BEST PRACTICE
Protecting the Planet
Only 15% of land and 7% of the ocean is currently protected. If the planet warms beyond 1.5°C and biodiversity loss continues, many ecosystems may be unable to adapt and face collapse.
30-50% of vulnerable marine habitat has been lost, and many marine species are threatened with extinction. Yet only 7% of oceans are protected.
Only 50% of current protected areas are connected. restricting the range and migrations of species, and the full cycling of nutrients through large ecosystems.
Only 15% of land on Earth is protected. With current rates of deforestation, poaching, and other threats, tipping points of no return may be reached within 10 years, and ecosystem functions may unravel.
With nature based solutions, we can reduce and absorb emissions while increasing protected lands and waters, helping to prevent global warming beyond 1.5°C and reverse the loss of biodiversity.
Many marine species can recover when pressures are removed. Expanding marine protections can reverse the loss of biodiversity, boost yields in fisheries, and prevent the release of seabed carbon.
A global network of corridors connecting protected areas would reduce the vulnerability of isolated habitats and enable the free movement of migratory species.
By expanding protections for intact habitats and restoring degraded lands, we can set aside 50% of land on earth for nature, and stabilize ecosystems, climate change, and biodiversity.
