Title
Shortfalls and Solutions for Meeting National and Global Conservation Area Targets
Author(s)
Butchart, S.H.M.;Clarke, M.;Smith, R.J.;Sykes, R.E.;Scharlemann, J.P.W.;Harfoot, M.;Buchanan, G.M.;Angulo, A.;Balmford, A.;Bertzky, B.;Brooks, T.M.;Carpenter, K.E.;Comeros-Raynal, M.T.;Cornell, J.;Ficetola, G.F.;Fishpool, L.D.C.;Fuller, R.A.;Geldmann, J.;Harwell, H.;Hilton-Taylor, C.;Hoffmann, M.;Joolia, A.;Joppa, L.;Kingston, N.;May, I.;Milam, A.;Polidoro, B.;Ralph, G.;Richman, N.;Rondinini, C.;Segan, D.;Skolnik, B.;Spalding, M.;Stuart, S.N.;Symes, A.;Taylor, J.;Visconti, P.;Watson, J.;Wood, L.;Burgess, N.D.
Published
2015
Publisher
Conservation Letters
Abstract
Governments have committed to conserving ≥17% of terrestrial and ≥10% of marine environments globally, especially “areas of particular importance for biodiversity” through “ecologically representative” Protected Area (PA) systems or other “area-based conservation measures,” while individual countries have committed to conserve 3–50% of their land area. We estimate that PAs currently cover 14.6% of terrestrial and 2.8% of marine extent, but 59–68% of ecoregions, 77–78% of important sites for biodiversity, and 57% of 25,380 species have inadequate coverage. The existing 19.7 million km2 terrestrial PA network needs only 3.3 million km2 to be added to achieve 17% terrestrial coverage. However, it would require nearly doubling to achieve, cost-efficiently, coverage targets for all countries, ecoregions, important sites, and species. Poorer countries have the largest relative shortfalls. Such extensive and rapid expansion of formal PAs is unlikely to be achievable. Greater focus is therefore needed on alternative approaches, including community- and privately managed sites and other effective area-based conservation measures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Aichi Targets;Alliance for Zero Extinction;Convention on Biological Diversity;Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas;IUCN Red List;Key Biodiversity Areas;protected areas;community-conserved areas
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PUB15435