By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
From two separate sources in a week I heard about the 30×30 environmentalist movement. I had to find out what it is all about. Basically, the environmentalists want 30% of the world’s land and oceans off limits to mankind. Additionally, they will “move the goalposts” after 2030 and introduce 50×50. Thereby, making 50% of the world’s land and oceans off limits to mankind by 2050.
If we continue to reduce the world’s population to the point of not being able to sustain future generations, mankind will cease to exist. Well, either robots will inherit the earth, or maybe it will give God a chance at a “do over”. I just hope Adam gets his act together in the next world, and puts Eve in her place.
The dual crises of climate change and mass wildlife extinctions threaten to forever change our world, but there is hope. By protecting 30% of the planet’s oceans, lands, and freshwaters by 2030, people and nature can thrive together into the future.
Human wellbeing depends on 30×30 success
The world’s wild places are being lost, and along with them we are losing the natural systems that protect us from the consequences of climate change. Scientists agree that we must protect at least 30% of lands, fresh waters and oceans by 2030 to have any chance of stemming the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change facing our planet.
Currently, only about 17% of land and 8% of marine areas are currently under some form of protection. Even then, in many cases, the effectiveness of that protection is in doubt.
30×30 can be achieved—with the right solutions
30×30 is an ambitious target and represents a significant commitment by the 190 countries that have adopted the Global Biodiversity Framework. Protected areas are one of the most effective ways to conserve biodiversity and they remain a cornerstone of biodiversity conservation strategies. By establishing new protected and conserved areas, and more effectively managing existing ones, protecting 30% by 2030 is possible.
To realize this global vision, national governments, local communities and others must work together to create lasting protection of the most critical places needed to support all life on Earth.
How we can achieve 30×30
But how will the world achieve these lofty goals in a way that is cost-effective and equitable? Business as usual will not be enough.
We need to be strategic about what we protect and how.
Protection efforts must focus on large areas that together are ecologically representative of all natural diversity. They should include places that provide valuable ecosystem services, and they should be well-connected with corridors to improve resilience to climate change and avoid the creation of ecological islands. Protection work should also consider the value of areas that are not formally managed for conservation, like community and Indigenous lands, which can have direct and significant benefits to wildlife and ecosystems.
We need protected area management that works.
Without good management, protected areas are just lines on paper. Improving and tracking management effectiveness, ensuring local support and involvement and establishing long-term financing for stewardship are key to ensuring that conservation is durable enough to last in perpetuity.
We need inclusive conservation strategies.
Achieving the 30×30 goals will only be possible with the full engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, who collectively manage a significant proportion of the world’s terrestrial, marine and freshwater habitats. The importance of socially inclusive conservation strategies has been demonstrated time and time again around the world. Conservation that includes Indigenous Peoples and local communities in decision-making roles have noticeably higher success rates than those where outside entities override local control.
We need to leverage new tools.
Protected areas are part of a much larger matrix of strategies needed to conserve a minimum threshold of 30% of the natural world before the end of this decade. Policies to curb wildlife trade and natural resources extraction, reduce pollution and mitigate climate change would greatly improve their success. Further, establishing payment structures that recognize the benefits of natural areas to human society—from freshwater supply to carbon sequestration to the mitigation of natural disasters like fire and hurricanes—can motivate new funding for conservation and protected areas management.
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