The 30by30 Initiative
Target 3 of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) is to conserve 30% of land, waters, and seas. One effort of this target is the ‘30by30’ initiative, finalized in 2022 at the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15). Joint global efforts for marine conservation are underpinned by the ‘30by30’ initiative, wherein signatory governments work to create a network of MPAs and OECMs that cover at least 30% of the global ocean and 30% of land by 2030 [1]. Currently there are 73 member countries working with this initiative, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The network of MPAs and OECMs would extend across both national and international marine areas [1]. Since some marine areas fall outside national jurisdictions, the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement was adopted on 19 June 2023 by the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)[2]. The overarching issues this agreement considers are:
- Marine genetic resources, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits
- Measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas
- Environmental impact assessments
- Capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology
You can learn more about this initiative on their website: https://www.30×30.solutions/ where they provide guides and an overview of Target 3.
Sources:
[1] Gov.UK. (2022). Global Ocean Alliance: 30by30 initiative. GOV.UK. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/global-ocean-alliance-30by30-initiative/about.
[2] Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. (Updated 2024, May 29). Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. https://www.un.org/Depts/los/bbnj.htm.
