Open AccessShortfalls and Solutions for Meeting National and Global Conservation Area Targets
Author(s) -
Butchart Stuart H.M.,
Clarke Martin,
Smith Robert J.,
Sykes Rachel E.,
Scharlemann Jörn P.W.,
Harfoot Mike,
Buchanan Graeme M.,
Angulo Ariadne,
Balmford Andrew,
Bertzky Bastian,
Brooks Thomas M.,
Carpenter Kent E.,
ComerosRaynal Mia T.,
Cornell John,
Ficetola G. Francesco,
Fishpool Lincoln D.C.,
Fuller Richard A.,
Geldmann Jonas,
Harwell Heather,
HiltonTaylor Craig,
Hoffmann Michael,
Joolia Ackbar,
Joppa Lucas,
Kingston Naomi,
May Ian,
Milam Amy,
Polidoro Beth,
Ralph Gina,
Richman Nadia,
Rondinini Carlo,
Segan Daniel B.,
Skolnik Benjamin,
Spalding Mark D.,
Stuart Simon N.,
Symes Andy,
Taylor Joseph,
Visconti Piero,
Watson James E.M.,
Wood Louisa,
Burgess Neil D.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
conservation letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.153
H-Index - 79
ISSN - 1755-263X
DOI - 10.1111/conl.12158
Subject(s) - marine protected area , biodiversity , marine conservation , geography , environmental resource management , biodiversity conservation , global biodiversity , protected area , environmental protection , ecology , environmental science , habitat , biology
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 km 2 terrestrial PA network needs only 3.3 million km 2 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.