Protecting the Earth's Biodiversity

A 2024 study by more than 20 conservation biologists from a dozen countries provides a new road map to protect the Earth’s biodiversity and fulfill the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity’s goal of protecting at least 30 percent of the Earth’s surface by 2030.

The study “Conservation Imperatives: securing the last unprotected terrestrial sites harboring irreplaceable biodiversity” published in the peer-review journal Frontiers in Science presents the idea that targeted investments is achievable and affordable and could provide the most bang for the buck — that is, the most conservation success for the lowest cost.

Having a targeted approach — in this case, focusing on lands housing rare and threatened species — is an approach to land conservation that we try to employ to our own work here in the U.S. At Atira Conservation, we carefully select lands to ensure their ecological value and shelter species at risk of local extinction.

• Learn more about how we choose conservation projects and partners.