Guidance on the reporting of privately governed protected and conserved areas

Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to conserve 30% of the Earth's lands and oceans by 2030, contributing to the overall goal of halting and reversing the global loss of nature. Achieving this will require a vast, cross-societal effort, and the protected and conserved areas that could contribute towards this target are diverse. Governments oversee the management of many of these areas, and while they play a crucial role, the potential of private governance of protected and conserved areas is often underrecognized*.

Private governance actors include individuals, non-governmental organisations, corporations, for-profit owners, research entities, and religious entities. Since biodiversity is not restricted to public lands and waters, it is clear that efforts undertaken by private actors will be essential to achieving Target 3. Already, these areas are enhancing global protected and conserved area coverage, protecting key ecological areas and enhancing connectivity across landscapes.

If you are a private actor, responsible for governing a protected or conserved area, your contributions matter more than ever. By reporting your site to Protected Planet, you can gain visibility for your efforts and contribute to a growing body of knowledge on the conservation actions being taken at local levels, which combined are helping to halt and reverse the loss of nature worldwide. Only through collaborating across all sectors of society will it be possible to conserve 30% of our planet by 2030.

For more information on how to report privately governed protected and conserved areas to Protected Planet, please see our reporting guide for private actors linked below. You can also read our recent blog on the Hidden Potential of Private Governance or email protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org if you have any further questions.

*Like private governance of protected and conserved areas, governance by Indigenous Peoples and local communities receives limited recognition. Read more on the ICCA Registry website.