<
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/science/articles/10.3389/fsci.2024.1349350/full>
"Ambitious biodiversity goals to protect 30% or more of the Earth’s surface by
2030 (30x30) require strategic near-term targets. To define areas that must be
protected to prevent the most likely and imminent extinctions, we propose
Conservation Imperatives—16,825 unprotected sites spanning ~164 Mha of the
terrestrial realm that harbor rare and threatened species. We estimate that
protecting the Conservation Imperatives would cost approximately US$169 billion
(90% probability: US$146—US$228 billion). Globally, 38% of the 16,825 sites are
either adjacent to or within 2.5 km of an existing protected area, potentially
reducing land acquisition and management costs. These sites should be
prioritized for conservation action over the next 5 years as part of a broader
strategy to expand the global protected area network. The expansion of global
protected areas between 2018 and 2023 incorporated only 7% of sites harboring
range-limited and threatened species, highlighting a renewed urgency to
conserve these habitats. Permanently protecting only 0.74% of land found in the
tropics, where Conservation Imperatives are concentrated, could prevent the
majority of predicted near-term extinctions once adequately resourced. We
estimate this cost to be from US$29 billion to US$46 billion per year over the
next 5 years. Multiple approaches will be required to meet long-term protection
goals: providing rights and titles to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
(IPLCs) conserving traditional lands, government designation of new protected
areas on federal and state lands, and land purchase or long-term leasing of
privately held lands."
Via
Positive.News:
<
https://www.positive.news/society/good-news-stories-from-week-26-of-2024/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
