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Prevent perverse outcomes from global protected area policy

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 2, pages 759–762 (2018)Cite this article

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Aichi Target 11 has galvanized expansion of the global protected area network, but there is little evidence that this brings real biodiversity gains. We argue that area-based prioritization risks unintended perverse consequences and that the focus of protected area target development should shift from quantity to quality.

Global biodiversity conservation goals are catalytic, shaping behaviours of individuals, governments and non-governmental organizations. The Aichi Targets set the current framework for The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). At first glance, Target 11 on protected areas (PAs) might seem ‘on track’ to be achieved by 20201 (Supplementary Fig. 1). Yet, this characterization focuses solely on PA expansion, neglecting other elements of the target that are critical to halting biodiversity decline.

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Fig. 1: Perverse outcomes of pursuing percentage targets.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge J. Ringma for graphic design support and H. E. Fox, B. Pressey and P. J. Stephenson for comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. This research was conducted under the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CE11001000104) and funded by the Australian Government.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Megan D. Barnes and Louise Glew.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARC Centre of Excellence for Conservation Decisions, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Megan D. Barnes

  2. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, College of Tropical Resources and Agriculture, University of Hawaii Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Megan D. Barnes

  3. World Wildlife Fund, Washington DC, USA

    Louise Glew

  4. Luc Hoffmann Institute, WWF International, Gland, Switzerland

    Carina Wyborn

  5. College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA

    Carina Wyborn

  6. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

    Ian D. Craigie

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  1. Megan D. Barnes
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  4. Ian D. Craigie
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Correspondence to Megan D. Barnes.

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Supplementary Table 1 and Figure 1.

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Barnes, M.D., Glew, L., Wyborn, C. et al. Prevent perverse outcomes from global protected area policy. Nat Ecol Evol 2, 759–762 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0501-y

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