The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to protect 30% of the world’s land and seas by 2030.
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The world has, for the first time, brought more than a tenth of its ocean under formal protection, according to the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). Newly updated data shows that 10.01% of marine areas are now designated as protected or conserved.
The figure marks a significant step forward from 8.6% recorded in 2024, with around 5 million square kilometres of ocean added in just two years, an area larger than the European Union.
However, despite this progress, the international community remains far from meeting its broader ambition of protecting 30% of the world’s land and seas by 2030 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
According to UNEP-WCMC, achieving that goal will require protecting an additional area of ocean roughly equivalent in size to the Indian Ocean within the next five years.
The 30% target, agreed by governments in 2022 under the Convention on Biological Diversity, is one of several commitments aiming to tackle the global environmental crisis. It emphasises not only expanding protected areas but also ensuring they are effectively managed and governed in an equitable way, including recognition of Indigenous and traditional territories.
“We all depend on the ocean for our survival; over half of the world’s oxygen is produced by life in the ocean,” said Neville Ash, director of UNEP-WCMC. “The great strides at the national level over the past two years to protect more than 10% of the marine realm is therefore a moment for celebration. But reaching this milestone is a reminder of how much work there is still to do.”
"The coverage of protected and conserved areas at sea still needs to triple by 2030 and it is critical that both new and existing areas are managed effectively todeliver positive outcomes for people and nature," Ash added.
The latest figures come from updates to the World Database on Protected and Conserved Areas, maintained jointly by UNEP-WCMC and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The database compiles national and international data to track global conservation progress.
However, questions remain over the effectiveness of many designated areas, the UN agencies point out. The most recent Protected Planet Report, published in 2024, found that only 1.3% of the ocean is covered by protected areas where management effectiveness has been assessed and reported.
Separate analysis indicates that some marine protected areas continue to allow harmful activities, limiting their conservation impact. UNEP-WCMC and The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are calling for improved monitoring and reporting to address these gaps.
Progress has also been uneven geographically, the organisations point out. While most recent gains have taken place within national waters, protection in international waters remains limited, while areas beyond national jurisdiction, which account for more than 60% of the ocean’s surface, have just 1.66% coverage.
UNEP-WCMC and IUCN said they expected the entry into force of the High Seas Treaty in January 2026 will help address this imbalance by creating mechanisms to establish protected areas in the high seas.
“Oceans are havens of biodiversity, providing food, resources and livelihoods for millions, and are key to the survival and health of humanity,” said Dr Grethel Aguilar, director general of the IUCN. “Hitting this important benchmark reminds us what can be achieved when the international community works together.”
