Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) are defined as discrete portions of habitat important to marine mammal species that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. IMMAs consist of areas that may merit place-based protection and/or monitoring. IMMAs are identified through an independent, expert process.
KBAs are sites that ‘contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems’. KBAs are identified on the basis of species or ecosystems, according to five criteria and 11 subcriteria, all supported by quantitative thresholds. The KBA Global Standard details the criteria and subcriteria. KBA sites must meet one of the criteria and be clearly delineated. Proposed sites are independently reviewed and once accepted are included in the World Database of KBAs.
KBAs are normally identified by a KBA National Coordination Group (NCG). However, anyone with appropriate data may propose a site as a KBA, but they are they are encouraged to work with the NCG if one exists and consultation with relevant stakeholders at the local and national level is required and needs to be documented in the proposal. Where a KBA NCG has not yet been established, proposers submit a site proposal directly.
The Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership is composed of 13 leading international organizations including IUCN. It maintains a KBA Committee, Secretariat, a Technical Working Group, a KBA Consultative Forum, and the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. An independent KBA Standards and Appeals Committee has been established under the authority of the elected SSC and WCPA Chairs.
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The governments of the world adopted the following definition of an OECM in 2018: “A geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in-situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio–economic, and other locally relevant values”. OECMs complement protected areas through sustained, positive conservation outcomes, even though they may be managed primarily for other reasons. These sites are documented in the World Database on OECMs. This definition was only recently adopted and most countries have not yet provided data, but this does not mean that no OECMs exist in those countries. The World Database on OECMs is available on the Protected Planet website.
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For IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) guidance on recognising OECMs:
https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2019.PATRS.3.en
To search for information on an existing site on the World Database on OECMs:
https://resources.unep-wcmc.org/products/4c1733823f2a451e8d5ecbaaef3f1a06WDPA
IMET is a Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) tool that allows an in-depth assessment of marine and terrestrial protected areas, regardless of their management categories and governance type. It is also a decision support tool that helps protected area managers take analysis-based management decisions for improved conservation outcomes.
METT was one of the first tools developed under the IUCN WCPA Framework for protected area management effectiveness (PAME). Several versions and many adaptations have been produced, reflecting lessons learned. By 2016 the METT had been applied in 127 countries. METT-4 is presented in Excel format to aid implementation and compilation of results. The METT Handbook covers management effectiveness, advice on best use of the METT, case studies, and links to improving the quality of METT assessments using SMART, and using the site-level assessment of governance and equity (SAGE) tool.
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This programme of work contains four interlined, cross-cutting elements and 16 programme goals. It is intended to assist Parties in establishing national programmes of work with targeted goals, actions, specific actors, time frame, inputs and measurable outputs. Parties may select from, adapt, and/or add to the activities suggested in the current programme of work according to national and local conditions and their level of development.
The purpose of the report is to provide the national administrative authorities of AEWA with a strategic overview of:
a) the knowledge of the extent and distribution of sites of international importance2 for and used by each of the species on the Agreement;
b) the extent to which these sites of international importance are statutorily or otherwise designated under relevant international processes;
c) the extent to which internationally important sites are subject to directed management for the purposes of the conservation of the waterbirds for which they are internationally important; a
d) instances where populations of waterbirds depend on key unprotected sites of importance, the loss of which would be of significance for the population concerned (for example unprotected ‘bottleneck’ sites, or unprotected sites in migration corridors of restricted geographical extent).
A protected or conserved area that reaches the IUCN Green List Standard is certified and recognised as achieving ongoing results for people and nature in a fair and effective way. A site that gains ‘Green List’ status demonstrates: Respect: for the local community through fair and meaningful engagement of rights-holders and stakeholders; Design: planning that identifies the needs to secure the important values of the area; Effective management: monitoring of the status of these important values; Successful conservation results: for nature and for people; Clear contribution: to climate change responses, health and well-being and other challenges. The seventeen criteria collectively describe the efforts needed to fully achieve the global Sustainability Standard and all must be achieved for a site to be green-listed. The indicators can be adapted to suit the local context. Any site can join, and work towards achieving verified success, and then attain the Standard or further improve.
ICCAs are territories and areas that are conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities. They have three main characteristics: (i) the community has a close connection with the territory or area; (ii) the community makes and enforces management rules; (iii) the management of the area results in positive conservation outcomes. The ICCA Registry is an online platform for territories and areas conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities (ICCAs), where communities themselves provide data, case studies, maps, photos and stories. There are currently over 1,500 protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) reported to Protected Planet under the governance of indigenous peoples and local communities.
How to use
To access the ICCA Registry: https://doi.org/10.34892/an6v-a590
To explore sites, visit the WDPA OECM search page and filter by governance type: https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/thematic-areas/oecms?tab=OECMs
An AZE site must contain 95% of the population of an ‘Endangered’ or ‘Critically Endangered’ species and have a definable boundary. These criteria are the equivalent of Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) criterion A1e.
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This is a / EBSAs are / a CBD initiative to identify marine areas that serve important purposes in supporting the healthy functioning of oceans and the services they provide. EBSAs are identified according to seven criteria. Selection of EBSAs and conservation and management measures is a matter for States and competent intergovernmental organizations, in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
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IPAs are key sites for exceptional botanical richness. They are identified using three criteria: threatened species, botanical richness (including socially, economically, and culturally valuable plants), and threatened habitats. IPAs contribute to implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework and are a component of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.
