Protected areas (PAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) are a cornerstone of biodiversity conservation that provide co-benefits for achievement of the SDGs, in support of a nature-positive future.

Alongside their contribution to biodiversity conservation, protected and conserved areas are increasingly recognised as important sources of a wide range of benefits, or ecosystem services, that humans gain from intact, natural ecosystems.

A recently published report, “State of protected areas in Central Africa: 2020,” explains the current condition of protected areas in Central Africa and provides recommendations for their improvement.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has grouped all its member states into 12 sub-regional implementation support networks to facilitate the coordination, communication, and implementation of the agreed national priority actions and other commitments for achieving Aichi Target 11.

The MPA Outlook, from the Nairobi Convention and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, documents progress made by countries in the region towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 14.5 and provides lessons and opportunities to increase momentum for achieving post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework targets.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) play a vital role in conserving vulnerable and important ocean species, habitats and ecosystems. Ensuring effective management of these protected coastal areas is just as crucial.

Protected and conserved areas benefit sustainable development and can be effective tools to deliver SDGs around the world.

The UNEP report is the final “report card” on the goal of protecting at least 17 per cent of land and inland waters, and 10 per cent of the marine environment, by 2020. Progress currently stands at 16.6 per cent on the first target, while the marine target stands at 7.74 per cent. One-third of key biodiversity areas– whether on land, inland waters or the ocean –are not protected at all.

This research report provides an overview of the Social Assessment for Protected and Conserved Areas (SAPA) methodology and describes the results of SAPA’s application at six protected areas in Kenya and Uganda.