WHY 'PROTECTED' AREAS ARE SEEING FASTER BIODIVERSITY DECLINE
- Biodiversity is declining more quickly inside key protected areas than outside them, according to a new study.
Highlights:
- A recent study by the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London has revealed a troubling trend: biodiversity is declining faster inside protected areas than outside, highlighting significant gaps in conservation strategies. The findings call into question the effectiveness of simply expanding protected areas without stronger, ecosystem-wide management.
Key Findings: Decline in Biodiversity Inside Protected Areas
- Researchers analyzed the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII), which measures the remaining biodiversity in an area compared to its original state. They found that between 2000 and 2020, the global BII dropped by 1.88 percentage points.
- For critical biodiversity areas (CBAs) like wetlands, which are essential to biodiversity but only 22% protected, declines within protected regions were 2.1 percentage points—higher than the 1.9-point drop seen in unprotected critical areasasons for Biodiversity Decline The study points to several causes behind the decline in biodiversity within protected areas:
- Fragmented Conservation Efforts: Many protected zones focus on particular species rather than preserving entire ecosystems, leading to an incomplete approach to maintaining biodiversity intactness.
- Historical Degradation: Often, lands were designated as protected after experiencing ecological decline, meaning they already faced degradation by the time they received protection.
- Resource Extraction and Land Concessions: Concessions for oil, gas, and mining operations intersect many protected areas, such as the Conkouati-Douli National Park in the Republic of the Congo, where over 65% of the park is covered by oil and gas concessions.
- Climate Change: The increasing frequency of droughts, wildfires, and extreme weather exacerbates degradation within protected areas. For instance, Australia’s national parks suffered extensive wildfire damage in 2019 despite stringent protections.
Implications for Future Conservation
- The researchers emphasize that conservation efforts must go beyond numerical targets like the 30×30 pledge (aiming to protect 30% of global land and ocean by 2030) made at the 2022 Biodiversity COP15.
- Effective conservation requires more holistic approaches to ecosystem preservation, robust monitoring, and active management to address climate impacts and resist encroachment from industrial activities.
Prelims Takeaways:
- Natural History Museum (NHM)
- critical biodiversity areas (CBAs)