Protected Areas Protected Areas About Protected Areas Introduction Protected Area Provisions in CBDProtected Areas in the Work of CBD Programme Why Programme of Work on Protected Areas? Preparatory ProcessObjectives and StructureTargetsProgramme of WorkCOP Decisions Implementation Ad Hoc Working Group Donor's MeetingExpert WorkshopDecision VIII/24Sub-Regional WorkshopsResources and ToolsDiscussion ForumsNational Focal Points Related Information Related Web Sites Meetings and DocumentsOther Relevant DocumentsNotifications Protected Areas Monday // 10.28.2024 Protected Areas Cornerstones of biodiversity conservation and critical to the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target and the Millennium Development Goals What's New 13 October 2024International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, 13 October 2024, Role of education in protecting and empowering youth for a disaster-free future. More » More News » Notifications 20 October 2024 (2024-104)Sub-regional capacity-building workshop on Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for Central, Southern and Eastern Africa, 17 to 20 February 2025 – Nairobi, Kenya. More » More Notifications » Upcoming Meetings 17–20 February 2025, Nairobi, KenyaSubregional capacity-building workshop on Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for Central, Southern and Eastern Africa. More Upcoming Meetings » Importance Values of protected areas range from the protection of natural habitats and associated flora and fauna, to the maintenance of environmental stability of surrounding regions.Protected areas can provide opportunities for rural development and rational use of marginal lands, generating income and creating jobs, for research and monitoring, for conservation education, and for recreation and tourism. Programme of Work Establishment and management of protected areas together with conservation, sustainable use and restoration initiatives in the adjacent land and seascape are central to Article 8 on "In-situ Conservation" of the Convention.As a result, all but a few countries have developed systems of protected areas.Globally the number of protected areas has been increasing significantly over the last decade, covering about 12% of the Earth’s land surface, making them one of the Earth’s significant land uses.However, the existing system of protected areas do not cover all biomes and species, requiring protection and they are not fulfilling their biodiversity conservation objectives.In order to address these gaps, COP, in 2004 adopted a programme of work on protected areas with the objective of supporting the establishment and maintenance by 2010 for terrestrial and by 2012 for marine areas of comprehensive, effectively managed, and ecologically representative national and regional protected areas that collectively contribute to achieving the 2010 target.(Decision VII/28) Achievements During the first phase (2004-2006) of the implementation of the programme of work, progress has been made in the implementation of each of the activities of the programme of work.One of the major impediments for effective implementation of the programme of work is lack of adequate financial resources and technical capacity for developing countries. (COP 8 document CBD/UNEP/COP/8/29) What's Next The eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties the COP agreed that reporting on progress in the implementation of the programme of work should concentrate on outputs as well as processes to provide for a strategic assessment of progress made, challenges/obstacles and capacity building needs and recognized the importance of organizing regional workshops to review the progress.The COP decided to convene the second meeting of the Working Group on protected areas to evaluate progress and elaborate recommendations to COP for improved implementation.The COP adopted various options for mobilizing financial resources for the implementation of the programme of work and urged Parties to give due consideration to conservation of biodiversity in their national development strategies, including poverty reduction strategies with a view to maximize the mobilization of funding for the implementation of the programme of work.(Decision VIII/24).
Protected Areas Monday // 10.28.2024 Protected Areas Cornerstones of biodiversity conservation and critical to the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target and the Millennium Development Goals What's New 13 October 2024International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, 13 October 2024, Role of education in protecting and empowering youth for a disaster-free future. More » More News » Notifications 20 October 2024 (2024-104)Sub-regional capacity-building workshop on Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for Central, Southern and Eastern Africa, 17 to 20 February 2025 – Nairobi, Kenya. More » More Notifications » Upcoming Meetings 17–20 February 2025, Nairobi, KenyaSubregional capacity-building workshop on Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for Central, Southern and Eastern Africa. More Upcoming Meetings » Importance Values of protected areas range from the protection of natural habitats and associated flora and fauna, to the maintenance of environmental stability of surrounding regions.Protected areas can provide opportunities for rural development and rational use of marginal lands, generating income and creating jobs, for research and monitoring, for conservation education, and for recreation and tourism. Programme of Work Establishment and management of protected areas together with conservation, sustainable use and restoration initiatives in the adjacent land and seascape are central to Article 8 on "In-situ Conservation" of the Convention.As a result, all but a few countries have developed systems of protected areas.Globally the number of protected areas has been increasing significantly over the last decade, covering about 12% of the Earth’s land surface, making them one of the Earth’s significant land uses.However, the existing system of protected areas do not cover all biomes and species, requiring protection and they are not fulfilling their biodiversity conservation objectives.In order to address these gaps, COP, in 2004 adopted a programme of work on protected areas with the objective of supporting the establishment and maintenance by 2010 for terrestrial and by 2012 for marine areas of comprehensive, effectively managed, and ecologically representative national and regional protected areas that collectively contribute to achieving the 2010 target.(Decision VII/28) Achievements During the first phase (2004-2006) of the implementation of the programme of work, progress has been made in the implementation of each of the activities of the programme of work.One of the major impediments for effective implementation of the programme of work is lack of adequate financial resources and technical capacity for developing countries. (COP 8 document CBD/UNEP/COP/8/29) What's Next The eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties the COP agreed that reporting on progress in the implementation of the programme of work should concentrate on outputs as well as processes to provide for a strategic assessment of progress made, challenges/obstacles and capacity building needs and recognized the importance of organizing regional workshops to review the progress.The COP decided to convene the second meeting of the Working Group on protected areas to evaluate progress and elaborate recommendations to COP for improved implementation.The COP adopted various options for mobilizing financial resources for the implementation of the programme of work and urged Parties to give due consideration to conservation of biodiversity in their national development strategies, including poverty reduction strategies with a view to maximize the mobilization of funding for the implementation of the programme of work.(Decision VIII/24).
