{
  "id": 9364266,
  "title": "Is the target to protect 30% of Earth still achievable, and still worthwhile?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/is-the-target-to-protect-30-of-earth-still-achievable-and-still",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-23T15:56:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dialogue Earth",
    "slug": "dialogue-earth",
    "url": "https://dialogue.earth/en/ocean/is-the-target-to-protect-30-of-earth-still-achievable-and-still-worthwhile/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The target to protect 30% of Earth's land and ocean by 2030 remains achievable, despite current progress falling short of this goal. This 30×30 Global Assessment 2026, released this week, shows that roughly 20% of the land and 10% of the ocean are currently protected. While some regions, such as Latin America and Oceania, are making impressive strides in protected and conserved coverage, the majority of countries are falling short. The Seychelles leads in terrestrial protection at 68%, while Monaco and Palau have 100% ocean protection. However, countries like Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia have not protected any land or ocean areas. The global assessment also highlights the significant gap between the target and current protection, even under optimistic scenarios. The ocean remains the most critical gap, with only 10% currently protected and less than 4% deemed fully or highly protected. Experts warn that this gap, exacerbated by \"PADDD-ing\" (protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement), could jeopardize the 30×30 target. Additionally, there are concerns about the effectiveness of existing protection, as many areas labeled as protected may not actually provide meaningful conservation outcomes. Despite these challenges, advocates argue that cynicism is not a viable alternative and urge nations to ramp up their efforts to meet the 30% target by 2030.",
  "summary": "COP17: Update on 30x30 goal shows the world is off track, especially in the ocean, but campaigners say there is hope The post Is the target to protect 30% of Earth still achievable, and still worthwhile? appeared first on Dialogue Earth .",
  "key_points": [
    "30% target for Earth's protection remains achievable, according to 30×30 Global Assessment 2026.",
    "Only 20% of land and 10% of ocean currently protected globally.",
    "Seychelles leads with 68% terrestrial protection, Monaco and Palau have 100% ocean protection."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}