By Melissa Wright, Bloomberg Ocean Initiative
Two-and-a-half years ago, the world made history in Montreal by adopting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), with its cornerstone commitment of protecting and conserving 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030 (30×30).
The need to take action to protect the ocean couldn’t be more clear. The ocean absorbs 30% of human-generated carbon dioxide (CO2) and is home to over 200,000 species of plants and animals. It also provides food and livelihoods for more than three billion people worldwide. Protecting it is critical – not just for marine life, but for all life. The 30×30 pledge gave us hope that this necessary shift was within reach.
Yet, the future for our ocean – and the billions of people it supports is looking less secure. A new report, published by Bloomberg Ocean Fund, Marine Conservation Institute, Campaign for Nature, and SkyTruth, warns that despite there being just over six years to go until the 30×30 deadline, only 8.3% of the world’s ocean is protected – a mere 0.5% increase in protection since the GBF was adopted two years ago. If we continue at this rate of progress, the world is likely to have protected just 9.7% of the ocean by 2030, far short of the goal.
This week, world leaders, policymakers, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) meet in Colombia for the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 16), where progress on the GBF is being assessed, monitoring mechanisms discussed, and crucial finance mobilized. They must heed the warning of these findings to redouble ambition, sharpen tools for accountability, and unlock the financial resources needed to get 30×30 back on course. This isn’t just about ocean conservation – it is about ensuring a livable future for everyone.
But where to start? What should governments prioritize?
Less ambiguous, more effective protection
Not all marine protected areas (MPAs) are created equal. Simply assigning areas of ocean for protection is not enough to ensure that the benefits of the intended biodiversity conservation are maximized. High quality or ‘effective’ MPAs are those that have credible regulation and management systems in place and are being actively managed. They bar harmful activities such as industrial fishing, mining, and oil extraction. Loopholes – whether through activity exemptions or partial restrictions – undermine conservation efforts and open the door to “bluewashing.”
Unlock sufficient finance
Adequate finance is the linchpin for long-term and durable ocean conservation. Currently, global biodiversity financing falls short. Developing countries allocate about USD 68 billion annually, while the GBF sets a goal of USD 200 billion by 2030. Wealthier nations must step up to help bridge this gap, as promised under the GBF, by contributing USD 20 billion annually to developing nations by 2025 and increasing support to USD 30 billion annually by 2030.
Equitable financial support is essential – not only for establishing MPAs but also for long-term management, stakeholder engagement, and scientific research. Without this, even the most ambitious plans will falter.
One ocean connects us
Protecting the high seas – which cover two-thirds of the global ocean – is fundamental to achieving 30×30 and connecting countries’ protection efforts. Nature-informed networks of MPAs allow for migration corridors crucial to species’ survival and regeneration. Without this, the benefits of conservation projects such as Chile’s Mar de Juan Fernandez or Madeira’s Porto Santo reserve will be limited rather than amplified.
Countries at COP 16 must prioritize the ratification of the BBNJ Agreement, which will provide the legal framework to create MPAs in international waters. With only 1.4% of the high seas under some form of protection, and only 0.8% likely to be at an effective level, progress is fragmented and insufficient.
Collaboration is key
Our collective 30×30 ocean target is the destination, but we need to increase the pace of action to get there. Protecting and conserving the ocean is vital, not just for the survival of over 1,500 marine species now on the brink of extinction, but for billions of people who depend on a healthy, vibrant ocean. This is more than an environmental milestone. Working in close partnership with Indigenous Peoples and local communities – key stewards of our planet’s remaining biodiversity – we can still turn the tide, but the time is now. COP 15 made biodiversity history. COP 16 must be the moment where biodiversity promises turn into action, not abandonment.
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Melissa Wright is a senior member of the environment team at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she leads the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative. The initiative is currently focused on galvanizing support for the global target to protect or conserve at least 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030, known as 30×30.