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BBC Inside Science
COP17 brings nations together to assess progress towards protecting at least 30% of the world’s land and seas by 2030. With less than three years remaining and the world apparently falling short, the discussion examines what has been achieved and what more is needed to meet the target.
Campaign for Nature director Brian O’Donnell discusses the successes and challenges of the conservation commitment. The programme also explores the overlooked scientist who first identified carbon dioxide’s heat-trapping properties, and mathematician Kit Yates shares recent science news.
In short
- Nations assess progress towards protecting 30% of land and seas by 2030.
- The world appears to be falling short, with less than three years left.
- The programme also revisits an early discovery about carbon dioxide.
Explained simply
Countries agreed the 30-by-30 target in 2022: to protect at least 30% of the world’s land and seas by 2030. The aim is to slow the loss of wildlife and habitats, while allowing nature to recover.
Governments are responsible for deciding which areas to protect and how to manage them. Conservation groups, including Campaign for Nature, track progress and press for action; Brian O’Donnell is the group’s director.
The target matters because healthy ecosystems support wildlife and people, and can help limit climate change. Counting protected areas is only part of the task: their condition and how well they are managed also affect whether protection works.
Americas Environment Science World