44% of land requires conservation to protect biodiversity, says study
Nearly 44% of the Earth’s land area, the equivalent of 64 million square kilometres, requires conservation to protect biodiversity, according to new research.
A team of scientists used geospatial algorithms to map the best areas for conservation and to quantify how much of this land is at risk from human activities by 2030.
The research comes as governments are negotiating a new global biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity, with biodiversity goals set to come into effect later this year.
Lead author study, Dr James R. Allan from the University of Amsterdam, said: ‘Our study is the current best estimate of how much land we must conserve to stop the biodiversity crisis – it is essentially a conservation plan for the planet.
‘We must act fast, our models show that over 1.3 million km2 of this important land – an area larger than South Africa – is likely to have its habitat cleared for human uses by 2030, which would be devastating for wildlife.’
New global targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity will set the conservation agenda for the next decade, with governments required to regularly report on their progress.
One goal currently being considered is for nations to conserve 30% of land through protected areas and site-based approaches by 2030.
Co-author of the study, Dr Kendall Jones, said: ‘While this is a great step in the right direction, our study suggests that more ambitious goals and policies to maintain ecological integrity beyond this 30% target are crucial.
‘If nations are serious about safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin life on Earth, then they need immediately to scale-up their conservation efforts, not only in extent and intensity but also in effectiveness.’
The study is believed to provide essential information for development planning and will help to guide future national and global conservation agendas.
Authors of the study have also said that all the land identified doesn’t need to be designated as a protected area but should be managed with conservation measures and sustainable land-use policies.
In related news, a metropolis-sized seagrass meadow believed to have spread from a single seed has been found off the Australian coast, reiterating how little we still know about species on Earth and the importance of protecting wildlife.
Photo by Michael Krahn