What is 30x30?

The climate crisis isn’t going away. In fact, it’s becoming more pressing by the day. Since the Industrial Revolution, global temperatures have risen by roughly 1 degree Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit). This may not seem like a lot, but in our planet’s finely-tuned ecosystem, even such a slight rise has devastating consequences.

It is now inarguable that human activity is driving the change in the climate. Not only is this human activity leading to rising sea levels and increasing extreme weather events, but it is also ravaging animal populations and leading to species extinction. When coupled with the destruction of habitats and overexploitation of animals and plants, the combined climate and nature crises threaten one million species with extinction.

It is up to humans to solve the problems we have created. And that’s exactly what 30x30 aims to achieve.

What is 30x30?

30x30 is a ten-year plan to prevent mass extinction events, protect biodiversity, and make the planet more resilient to climate change. The name comes from the key takeaway from this plan: the need to conserve at least 30% of the Earth by 2030 to make a real difference.

When we talk about protecting 30% of the Earth we mean land, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the ocean.

To achieve this goal of 30x30, efforts must be made to conserve and manage high-risk and ecologically significant areas equitably and sustainably with locally-led initiatives. It is also crucial that indigenous territories are recognised and respected to help provide local knowledge and skills relating to specific ecosystems. 

Efforts must be consistent with conservation goals while respecting traditional territories and, where possible, integrating smaller areas into wider ecosystems. 

Where did 30x30 come from?

The 30x30 framework was agreed upon at the 15th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2022. At the conference, delegates negotiated a new post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which resulted in the 30x30 plan as we know it today.

Land and ocean

As mentioned above, 30x30 refers to both terrestrial ecosystems and marine ecosystems. For both of these strands, it is key to employ relevant measures for each ecosystem while ensuring that these measures are sustainable and equitably led.

IFAW’s Room to Roam initiative is a good example of a terrestrial project aimed at protecting wildlife on land. Built upon decades of science and connections with the local communities, Room to Roam aims to secure and connect habitats in East and southern Africa, creating safe passages for populations of African savannah elephants. 

Unlike other conservation projects traditionally focused on outside human intervention, Room to Roam engages the local communities to help create sustainable and equitable solutions for human and animal coexistence. 

IFAW also supports the designation of protected and conserved areas in the ocean. As part of the High Seas Alliance, we worked with partners to ensure a new High Seas Treaty was agreed last year—a UN initiative to protect marine life in the open oceans . The High Seas Treaty establishes for the first time ever a mechanism to designate marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas. Although there are already 5,000 MPAs worldwide, this translates to just around 1% of protected ocean.If we are to achieve 30x30 in the ocean, the ability to create large MPAs on the high seas is critical.

Where should we implement 30x30?

Part of the 30x30 plan involves making interventions in the most relevant and ecologically important areas possible to have the most significant impact. Since biodiversity is not evenly distributed across the whole planet, we must be intelligent in where we choose to intervene.

The IUCN has laid out 12 considerations under seven main areas for future site selection in their brochure on 30x30. These seven areas are:

• Urgency of Threat
• Importance and Irreplaceability
• Life Cycle
• Ecosystem Services
• Connectivity
• Representation
• Climate Protection

Selecting the appropriate sites is of the utmost importance. For example, in our Room to Roam initiative, landscapes of focus were chosen thoughtfully based on the density of elephants and the fact that elephants are ecosystem engineers and have an outsized impact on protecting their natural habitats.

Quality vs quantity

The target is for at least 30% of the planet to be protected. This defines the minimum extent of the coverage we are seeking, and choosing sites of particular importance for nature tells us where best to aim our interventions. However, it is also essential to consider the quality and sustainability of our efforts.

At IFAW, our approach has always been to balance quantity and quality to achieve the most effective outcomes. That’s why we’ve focused on projects like protected area expansion, protected area improvement, and supporting local communities and experts in their day-to-day conservation efforts. Achieving 30x30 on paper will be a hollow achievement if the protection in these areas is not effective.  

The importance of connectivity

According to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), ecological connectivity is defined as the unimpeded movement of species and the flow of natural processes that sustain life on Earth.

In essence, it’s about ensuring that animals can move freely across their habitats to improve biodiversity, genetic diversity, and contribute their natural roles to their ecosystems. One of the driving factors behind the decline of many species is habitat fragmentation, where small populations of animals become isolated from one another due to human activity.

IFAW’s Room to Roam initiative addresses this issue in African elephant populations. These animals have become isolated from one another due to human expansion and agriculture. Not only does this lead to a loss of genetic diversity and increases in disease in small populations, but it also increases the likelihood of human-wildlife conflict as the elephants move across areas now inhabited by humans.

By developing safe passages through which the elephants can travel, populations can be reunited, and habitats can be restored and protected, all while reducing human-elephant conflict.

Protected areas and OECMs

There are two main types of areas where conservation initiatives can count towards the 30x30 target—protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs).

Protected areas are expressly set aside for conservation efforts— national parks are a great example of this. These areas form the backbone of most conservation efforts and are closely managed and protected, often through legal means. However, it is important to note that the management and protection of these areas differ based on various factors.

OECMs are areas outside of ‘official’ protected zones but still play an essential role in conservation. They are more likely to be locally managed and protected, like the Kitenden Conservancy, which IFAW established in collaboration with the local Maasai community. Where OECMs fall outside of governmental or legal control, these areas must be managed equitably and in close cooperation with local communities and experts.