About

Protected Planet is the authoritative source of data on protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). It exists due to the extensive efforts of governments and other stakeholders to map, monitor and report data on protected areas and OECMs. Through the Protected Planet website, users can explore the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), World Database on OECMs, Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME), and a wealth of associated information. Start by exploring the interactive maps on the home page, or any of Protected Planet's eight thematic areas.

Protected Planet enables a spectrum of users to access data for information-based decision making, policy development, and business and conservation planning. Businesses in a range of sectors including mining, oil and gas, and finance use the WDPA and associated databases to identify the biodiversity risks and opportunities of a given project. Conservation planners use the information to predict the outcomes of various proposals and focus on initiatives and areas that are most likely to result in positive impacts. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) uses the Millennium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) annual policy performance scorecards to inform decisions on allocations on funds; MCC uses the WDPA in its indicator to measure the effectiveness of policies related to Natural Resource Protection. The goals of Protected Planet are that:

The Protected Planet Initiative informs decision-making and enhances action;
The Protected Planet Initiative is the global platform for the communication, exchange, acquisition and analysis of knowledge and data on the status and trends of protected areas;
The Protected Planet Initiative provides the world's policy-makers with the best possible information on protected areas and their value for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services, and supporting human communities.

In addition to serving as a business, conservation and aid investment planning tools, Protected Planet provides the basis for monitoring and reporting on progress towards international environmental targets such as Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Every two years, UNEP-WCMC releases the Protected Planet Report on the status of the world's protected areas and recommendations on how to meet international goals and targets.

Thematic Areas

303,309 Protected Areas

Protected Areas (WDPA)

The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global database on terrestrial and marine protected areas.

20,423 Protected Areas

Management Effectiveness (PAME)

Comprising many thousands of assessments of how well a protected area is being managed – primarily the extent to which it is protecting values and achieving goals and objectives.

6,463 OECMs

Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (WDOECM)

OECMs complement protected areas through sustained, positive conservation outcomes, even though they may be managed primarily for other reasons. They are documented in the World Database on OECMs.

Territories and areas conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities (ICCAs)

The ICCA Registry website is an online information platform for territories and areas conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities (ICCAs), where communities themselves provide data, case studies, maps, photos and stories.

123 Protected Areas

The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas

The IUCN Green List is a new global standard for protected areas. The list recognises success in achieving conservation outcomes and measures progress in effective management of protected areas.

Connectivity

Beyond protected and conserved areas what is the contribution of ecological corridors to achieving global conservation goals?

Equitable Governance

Equity relates to how fairly a protected area is governed: who has a say in decisions, how decisions are taken, and how the costs and benefits are shared.

16,752 Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas

Over 70% of the surface of Earth is ocean, comprised of highly diverse ecosystems, and providing a wide range of marine ecosystem services that support human society, health and the economy. This website presents the most recent official coverage statistics for marine protected areas.