Why the World Must Commit to Protecting 30 Percent of the Planet (30x30)

Nature is in crisis. A million species worldwide currently face extinction, many within decades, and human actions are causing ecosystems to crumble on land and on sea. We must take immediate actions to protect the natural world—and in doing so, protect human life. As a first step, countries at the 2021 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) must commit to protecting at least 30 percent of the global ocean and 30 percent of global land and inland waters by 2030, plan known as 30x30. In the ocean, this plan will begin to restore fish and wildlife, improve climate resilience, and secure the livelihoods of coastal communities. On land, these protections will support wildlife conservation, safeguard clean air and water, and fight climate change.

The CBD represents one of our last, best opportunities to halt biodiversity loss and put nature on a path to recovery.