Beyond the Aichi Targets Task Force

IUCN WCPA TASK FORCEBeyond the Aichi Targets

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The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed many meetings surrounding the post-2020 process under the Convention on Biological Diversity. We will endeavor to keep this page updated with the latest information about rescheduled meetings and events.

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Planetary Problems

Biodiversity and Climate

Biodiversity Loss and Climate Change

We are facing two interrelated crises: the loss of global biodiversity and rapid, human-caused climate changes. Extinction rates are estimated to be 1000 times the background rate and in the future, these rates could be 10,000 times higher. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released a report showing that around 1 million species are facing extinction because of human actions. The climate crisis not only threatens humanity and but also the viability of many species and ecosystems and exacerbates pressures nature is already facing.

Biodiversity loss is being driven primarily by habitat loss and fragmentation, and over-harvest. At the same time, the 2019 International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate and Land concluded human land use (including deforestation, destruction of carbon-sequestering ecosystems, and livestock) accounts for 23% of green-house gas emissions.

In the face of these global problems, the countries of the world have come together to act under two UN conventions: The United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the Paris Agreement, and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its Aichi Targets for 2010-2020.

Protected and conserved areas are the key solution to preventing biodiversity loss and can help us mitigate our carbon emissions. Under the CBD, countries have currently agreed through Aichi Target 11 to protect a minimum of 17% terrestrial and inland waters, and 10% marine and coastal areas by 2020 in protected and conserved areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, and to ensure they are effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative, well-connected systems of protected areas and integrated into the wider landscape and seascape. But despite this treaty pledge, biodiversity continues to decline.

The Aichi Target was an interim target, based on perceptions of political acceptability rather than a scientific assessment of what is required. So what does the science say about what do we need to do beyond 2020 for nature to not only survive, but thrive? And how can big global conservation targets be implemented in a crowded world of 7.6 billion people?

The Case for Action at Scale

Evidence
Survey

Evidence

A Review of Evidence for Area-based Conservation Targets for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

By Stephen Woodley, Harvey Locke, Dan Laffoley, Kathy MacKinnon, Trevor Sandwith and Jane Smart
Published in PARKS the International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation, Nov 2019

What is the scientific evidence for large scale percentage area conservation targets? This upcoming literature review examines current area-based conservation targets and proposals for higher targets. Here are some of its findings:

The minimum targets of 17% terrestrial and inland waters, and 10% marine and coastal targets from Aichi Target 11, are not considered adequate to conserve biodiversity by any research findings, either for ocean or for land.
The global protection of a minimum of 30% and up to 70%, or even higher, of the land and sea on earth is supported in the literature. Importantly, the suggested higher conservation targets are not discounted in any of the biodiversity literature. The call for 50% of the earth is a mid-point of these values and is supported by a range of studies.

Read the full paper (English)

Read the full paper (Español)

Survey

A Global Survey of Conservation Scientists

By Stephen Woodley, Nina Bhola, Calum Maney and Harvey Locke
Published in PARKS the International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation, Nov 2019

In 2017-18, we surveyed 335 conservation scientists, from 81 countries to obtain their views on area-based conservation (as shown on the map). Here are some of its findings:

Nearly unanimously, area-based conservation is considered to be important to conserve biodiversity (99.3%).
There is very strong agreement that Target 11 is not adequate to conserve biodiversity (79.8% agreement).
Conservation scientists showed very strong support (76% strongly agreed or agreed) for large scale percentage area conservation targets, in the order of 50% of the earth.

Read the full paper

Three Global Conditions for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use: an implementation framework

To save what’s left of nature on this increasingly human planet, conservation needs to become a top priority around the world, from the wildest of wildlands to the densest of cities.

The national boundaries on the interactive and downloadable maps are for general reference and do not reflect a position on any territorial disagreements.

Read the full paper

Find your country map

A Three Conditions framework for the Ocean

The Task Force, in partnership with IUCN WCPA Marine and other experts, is in the process of developing a Three Conditions framework for the oceans. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive updates.

How the ocean is key to life on earth

A healthy ocean is of tremendous value to humanity. The ocean provides food and supports livelihoods, offers shoreline protection from storms and floods, and also helps regulate the earth’s climate. The healthier it is, the better it will be able to perform those roles.

But the ocean is being disproportionately impacted by increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Because of climate change, the ocean is changing in ways that harms biodiversity and also impacts humans. The ocean is becoming warmer, more acidic and is undergoing deoxygenation leading to changes in oceanic circulation and chemistry, rising sea levels, increased storm intensity, as well as changes in the diversity and abundance of marine species.

Created by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK Government) in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Resources

This is not an exhaustive list of documents and initiatives surrounding the post-2020 process. If you have a resource, article, or initiative you would like us to consider adding, please get in contact with us.

Negotiations

Adjusted March 31 New dates and venues have been released for upcoming CBD meetings

Twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24): 17-22 August 2020, Ottawa, Canada
Third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 3): 24-29 August, 2020, Ottawa, Canada

View the full notification here

The zero draft text of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (Jan 13, 2020)

Appendices: Preliminary Draft Monitoring Framework For The Goals and Preliminary Draft Monitoring Framework for Targets

Preparation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

Draft recommendation submitted by the Co-Chairs

CBD Preparations for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework

Updates on the implementation of the process for developing the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

Submissions to the Post-2020 Process

Submissions to the CBD from parties, non-parties, and observers.

IUCN Post-2020 Resources

IUCN’s submissions to the post-2020 process, information papers, and other useful reads.

Initiatives

A Global Apex Goal for Nature

Restoring nature for human prosperity and equity, avoiding the climate and ecological crises,and providing a healthy planet for future generations

Zero Net Loss of Nature from 2020
Net Positive by 2030
Full Recovery by 2050

The following organizations support the Apex Goal:

4SD
Birdlife International
Business for Nature
Capitals Coalition
Conservation International
Global Environment Facility
Luc Hoffmann Institute
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
The Nature Conservancy
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Wildlife Conservation Society
World Resources Institute
World Wildlife Fund
Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative

Campaign for Nature (30×30)

The Campaign for Nature is a partnership of the Wyss Campaign for Nature, National Geographic Society, and a growing coalition of more than 100 conservation organizations around the world that is calling on policymakers to commit to a science-driven, ambitious new deal for nature at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming, China, in 2020.

Nature Needs Half

Nature Needs Half is an international coalition of scientists, conservationists, nonprofits, and public officials defending nature at scale by advocating for the protection 50% of the planet by 2030.

Natural Climate Solutions

An initiative to catalyse global enthusiasm for drawing down carbon by restoring ecosystems. We want to help bring together two issues that have mostly been considered in isolation: climate breakdown and ecological breakdown.

Half Earth Project

Half-Earth is a call to protect half the land and sea in order to manage sufficient habitat to reverse the species extinction crisis and ensure the long-term health of our planet.

Nature for All

#NatureForAll is a global movement to inspire love of nature. At its core is a very simple idea: the more people experience and share their love of nature, the more support and action there will be for its conservation.

Background

Reports

World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2020

The 15th edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report

IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 2019

An global assessment of status and trends of biodiversity and ecosystem services, the impact of biodiversity and ecosystem services on human well-being and the effectiveness of responses, including the Strategic Plan and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Ocean deoxygenation : everyone’s problem : causes, impacts, consequences and solutions

A 2019 IUCN report on the scale and nature of the changes being driven by ocean deoxygenation.

WWF Living Planet Report 2018

A comprehensive study of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet.

CBD in a Nutshell

An easy to understand guidebook by the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) about the importance of biodiversity, the Convention on Biological Diversity and how the CBD process works.

Scientific Articles

Three Global Conditions for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use: an implementation framework

Locke, H., Ellis, E. C., Venter, O., Schuster, R., Ma, K., Shen, X., … Watson, J. E. M. (2019). National Science Review, 6(6), 1080–1082.

An update on progress towards Aichi Biodiversity Target 11

Gannon, P., Dubois, G., Dudley, N., Ervin, J., Ferrier, S., Gidda, S., … Shestakov, A. (2019). PARKS, 25(2), 7–18.

A Review of Evidence for Area-based Conservation Targets for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

Woodley, S., Locke, H., Laffoley, D., Mackinnon, K., Sandwith, T., & Smart, J. (2019). PARKS, 25(2), 31–46.

Area‐based conservation beyond 2020: A global survey of conservation scientists

Woodley, S., Bhola, N., Maney, C., & Locke, H. (2019). PARKS, 25(2), 19–30.

A Global Deal For Nature: Guiding principles, milestones, and targets

Dinerstein, E., Vynne, C., Sala, E., Joshi, A. R., Fernando, S., Lovejoy, T. E., … Wikramanayake, E. (2019). Science Advances, 5(4). doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw2869

For more academic articles on conservation, please see our archive of Academic Articles.

Statements

NGO Joint Statement on post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

A statement from group of NGOs outlining key milestones the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework must incorporate to reach the 2050 Convention on Biological Diversity Vision.

Nature Champions: Call to Action

A coalition of Nature Champions of international leaders from philanthropy, industry, NGOs, UN agencies, Indigenous peoples and governments came together at the Nature Champions Summit in Montréal, Canada in April, 2019.

The Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Manifesto

The Nature-Based Solutions Coalition co-led by China and New Zealand launched the NBS for Climate Manifesto ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019.

More Resources

Nature News

Academic Articles

Academic Articles May 25

The latest academic papers on conservation. Stay up to date with the science!

News

Global Conservation News May 25

The latest news related to nature conservation from around the world.

More News

About

Appointed by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, the Beyond the Aichi Targets Task Force is building global momentum to scale up conservation of nature beyond the Aichi Targets for Biodiversity set at the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2010. The Task Force’s goal is to ensure the new global conservation targets set at the next Conference of the Parties of the CBD in 2020 are meaningful for achieving the conservation of nature and halting of biodiversity loss. Informed by the best available science and a range of perspectives from around the world, the Task Force will ask and seek to answer what are truly sustainable conservation targets for all ecoregions, both marine and terrestrial, while considering the varying ecological and social conditions of the world.

The views expressed in this website do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN. The Beyond the Aichi Task Force is contributing to an IUCN position and informing a broader global dialogue through its work.

View the Beyond the Aichi Targets Task Force profile on the IUCN website.

The Task Force Working Team

Our team works with NGOs, governments, businesses, and scientists from around the world.