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.

Conserving at least 30% of the Planet by 2030: What Should Count?

As governments negotiate the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, there is strong and growing global support for effectively protecting and conserving at least 30% of the earth’s land, sea and freshwater ecosystems by 2030. This brief seeks to bring clarity to the question of what could count toward the 30% global minimum target.

Read the brief in English here: Conserving at least 30% of the planet by 2030 – What should count?

Lire le bref en Français ici: Conserver au moins 30 % de la planète d’ici 2030 – qu’est-ce qui compte?

Lea el resumen en Español aquí: Conservar al menos el 30% del planeta para 2030 – ¿qué debe contar?

New Paper on a Nature-Positive Global Goal for Nature

A Nature-Positive World: The Global Goal for Nature

Conservation and business organizations from around the world have launched a new paper in an unprecedented consensus. We must bend the curve on biodiversity loss to create a nature-positive world by 2030.

Read the paper by visiting: bit.ly/333ixm2

New TV Programs on EarthxTV

Global Goals for Nature, Climate & People

A new TV program exploring the pathway to an equitable, nature-positive, carbon-neutral future
Presented by the Post 2020 Pavilion in collaboration with EarthxTV

Watch on-demand by visiting:

https://video.earthxtv.com/shows/global-goals-nature-climate-people

The Road to Glasgow

The Road to Glasgow is a monthly docu-series produced by EarthxTV explaining the major events leading to COP26, the annual United Nations Climate Conference and the world’s largest climate event.

Watch on-demand by visiting:

https://video.earthxtv.com/shows/road-glasgow/season/1/episode/1

Stay up to date

Get the most important conservation news and recently published academic papers from around the world in your inbox and stay up to date on the Convention on Biological Diversity and the post-2020 process.

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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. In order to create an equitable, nature-positive, carbon-neutral world, we must work together and act now.

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

A Nature-Positive World: The Global Goal for Nature

By Harvey Locke, Johan Rockström, Peter Bakker, Manish Bapna, Mark Gough, Jodi Hilty, Marco Lambertini, Jennifer Morris, Paul Polman, Carlos M. Rodriguez, Cristián Samper, M. Sanjayan, Eva Zabey and Patricia Zurita.
Published in NaturePositive.org, April, 2021

This paper argues for the adoption of a succinct Nature-Positive Global Goal for Nature. It calls for integrating actions for human development, nature, and the climate across all aspects of human activities, and achieving an improvement in the condition of nature by 2030. It also calls for a fundamental realignment in the way we see our relationship with nature. Nature is the context for everything humans do, not a competing interest with either human development or the economy. This paper represents an unprecedented consensus among the world’s leading environmental organizations and businesses.

Read the full paper

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 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)

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).

Learn more

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.

Initiatives

A Global Goal for Nature

The global goal for nature defines what is needed to halt and reverse today’s catastrophic loss of nature. It is supported by a number of organizations that ask governments to adopt the goal at the international level, which each country, the private sector, communities and others can contribute to achieving.

A global goal for nature embraced at the highest levels will drive ambition in governments, business and society, to inspire the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Post2020 framework process, as well as create the opportunity for links between biodiversity and other conventions/agreements such as climate, ocean and land degradation.

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.

Negotiations

Updated August 2021 Upcoming and recent CBD meetings:

COP15 will be taking place in two parts. The first part of the Meetings will take place in a virtual format from 11 to 15 October 2021. The second part will reconvene in a face-to-face meeting in Kunming, China from 25 April to 8 May 2022. Read more here.
The third meeting of the Open Ended Working Group (OWEG) on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will be held virtually from 23 August – 3 September 2021. View full notification here.
An additional meeting of OWEG is tentatively planned to take place in person in January 2022 (TBD) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 24) was held virtually from 3 May – 9 June 2021. View full notification here.
The third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 3) was held virtually from 16 May – 13 June 2021. View full notification here.

Learn more about the CBD COP-15 here.

Learn more about the SBSTTA and SBI here.

The 1st Draft of The Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (July 2021)

Update of the zero draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (August 2020)

Draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework issued for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its second meeting.

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.

Background

Reports

The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review 2021

Final report of the Independent Review on the Economics of Biodiversity led by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta.

Covid Response and Recovery: Nature-Based Solutions for People, Planet and Prosperity Recommendations for Policymakers 2020

Recommendations for Policy Makers which highlight the critical connection between the health of nature and human health.

WWF Living Planet Report 2020

The World Wildlife Fund’s flagship publication released every two years, is a comprehensive study of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet.

World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2020

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

Global Biodiversity Outlook 5

Summarizes the latest data on the status and trends of biodiversity and draws conclusions relevant to the further implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

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.

Scientific Articles

A Nature-Positive World: The Global Goal for Nature

Locke, H., Rockström, J., Bakker, P., Bapna, M., Gough, M., Hilty, J., Lambertini, L., … & Zurita P. (2021). NaturePositive.org.

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.

Protecting 30% of the planet for nature: costs, benefits and economic implications

Waldron, A., Adams, V., Allan, J., Arnell, A., Asner, G., Atkinson, S., … & Zhang, Y. (2020). Campaign for Nature.

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.

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

Statements

Post-2020 Pavilion Partnership Call to Action for “An equitable, carbon-neutral, nature-positive world”

Leaders of global environment and development organisations, called upon Heads of State and Governments to unite global actions under all Multilateral Environmental Agreements and related policy processes to achieve an equitable, carbon-neutral, nature-positive world.

High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People

50 Countries Announce Bold Commitment to Protect at Least 30% of the World’s Land and Ocean by 2030.

The UN Secretary-General State of the Planet Speech

A landmark speech setting the stage for dramatically scaled-up ambition on climate change over the coming year.

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.

More Resources

Nature News

News

Global Conservation News September 22

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

Academic Articles

Academic Articles September 22

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

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.