Many nations failing to meet global biodiversity commitment
More than half of the world’s countries have yet to outline plans to protect 30% of land and sea for biodiversity, despite pledging to do so under a landmark 2022 United Nations agreement.
Patrick Greenfield, Daisy Dunne, and Giuliana Viglione report for The Guardian.
In short:
- Of 137 countries that submitted plans, 70 did not commit to the 30% target, and 10 were unclear about their intentions. Another 61 have yet to submit any plan.
- Countries skipping the goal represent 34% of Earth’s land, including biodiversity hotspots such as Mexico, Indonesia, and South Africa.
- Experts warn this lack of commitment threatens the success of the UN’s biodiversity framework, which aims to prevent mass extinctions and protect essential ecosystem services.
Key quote:
“Let’s be clear, this is not a ‘nice to have’ target – it is an essential if we are to prevent tens of thousands of species’ extinctions, and maintain the services that intact nature provides like pollination, water and air filtration, storm defense and pandemic prevention.”
— Brian O’Donnell, director of the Campaign for Nature
Why this matters:
Biodiversity loss is often framed as a strictly environmental issue, but its consequences reach far beyond the natural world. The disappearance of species and ecosystems threatens the very systems that sustain human life — food production, clean water, and a stable climate. Scientists warn that the continued decline in biodiversity could disrupt essential services like pollination, soil fertility, and carbon storage, making it harder to grow food and combat climate change.
Despite repeated warnings, global efforts to curb biodiversity loss have fallen short. Governments have routinely set ambitious conservation targets, only to miss them. As new international agreements take shape, weak commitments and vague promises raise fears that the next decade could follow the same pattern of inaction. Without significant investment in protecting land and oceans, the risk of ecosystem collapse — and the cascading impacts that follow — will only grow.
Related: WATCH: The economics of biodiversity
