Introduction

• Overview of Findings
  • Biodiversity is declining more rapidly within protected areas compared to non-protected regions.
  • The study emphasizes that simply designating areas as protected does not guarantee improved biodiversity outcomes.
• Conducting Body
  • The analysis was performed by the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London and published on October 26, 2024.

Key Insights from the Study

Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII)

• Definition
  • The BII measures the extent of natural biodiversity remaining in a region.
• Findings
  • Global decline of BII: decreased by 1.88 percentage points from 2000 to 2020.
  • Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs):
    • 22% of CBAs are designated as protected.
    • Non-protected CBAs experienced an average decline of 1.9 percentage points.
    • Protected CBAs saw a greater decline of 2.1 percentage points.

Reasons for Biodiversity Decline

Inadequate Protection Strategies

• Focus on Certain Species
  • Protected areas often target specific species rather than the entire ecosystem.
  • This selective approach compromises overall biodiversity integrity.
• Pre-existing Degradation
  • Many areas were already degraded prior to their protection status.
  • A call for region-specific analysis to identify reasons for ecosystem deterioration.

External Threats

• Oil, Gas, and Mining Concessions
  • Government-granted lands for resource extraction severely threaten biodiversity.
  • Example: Conkouati-Douli National Park in the Republic of the Congo is over 65% occupied by oil and gas concessions.

Climate Change Impact

• Effects of Climate Crisis
  • Increased frequency and intensity of droughts and wildfires are damaging protected ecosystems.
  • Notable destruction of Australia’s national parks due to wildfires in 2019, despite stringent protections.

Recommendations for Improvement

Strengthening Conservation Efforts

• Need for Stringent Protections
  • Current protections are deemed insufficient.
  • Emphasis on maintaining commitments such as 30×30 (a pledge to conserve 30% of land and oceans by 2030).
• Comprehensive Conservation Focus
  • Policymakers should prioritize genuine conservation efforts that protect ecosystems and biodiversity as a whole, rather than just achieving numerical goals.