Target 3

Conserve 30% of Land, Waters and Seas

Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional territories.

GBF_Target_03

Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional territories.

Target 3
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Rationale

GSAP

Networks of well-governed and effectively managed protected and conserved areas, and OECMs are crucial in safeguarding species and their habitats. Focusing expansion of protected and conserved areas on Key Biodiversity Areas and other areas important for species will greatly increase their impact and benefits for species.

GSAP SKILLS

IUCN defines a protected area as ‘A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values’.

In addition to formally gazetted protected areas, several other types of site have a vital role in species conservation:

  • Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs)
  • Indigenous Peoples and Local Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs)
  • Key Biodiversity Areas
  • Other taxon-based sites such as Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, Important Plant Areas, Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs), Important Marine Mammal Areas, Important Shark and Ray Areas and others
  • Internationally-designated sites (Man & Biosphere Reserves, Ramsar sites, World Heritage sites)
  • Privately conserved wild areas

The principles of effective and sustainable management apply to all sites.      

Primary tools and resources

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Designing and managing protected and conserved areas to support inland water ecosystems and biodiversity

Inland waters – such as rivers, lakes and other wetlands – are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. They are also the most threatened; almost one in three species is at risk of extinction and monitored populations of freshwater species have declined by 85% since 1970. The loss of these ecosystems has cascading effects on human livelihoods, cultures and our overall well-being. While protected and conserved areas can play an important role in bending the curve of inland water biodiversity and ecosystem loss, they have rarely been designed, designated, and managed for that purpose. Motivated by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s inclusion of inland waters in the target to conserve 30% of the planet by 2030, this report provides guidance in employing protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures to benefit these ecosystems and the biodiversity they support. Through a series of case studies and synthesized research, it highlights how integrating the unique needs of inland waters into area-based strategies can improve conservation effectiveness across all realms, build climate resilience and sustain critical ecosystem services.

Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA)

A coalition of conservation organisations supporting and promoting the International Ranger Federation to build a network of well-supported, professional, and capable rangers, who can act effectively as custodians of the natural world. It has produced numerous guidelines and standards of relevance to professionalizing the ranger work-force, including a Code of Conduct, ranger competences, and a document on how rangers support delivery of 30×30. There are 8 organizations URSA can be linked with (for filtering purposes).

Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity. is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It is a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Nagoya Protocol sets out core obligations for its contracting Parties to take measures in relation to access to genetic resources, benefit-sharing and compliance. The Nagoya Protocol addresses traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources with provisions on access, benefit-sharing, and compliance. It also addresses genetic resources where indigenous and local communities have the established right to grant access to them. Contracting Parties should take measures to ensure these communities’ free, prior, informed consent, keeping in mind community laws and procedures as well as customary use and exchange. The Nagoya Protocol entered into force on 12 October 2014.

How to use

The Nagoya Protocol is available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian at: https://www.cbd.int/abs

Nagoya Protocol Factsheets on access and benefit sharing can be downloaded at: https://www.cbd.int/abs/factsheet

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)

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.

How to use

Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM)

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.

How to use

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

Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT4)

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.

How to use

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

The Declaration is a comprehensive instrument detailing the rights of indigenous peoples in international law and policy. It establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity, wellbeing and rights of the world’s indigenous peoples.

The Declaration addresses both individual and collective rights; cultural rights and identity; rights to education, health, employment, language, and others. It outlaws discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them.

It also ensures their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own priorities in economic, social and cultural development. The Declaration explicitly encourages harmonious and cooperative relations between States and indigenous peoples.

IUCN Standard on Indigenous Peoples

The Standard represents IUCN’s policy objectives with respect to indigenous peoples. It contains eight policy objectives for projects undertaken or supported by IUCN to support indigenous peoples and promote their role in conservation and management of sustainable resources.

The purpose of this Standard is to ensure that IUCN projects anticipate and avoid negative impacts on indigenous peoples or to minimise and/or compensate for impacts; take all rights and needs of indigenous peoples fully into account in project planning and implementation; and ensure that their customs, cultural and spiritual values, and perspectives on the environment are included.

 

SMART monitoring

The SMART platform consists of a set of software and analysis tools designed to help conservationists manage and protect wildlife and wild places. SMART can help standardize and streamline data collection, analysis, and reporting, making it easier for key information to get from the field to decision-makers.

SMART supports a broad range of conservation management activities, including biodiversity conservation, law enforcement, tourism and visitor management, natural resources use, intelligence, and performance and threat level assessments.

Our approach covers three areas: cutting-edge technology, building conservation capacity, and empowering a global network of SMART conservation practitioners. The SMART Approach is supported by a unique, long-term alliance of leading conservation organizations, offering powerful applications in conservation practice to ensure the survival of the Earth’s biodiversity for generations to come.

International Ranger Federation Code of Conduct

The mission of the International Ranger Foundation is ‘To develop, advance and promote throughout the world community, the Ranger profession, and its critical role in the conservation of natural and working cultural resources’. The IRF Code of Conduct provides a common definition for a ranger and templates for ranger values and codes of conduct and is available in several languages. The aim is for rangers to uphold the values and commit to the Code of Conduct.

The CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas

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.

UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme

UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) is an intergovernmental programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for enhancing the relationship between people and their environments. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves is an interactive network of sites of excellence that foster harmony between people and nature for sustainable development, respect for cultural values, and society’s ability to cope with change. There are 748 biosphere reserves in 134 countries, including 23 transboundary sites. Sites can be proposed by all Member States and Associate Members of UNESCO. Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and designated under the intergovernmental MAB Programme following the decisions of the MAB International Coordinating Council.

How to use

To obtain further information on the MAB programme and existing MAB sites, or to download the  Requirements and Nomination forms, visit: https://en.unesco.org/biosphere

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Other tools and resources

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Building trust between rangers and communities

This is the first volume in the WCPA Good Practice Guidelines that is predominantly by rangers, for rangers. The editors worked with partners to collect good practices and stories from rangers worldwide, reflecting global experience and lessons learned. The text focuses on actions that rangers, and to a lesser extent managers, can do themselves. It does not address institutional changes that would need intervention at government level. Whilst the latter are often necessary, decisions are out of the hands of individual rangers. Nor is the guide the last word on the state of play, another global ranger survey is being carried out simultaneously with the production of these guidelines and we will continue to learn about ranger needs, strengths and challenges in the future.

A stocktaking report on other effective area-based conservation measures in China : first edition

Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) have been long recognised as an effective approach for safeguarding biodiversity at local, national and global levels. This report takes stock of the policies and practices relevant to OECMs in China. The report explores the critical role of OECMs in China’s conservation efforts, emphasising their potential contribution to the country’s commitment to Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). With well-established policies and practical evidence base in place, China is poised to embrace OECMs through both top-down and bottom-up approaches.

The state of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa : second edition

This second edition of The state of protected and conserved areas in Eastern and Southern Africa builds on the first edition published in 2020 and provides updates on how the region is managing and governing protected and conserved areas, effectively providing a regional update on the progress towards the achievement of Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity framework. While the first edition was published in relation to the previous global targets (in particular Aichi Target 11), this edition covers progress on the common indicators around management effectiveness and governance and expands to include additional information that corresponds to the revised target on PCAs (Target 3).

Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET)

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. 

The CA|TS Report 2022: 10 years of Conservation Assured Tiger Standards

Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) started with a simple aim – tocontribute to the many efforts around the world to secure wild tigers. But such tasks are never so simple to implement. Developing CA|TS over the last ten years has involved a huge collaborative effort in standard setting, advocacy, software development, training, fundraising and much more. For the sites and people involved it has represented a major commitment in supporting national systems to implement CA|TS.

This report tells the story of the CA|TS journey from an idea to a global partnership of countries, sites, experts and conservation organisations implementing this mission across the tiger range.

IWC Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Management Programme (ASWMP): science-based management of aboriginal whaling activities

In some parts of the world, whale products play an important role in the nutritional and cultural life of native peoples.  Four IWC member countries conduct aboriginal subsistence hunts today: Denmark (Greenland), Russia (Chukotka), St Vincent and the Grenadines (Bequia) and the United States (Alaska and also potentially a resumption of hunts previously undertaken by the Makah Tribe of Washington State).

From the outset, the IWC recognised that indigenous or aboriginal subsistence whaling is not the same as commercial whaling. Aboriginal whaling does not seek to maximise catches or profit.  It is categorised differently by the IWC and is not subject to the moratorium.  The IWC recognises that its regulations have the potential to impact significantly on traditional cultures, and great care must be taken in discharging this responsibility.

In summary, the IWC objectives for management of aboriginal subsistence whaling are to ensure that hunted whale populations are maintained at (or brought back to) healthy levels, and to enable native people to hunt whales at levels that are appropriate to cultural and nutritional requirements in the long term.

CBD decision on integration of provisions related to indigenous peoples and local communities in the work of the Convention and its Protocols

DECISION ADOPTED BY THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

14/17. Integration of Article 8(j) and provisions related to indigenous peoples and local communities in the work of the Convention and its Protocols

Universal Ranger Support Alliance Action Plan

The vital role of Rangers

Now more than ever we are appreciating how much we need nature and wild places–for our health and well-being, and for our water, food and clean air. Rangers play a critical role in conserving nature, and the diversity of life. They are the individuals who work tirelessly for the benefit of us all.

Their work varies widely, from conserving and protecting natural and cultural values to enforcing laws, maintaining a safe environment for communities and wildlife, managing visitors, developing trusting relationships with key stakeholders, empowering and supporting indigenous peoples and local communities, providing education and awareness, and conducting monitoring and research.

A healthy future for nature and people depends on rangers. Responsible rangers protect nature and safeguard the rights of people whose lives and cultures are inseparable from nature.

UNESCO MAB Criteria

Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located.
Their status is internationally recognized.
Their functions are reviewed every 10 years under the periodic review process.

World Heritage (WH) Criteria for Selection

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria.

These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.

Until the end of 2004, World Heritage sites were selected on the basis of six cultural and four natural criteria. With the adoption of the revised Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, only one set of ten criteria exists.

Ramsar Sites Criteria

The nine criteria for identifying Wetlands of International Importance

CMS PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE SITE NETWORK FOR WATERBIRDS IN THE AGREEMENT AREA, 1st EDITION

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).

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Solutions and case studies

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Co-management (shared governance) of natural resources in the coastal area

This solution aims to create a better governance (shared governance) of natural resources in the coastal zone of Soc Trang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam to protect its first line of coastal defence (mangroves) and to improve the livelihood of local communities through resource conservation. This approach also ensures climate justice through participative stakeholder processes and benefits for all affected stakeholders.

Managing ghost fishing in the Colombian Pacific with a community-based strategy

Fishing gear used around the world is sometimes abandoned, lost, or discarded at sea. It impacts marine life and the livelihoods of coastal communities that rely on healthy oceans and is called “ghost fishing gear”.

The communities from the Gulf of Tribugá understand this problem and are collaborating with ECOMARES in the participatory design of a management strategy to prevent, mitigate, and remediate the damages caused by ghost fishing gear on biodiversity.

Fishers are identifying simple but effective measures to prevent or mitigate the loss of fishing gear. A local group is using diving as a tool to maintain rocky reefs and mangroves free from ghost fishing gear.

After cleaning events, the big challenge is to recycle the materials retrieved, and we are making progress thanks to the sum of efforts by different stakeholders, institutions, and project allies.

Improving communication between fishers and divers is another challenge.

Building a protected areas network in the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem.

North America’s Laurentian Great Lakes truly are great. These “inland seas” represent the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem, with over 21% of the earth’s surface freshwater. And yet for all their importance these lakes have suffered much. Climate change, invasive species, contaminants and habitat loss are just some of the stresses that have profoundly impacted and altered them.

It is a challenging context for conservation, and accordingly, protected area agencies and partners across the lakes have sought ways to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of their efforts. To this end, the Great Lakes Protected Areas Network (GLPAN) was established to improve communication and facilitate collaboration at the binational (Canada-United States) scale. One outcome of this partnership has been better profile and awareness of protected and conserved areas on other binational platforms, most notably the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

First certification of OECMs by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan under clear, transparent and flexible OECMs system that suits Japan’s nature and culture

In October 2023, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOEJ) certified 122 sites as the first “Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites” under their newly launched OECMs certification scheme, which was developed with consideration to match nature and culture of Japan.  These sites, excluding sites that are already recognized as protected areas (e. g., national parks), will be recognized as OECMs in Japan. The main purpose of the this scheme is to recognize sites where biodiversity is conserved through private entities’ initiatives. MOEJ conducted a trial certification scheme in 2022 with the members of “30by30 alliance for biodiversity ,” which is the multi-stakeholder platform that was launched in April 2022 with the aim to effectively promote the measures embodied in Japan’s 30by30 roadmap.  The full operation of the new OECMs certification scheme started in April 2023, accepting applications from the management authority of the sites.

SMART: A digital monitoring system for effective management of protected areas

Nech Sar National Park is one of Ethiopia’s oldest protected areas, conserved for its diverse flora, fauna, and unique landscapes. However, unsustainable use of resources poses a significant threat to the park. The absence of standardised protocols and systems for recording illegal human activities and threats hinders the effective use and management of the park. The poor enforcement of planning, decision-making and resource allocation processes further fuels the issue.

To address these challenges, the BMZ-funded and GIZ-implemented Biodiversity and Forestry Programme introduced the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). SMART is a tool that simplifies and enhances data collection, analysis, and reporting in protected area management. It supports various conservation activities such as protection of biodiversity, law enforcement, natural resources utilisation, and tourism management. With its easy-to-use features, SMART offers powerful options for effective management and protection of natural resources.

Conserving Long Distance Migration for Mule Deer

Mule deer are an iconic migratory species of the western United States. Wyoming has some of the longest, most intact mule deer migrations in the lower 48 states. As anthropogenic influences increase and migrating ungulates continue to decline worldwide, a focus on protecting migration paths must be emphasized.

Mule deer travel across Wyoming to merge with 5,000 more mule deer for the winter where they continue their migration north. A pinch point known as the Fremont Lake ‘bottleneck’ was a serious threat to the migration path; the deer squeeze through a 400m wide area twice a year. The migration path through the bottleneck was blocked by a 2.5m tall woven wire fence. The area was identified as an important area for migration and was purchased by a national non-profit the Conservation Fund. The land was transfered to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and designated as the Luke Lynch Wildlife Habitat Management Area preventing the obstruction of the migration corridor.

COREHABS to BearConnect: Securing wilderness in Eastern Europe

The Romanian portion of the Carpathian Mountains holds the largest continuous forest ecosystems in Europe, harbors many well-preserved natural habitats, and is home to large herbivores and carnivores, including brown bear. A total of 30.2% of the national territory is covered by forest, including virgin forests and ancient beech forests. However these sites are disconnected.

The COREHABS initiative (Ecological corridors for habitats and species in Romania) is providing corridor modelling as a decision support tool for stakeholders, giving them the opportunity to develop infrastructure while considering the ecological measures necessary to ensure the long-term viability of species and habitats. COREHABS and other research projects are investigating the degree to which existing ecological networks ensure landscape connectivity, and are providing practical recommendations for integrating connectivity conservation into national, regional, local, rural and urban planning.

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