bauder\n

\n\t\tMeasuring Progress Toward 30×30\n\t<\/h2>\nThe headline indicator for Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3 is the coverage of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.\nGlobal protected area coverage is determined by the World Database on Protected Areas<\/a> (WDPA). The WDPA is a global database of terrestrial and marine protected areas and is a joint product of the UN Environment Program and IUCN. As of February 2023, the WDPA reported that 8.2%<\/strong> of the ocean is protected.\n

However, the headline indicator and use of the WDPA is necessarily limited for several reasons:<\/strong><\/p>\n