Introduction: The Urgent Need for Ocean Conservation
The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface, playing a crucial role in regulating the climate, supporting marine biodiversity, and sustaining livelihoods for billions of people. However, the health of our oceans is rapidly declining due to overfishing, pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction. Coral reefs, which shelter approximately 25% of marine life, are at serious risk, with over 60% already threatened and up to 90% expected to be endangered by 2030.
In 2022, at the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), world leaders agreed to an ambitious but essential goal: to protect at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030—a commitment now widely known as the 30x30 target. This bold target is not just a pledge but a critical step in reversing biodiversity loss, mitigating climate change, and securing ocean-based livelihoods.
But as we approach 2025, progress has been slow. The “On track or off course? Assessing progress toward the 30×30 target for the ocean" report, produced by Metabolic Consulting, provides a comprehensive analysis of global efforts to meet the 30x30 ocean conservation goal. This report acts as both a reality check and a call to action, urging governments and stakeholders to accelerate their efforts to protect marine ecosystems. In this article, we’ll delve into the findings of the report, analyze the barriers to progress, and explore solutions to meet this urgent global challenge.
The Current State of Ocean Conservation
The world is falling short of its 30x30 ocean protection goals. According to the report, only 8.3% of global marine areas are currently protected, with just 2.8% effectively protected, meaning that they are properly regulated and managed to deliver tangible conservation benefits. At the current pace, it is projected that only 9.7% of the ocean will be protected by 2030—far from the 30% goal.
The High Seas: A Gaping Void in Protection
One of the most significant gaps in ocean protection lies in the high seas, the vast areas of international waters beyond national jurisdiction. These waters make up two-thirds of the global ocean but remain largely unprotected, with only 1.4% under some form of conservation. Effective protection in the high seas is critical because they are home to some of the most diverse marine ecosystems and serve as migration routes for key species like whales and sharks.
The High Seas Treaty (also known as the BBNJ Agreement) was agreed upon in 2023 to provide a legal framework for establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in international waters. However, the treaty has yet to be ratified by enough countries to enter into force, delaying crucial action in these regions. Until this treaty is operational, efforts to protect the high seas will remain fragmented and insufficient.
National Waters: Progress but Slow
Within the national waters of coastal countries, progress is similarly slow. National waters, which extend up to 200 nautical miles from a country’s coastline, are critical for marine conservation as they are home to rich biodiversity and crucial fisheries. However, only 14 countries—including Monaco, Palau, and the United Kingdom—have reported more than 30% of their waters as protected. Moreover, many of these protected areas are “paper parks,” meaning they exist only on paper and lack effective management or enforcement to prevent harmful activities like bottom trawling and oil extraction.
The Importance of Indigenous Leadership in Conservation
A key finding of the report is the vital role that Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) play in successful ocean conservation. Indigenous-led marine protected areas, such as the Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation’s protected areas in Canada and the Inhambane Bay Community Conservation Network in Mozambique, demonstrate the effectiveness of community-driven conservation. These efforts have not only preserved biodiversity but also bolstered local economies and food security.
The report stresses the importance of recognizing and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples as stewards of biodiversity. Conservation initiatives must prioritize inclusive decision-making processes, ensuring that Indigenous communities have free, prior, and informed consent in the management of their waters. Supporting these communities financially and logistically is crucial to achieving long-term conservation success.
Financial Barriers to Achieving the 30x30 Target
A major obstacle to meeting the 30x30 goal is the lack of sufficient and durable funding for ocean conservation. Governments worldwide currently allocate approximately $68 billion annually toward biodiversity conservation, but this figure needs to rise to at least $200 billion per year by 2030. Wealthy nations have committed to providing $20 billion per year to developing countries by 2025, increasing to $30 billion by 2030. However, as the report highlights, these commitments are yet to be fully realized, leaving developing countries without the resources they need to establish and manage MPAs.
Innovative financing mechanisms could play a pivotal role in closing this funding gap. For example, blue carbon credits, which monetize the carbon sequestered by marine ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses, can provide new revenue streams for conservation efforts. Similarly, public-private partnerships and debt-for-nature swaps—where nations reduce their debt in exchange for committing to conservation projects—could unlock new funding for marine protection. These strategies, combined with stronger global governance, could provide the financial muscle needed to scale up ocean conservation efforts.
Improving the Quality of Marine Conservation
Designating an area as protected is only the first step—ensuring that these areas are effectively managed is what truly matters. The report underscores the critical importance of quality protection. Only 2.8% of the world’s marine areas are effectively protected, meaning that most MPAs fail to deliver meaningful conservation outcomes due to weak regulations or enforcement.
Many countries allow damaging activities like bottom trawling, oil extraction, and industrial fishing within their MPAs, undermining their purpose. To ensure that protected areas contribute to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience, countries must implement stricter regulations, enforce no-take zones where fishing is prohibited, and invest in monitoring and enforcement capabilities.
Recommendations for Moving Forward
To achieve the 30x30 target, the report makes five key recommendations for governments and policymakers:
1. Increase the quantity of areas under conservation: Governments must significantly expand both national and high seas MPAs. Current efforts are insufficient to meet the 2030 deadline.
2. Improve the quality of protection: Merely designating MPAs is not enough. Countries must ensure that these areas are effectively managed and enforce strict regulations to prevent harmful activities.
3. Support Indigenous Peoples and local communities: IPLCs must be at the forefront of conservation efforts, and their traditional knowledge and sustainable practices must be integrated into modern conservation strategies.
4. Unlock sufficient and durable international finance: Wealthier nations must fulfill their financial commitments, while innovative funding mechanisms like blue carbon credits and debt-for-nature swaps should be explored.
5. Enhance reporting and data collection: Countries must improve transparency and accuracy in reporting on their conservation efforts to ensure that protected areas are truly delivering the intended ecological benefits.
The Road Ahead: COP16 and Beyond
The upcoming COP16 UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, presents a critical opportunity for world leaders to reassess their progress toward the 30x30 target. Governments must come prepared to announce new MPAs, commit to higher national targets, and, crucially, ratify the High Seas Treaty. The Our Ocean Conference in South Korea in April 2025 and the UN Ocean Conference in France in June 2025 will also be pivotal moments to advance global ocean conservation efforts.
In the words of the report, “protected needs to mean protected.” The time for bluewashing—where areas are labeled as protected but lack meaningful regulation—is over. To preserve marine biodiversity, sustain livelihoods, and combat climate change, countries must act swiftly and with purpose.
Conclusion: A Call to Action for Governments and Global Citizens
The ocean is at a tipping point, and the window to protect it is closing. The Together for the Ocean report makes it clear that we are not on track to meet the 30x30 target, but the path forward is still within reach. By scaling up marine conservation efforts, improving the quality of protection, and unlocking new funding, we can still safeguard our oceans for future generations.
But this effort will require not just the commitment of governments and international organizations but also the active participation of civil society, private sector leaders, and individuals. Everyone has a role to play in this global effort—whether it’s pushing for stronger conservation policies, supporting sustainable seafood practices, or reducing plastic pollution.
The ocean gives life to the planet; now, it’s our turn to protect it.
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