Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 percent of terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional territories.
Introduction
It is widely acknowledged that we have significant deficiencies in the protection of most ecosystems, such as forests, coastal ecosystems, seas, and wetlands.
Prioritising Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), such as Important Bird Areas (IBAs) is required to safeguard the most important places for biodiversity. We must ensure that protected areas are large enough to maintain their ecological functions upon which biodiverse life depends and to safeguard from impacts from the currently changing climate. For some ecosystem types, restoration is needed to even achieve 30% representative protection. This is especially the case in naturally diverse ecosystems that are already heavily damaged or lost, such as various types of high-productivity lowland forests, rich and intermediate fens, and swamp forests. Restoration is not an alternative to protection, but a complementary means to reach the goal of 30% protected area. There is a need to allocate more funds for protection, both for assessment and compensation. Improved communication about the importance of protection is also necessary, along with stronger legal instruments for establishing protected areas. Other effective area-based conservation measures are also required to protect Indigenous territories and restore nature, these must occur even where there are conflicts over land use and area.
Preventing large-scale biodiversity loss requires effective conservation of more land, inland waters and oceans, while respecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights, Many species depend entirely on specific vegetation types for survival, making forest conservation, establishment of strict protected areas, where this can be done without interfering with Indigenous Peoples’ rights and their human rights to practise their culture, can be a crucial tool in efforts to preserve biodiversity and halt the biodiversity loss. It is therefore vital that there be established global standards for what makes up for good protection, while recognising Indigenous Peoples’ territorial rights and their contributions to biodiversity protection.
Indigenous Peoples around the world continuously face major threats in terms of displacements, dispossessions and other rights violations as a result of conservation and protection schemes. It is imperative that this will be specifically addressed in the NBSAPs, including the Nordic countries’ implementation of this target beyond national borders.
Policy Proposals for National Implementation
Adopt national legislation, committing the government to protect and conserve at least 30% per main category of ecosystem by 2030.
Protect at least 30% of each main category of ecosystems, prioritising Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).
Ban destructive fisheries practices and other human activities putting species and/or habitats at risk in marine protected areas.
Implement a moratorium on logging of all potential old-growth forests until biodiversity values have been mapped and documented, and the issue of potential protection of the area has been resolved.
Respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples according to UNDRIP, including their right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and their human right to execute their culture, implement strict conservation regulations ensuring positive conservation outcomes in protected areas and other areas of high biodiversity importance, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity in the Nordic countries. This can include, but is not limited to, prohibiting human disturbances such as hunting, fishing, logging, etc., especially during the nesting and breeding season.
Develop a national action plan to effectively achieve the protection of at least 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity, in the Nordic countries in line with the GBF.
Ensure that existing and new Protected Areas (PAs) and Other Effective-Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are protecting biodiversity. Adjust and improve their regulations and management to fulfil the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria for area-based protection of biodiversity. Industrial and damaging exploitation like bottom trawling fisheries, logging, mining operations or wind energy plants should not be allowed within PAs and OECMs.
Apply a rigorous and transparent approach to the selection of candidate OECMs and clearly and specifically articulate the biodiversity benefits the candidate sites are delivering, with the aim to contribute to halt and reverse biodiversity loss; exclude for consideration all the sites without clearly defined biodiversity attributes or that are failing to achieve single species population health, i.e. that host overfished species or species subject to current overfishing within the area.
Ensure that a holistic marine spatial planning for national waters is fully implemented by 2030.
Policy Proposals for International Implementation
Contribute via financing, capacity building, and information sharing, while acknowledging and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples as stipulated in the UNDRIP and adhering to CBD article 8, achieve the protection and conservation of at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, coastal, and marine areas conservation by 2030, protecting areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services.
Support and advocate for regulations in international agreements to establish protection zones without commercial activity or exploitation of organisms (no logging, hunting, fishing, catching, etc), while respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and recognising their sustainable, customary use.