Global Growth in Protected Areas 2010 - 2017
Aichi Biodiversity Targets
The Aichi Biodiversity targets were established in 2010 to encourage governments to participate in protecting global biodiversity. Aichi targets are meant to be reached by 2020. Target 11 seeks to protect:
- at least 17% of terrestrial and inland water and
- 10% of coastal and marine areas
Global Progress
Since January 1, 2010, 26,022 protected areas have been added globally. Terrestrial sites cover a total of 16.5% of the earth’s terrestrial surface, while marine sites cover 7.3% of the earth’s marine surface.*
But Who Contributes the most?
Below is the breakdown of added sites by country. Countries are ranked by the total area of protected sites belonging to the country (including pre-2010 protected sites). Total area decreases from left to right, then top to bottom.
Within each country’s square, each column of squares corresponds to the year (2010 to 2017). The vertical height of the stacked squares corresponds to the number of added protected areas since 2010.
*Percentage counts and area measurements are based on values in the cited data set
The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
Data source: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN (2017), Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) [On-Line], [November 2017], Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net.