A key nature target to protect and conserve 30% of the earth’s land and sea by 2030 will likely not be met until the year 2107, a full 80 years beyond the agreed upon end-of-decade deadline, a new report from Greenpeace International has warned.

With talks now underway at the UN Biodiversity COP16 in Cali, Colombia, where governments have convened to discuss the crucial next steps to halt and reverse the current biodiversity crisis, the new report has been delivered with an urgent call upon the UK’s own government “to take a leading role by pushing for ambitious targets to put targets back on track”.

The Greenpeace International report, titled From Commitment to Action: Achieving the 30 x 30 target through the Global Ocean Treaty, details the level of progress made so far towards the goal while setting out the key obstacles preventing faster development.

Among the report’s key findings is the revelation that more than 97% of the world’s ocean still remains outside of full protection from human activities since the Convention for Biological Diversity was first established at the Rio Earth Summit some 32 years ago. Less than one percent of the high seas – the vast areas of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction – receive any protection from human activities at all.

On a domestic level, the report highlights that in the UK, only two of its 386 marine protected areas (MPAs) are fully protected from all fishing activities. The remaining 384 MPAs permit a variety of fishing activities, including many that allow for bottom-trawling. 

The equivalent of more than 50 MPAs the size of the UK itself would need to be established every year between now and the end of 2030 to meet the global target.

Greenpeace UK is therefore calling on the government and its COP16 representatives, Foreign Secretary, David Lammy and Environment Secretary, Steve Reed to “use this crucial moment to drive forward ambitious global action on nature restoration and protection”.

Elena Polisano, head of oceans at Greenpeace UK, said: “There’s a huge amount at stake at these talks. The parlous state of nature, at home and internationally, has never been more obvious. And yet, far too often we’re stalling or moving backwards on the vital measures and targets we need to be hitting to turn the tide.

“The UK government must be clear-eyed about the challenge we face and what needs to be done. They have a real opportunity to show leadership at home and on the world stage. Whether it’s funding global biodiversity protection, finally ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty, or bringing forward an urgent plan to restore UK nature – there are clear steps they must take now to show they mean business. Get this right and we’ll unlock the huge benefits for people and our climate in a world where nature can flourish.”

On Saturday, 19th October, ahead of the COP16 conference, Greenpeace activists in 12 countries launched creative visual protests calling on countries to protect nature and restore biodiversity, including projections on iconic global landmarks such as London’s Tower Bridge featuring emotional messages from citizens demanding urgent action.

“We are six years from the end of 2030 and yet almost no progress has been made towards protecting 30% of the world’s ocean. At the current rate, we won’t hit 30% protection at sea until the next century,” said Megan Randles, policy advisor at Greenpeace UK, attending COP16 on Biodiversity this week.

“A healthy ocean is vital for millions of people and for protecting biodiversity from human pressures and climate change. Where is the ambition? Where are the ocean champions? This objective can only be achieved with great efforts both in territorial waters and on the high seas. Governments must accelerate the pace of ratification to bring the Global Ocean Treaty to life in 2025. This is the only way to keep the 30×30 target within reach.” 

COP16 the Convention on Biological Diversity will host a dedicated Ocean Day on October 27th featuring sessions organised around the theme of the ‘Ocean as the Great Connector’ as it brings together stakeholders from around the world currently engaged in important work within research, planning, conservation, and the sustainable use of the ocean at all levels.

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