Protected Areas

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South Asia Regional Implementation Support Network for Achieving Target 11

Aichi Biodiversity Target Eleven – Protected Areas – focuses on protected areas. It states: By 2020, at least 17 percent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative, and well-connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes. 

Protected areas are geographically defined areas, designated or regulated, and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives. They include not only strictly protected areas under government control, but also a wide range of areas that allow for sustainable use, including areas owned by indigenous and local communities. Comprehensive, effectively managed protected area systems are a proven method for safeguarding habitats and species, avoiding extinctions, maintaining important ecosystem services, and achieving development goals. Protected areas should contain at least 10 percent of each ecoregion within each country. In order to achieve Target 11, countries will need to assess gaps in their protected area network and identify key weaknesses and threats, as well as take steps to improve protected area coverage, representativeness, connectivity and management effectiveness. 

Targets 11 indicators may include status and trends in:

• Coverage, representativeness, connectivity and management effectiveness of protected area systems
• Protection for species at risk of extinction, vulnerable ecosystems, and areas providing key ecosystem services

Main Resources

• Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 Quick Guide
• IUCN Global Protected Areas Programme
• CBD Cross-Cutting Theme on Protected Areas
• Protected Planet
• World Database on Protected Areas
• IUCN Categories of Protected Areas
• Alliance for Zero Extinction
• Protected Areas for the 21st Century
• Protected area e-learning modules (15)
• Conservation International Biodiversity Hotspots