Marine biodiversity is the lifeblood of our planet. Oceans regulate climate, provide food security, and sustain millions of species—including humans. Yet, marine ecosystems are deeply threatened by mounting threats from overfishing, pollution, and climate change. To reverse biodiversity loss, we must act decisively, and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are one of the most powerful tools we have. A new study in the Nature Partner Journal Ocean Sustainability reveals that high-quality, well-implemented Marine Protected Areas are vital for achieving international biodiversity goals. 

Meeting 30×30: Land and Sea Together

To meet global biodiversity targets, we must combine marine protection with terrestrial restoration. Islands are at the heart of this effort. By restoring island habitats and establishing robust MPAs around them, we can create interconnected networks of resilience that protect species, ecosystems, and human well-being. 

At Island Conservation, we know that protecting islands and their surrounding seas is key to reversing biodiversity loss. More and more, we’re extending our scope beyond the shore to strengthen the linkages between terrestrial and marine ecosystems to improve resilience for people and nature. Part of that is supporting high-quality MPAs around the world. Many of the islands where we work, including Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile, Kamaka Island, French Polynesia, and Bikar Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands, are part of MPAs that help connect recovery on land to recovery at sea. 

If we want to meet biodiversity goals in the long term, we must support and invest in well-administered, high-quality MPAs. These areas safeguard conservation successes so they last long into the future! 

I am a text block. Here is where you can put information about project partners or staff. You can change this back to 1 column in formats by clicking the ‘twho column’ button again. The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan and the World Bank. The CEPF Phase II investment (August 2021–July 2026) in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot is financed through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund – Caribbean Hotspot Project of the World Bank, using funds provided by the Government of Japan.