Session: S-173
Toward science-informed, increased marine protected area targets

The Aichi Targets adopted in 2010 by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of the Party (COP) set the goal of protecting at least 10 percent of the ocean by 2020 (Target 11). However, scientific evidence supports that this is inadequate towards achieving a fully sustainable ocean and that a target of 30% highly protected MPAs would be more effective. At the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress, an overwhelming majority of... [ view more ]

The Aichi Targets adopted in 2010 by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of the Party (COP) set the goal of protecting at least 10 percent of the ocean by 2020 (Target 11). However, scientific evidence supports that this is inadequate towards achieving a fully sustainable ocean and that a target of 30% highly protected MPAs would be more effective. At the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress, an overwhelming majority of policymakers, scientists, and conservation practitioners supported the resolution calling for the protection of at least 30 percent of the ocean. It is anticipated that at the 2020 CBD COP there will be both an accounting of the Aichi Targets and the establishment of new targets. The marine science community has an opportunity to voice its knowledge and recommendations to inform the development of new targets and provide the latest science around key questions that policymakers are asking, such as: What are the benefits of MPAs? What level of protection is needed for the stated objectives? How do we build a mix of MPAs (e.g., size, network, and level of protection) to achieve them? How effective are different types of MPAs towards the conservation of marine biodiversity and ecosystem functions? Discussion arising from the panel can help frame the international dialog among policymakers, scientists and conservation practitioners around what constitutes adequate marine protection.