30 by 30 is about halting the loss of the planet’s ecosystems and species. It’s a global promise where countries have pledged to ensure 30% of the Earth’s lands and seas are safe by 2030. This is the planet’s best chance of saving nature so people and wildlife have a good future.
Back in December 2022, over 190 countries, including Australia, agreed on a big plan called the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (or GBF for short). One of the main goals of this plan, known as Target 3, is to protect at least 30% of our planet’s land, rivers, lakes, and oceans by 2030. This is what we call the “30 by 30” initiative.
Right now, only about 17% of the Earth’s land is protected. But if we all work together and stick to the plan, we can reach the 30 by 30 target.
Australia is in a great position to help out. Already, 22% of Australia’s land is protected, which is a big jump from just 7% in the mid-1990s. To hit the 30 by 30 target, Australia needs to protect an extra 60 million hectares of land by 2030. It’s a big goal, but we can do it.
One way to reach the 30 by 30 target is by creating more national parks and nature reserves on public land. Australia has also come up with innovative ways to protect land, like making agreements with Indigenous people and private land owners.
Australians love nature and have a good history of looking after it. We have the chance to be leaders in this worldwide initiative and show everyone how to do conservation right. Let’s grab this chance and make sure we keep our planet healthy for the future.