Press Release

UN Biodiversity Summit Delivers on Ambitious Global Goal to  Protect at Least 30% of the Planet - Land and Water - by 2030

‘Paris-Style’ Deal for Nature Secured at COP15

Montreal: December 19, 2022 — The National Geographic Society today celebrates the formalization of a new post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The GBF includes the ambitious target of protecting at least 30% of the planet - land, inland waters, and sea - by 2030 with the critical and essential component of recognizing and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

The “30x30” target is the hallmark of a four-year partnership between the National Geographic Society and the Wyss Foundation’s Campaign for Nature. National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala co-led the campaign in collaboration with Brian O'Donnell from the Wyss Campaign for Nature, which is grounded in science, focused on the global scale and rooted in a human rights approach that sees the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples and local communities as fundamental to its success. In the leadup to the historic agreement, over 116 countries pledged their support for 30x30.

In response to the momentous news of this Paris Agreement-style deal for nature, National Geographic Society’s Chief Executive Officer Jill Tiefenthaler said:

“We applaud this historic agreement to address the urgent and essential need to protect and restore at least 30% of our planet for the health and benefit of all life on Earth. At the National Geographic Society, we are deeply committed to advancing knowledge and leading conservation programs with outsized impact to protect nature and wildlife while inspiring people to care and act on behalf of our planet and its people.”

Hansjörg Wyss, Founder and Chairman, Wyss Foundation, added:

“By committing to protect at least 30 percent of the planet’s surface, world leaders are meeting the crisis facing biodiversity and boldly committing to safeguard nature. This is a historic achievement, which will protect wildlife and wild places and ensure our children, and their children, have every opportunity to live prosperous, healthy, and wondrous lives. I look forward to working alongside government leaders, communities, and Indigenous Peoples, at every corner of the planet, to support locally-driven efforts to meet and exceed the global 30x30 goal.”

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About The National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.

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