Vancouver, Canada, 22 August 2023 (IUCN) – The publication, launched today at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Vancouver, Canada, guides readers through the target, breaking down the elements and offering a path to effective implementation, including through equitable and rights-based action. The guide, which was co-authored by IUCN WCPA and WWF, was supported by the GEF through a project with WWF.

The guide is designed for use by government planners, policy makers and technical staff, private and public sector actors, IGOs, NGOs, as well as community groups and Indigenous peoples – with specific focus on empowering these groups to act as custodians of their territories. 

“We only have six years left to reach the target of conserving 30% of the Earth. It is an ambitious goal that must be attained effectively and equitably. This important and timely guide will help countries realise lasting positive outcomes for biodiversity and society, and recognises the key role of Indigenous peoples and local communities in achieving a better planet for all,” said IUCN Acting Director General Dr Grethel Aguilar. 

The 30x30 target as written in the Convention on Biological Diversity framework and adopted in December 2022 during the 15th Convention of Parties in Canada explicitly states that parties should:
“Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities including over their traditional territories.”

IUCN WCPA worked with partners to develop the guide, drawing on input from its specialist groups, as well as expertise from other organisations and experts through an extensive consultation and review process.

Access the guide here: A Guide to Inclusive, Equitable and Effective Implementation of Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework