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Frontiers for Young Minds

Conservation Imperatives: a global map of priority sites for protecting biodiversity

A summary of the lead article in a Q&A format, with infographics and a video.

Published on 17 Jul 2024

Protecting Earth’s Irreplaceable Species—The Time is Now!

A version of the lead article written for—and peer reviewed by—kids aged 8-15 years.

EXPLAINER

Frontiers for Young Minds

Conservation Imperatives: a global map of priority sites for protecting biodiversity

A summary of the lead article in a Q&A format, with infographics and a video.

Published on 17 Jul 2024

Protecting Earth’s Irreplaceable Species—The Time is Now!

A version of the lead article written for—and peer reviewed by—kids aged 8-15 years.

Key points

There is an urgent need to prioritize the conservation of habitats of rare and threatened species as part of a larger global biodiversity strategy.

Conservation Imperatives offer a solution to conserving the last unprotected sites harboring rare, range-restricted, and threatened species and should be a central component of the ambitious goals to protect at least 30% of the Earth’s surface by 2030.

The Conservation Imperatives identified in this study are highly concentrated, requiring only ~164 Mha globally to avoid extinctions; this equates to only 1.22% of the Earth’s entire terrestrial surface and 0.74% of land in the tropics.

Targeted investments to prevent extinctions in parallel with the conservation of carbon-rich regions are necessary as the world sets about expanding the protected area network from 15.7% today to 30% by 2030.

Conserving Conservation Imperatives is achievable and affordable, especially in the tropics, as the purchase of the tropical subset of Conservation Imperatives costs about US$169 billion (90% probability: US$146–US$228 billion), or US$34 billion (90% probability: US$29.2–US $45.6 billion) per year over 5 years.

As Conservation Imperatives represent the most biologically important and threatened places to protect, they can be thought of as “anchor points” to design Q12 regional-scale conservation planning efforts under 30×30.

Expert insights

Photo of an orangutan climbing a tree, to accompany a collection of peer-reviewed articles on priority sites for rare and endangered species called Conservation Imperatives

ARTICLE EVENT

Discussion with the article authors

Experts discussed next steps for protecting Earth’s remaining biodiversity at a virtual symposium on 14 November 2024. Video available soon. 

Photo of Mariana Napolitano Ferreira of WWF-Brasil, Brazil, to accompany her editorial on mapping conservation priorities and a first step toward building area based strategies to protect biodiversity hotspots, published in Frontiers in Science

Frontiers in Science Editorial

Frontiers in Science Viewpoint

Conservation priorities mapping—a first step toward building area-based strategies

Urgent, multifactor strategies and inclusive, rights-based approaches, supported by new mapping tools, are essential for achieving 2030 biodiversity targets and ensuring long-term success, emphasizes Dr Mariana Napolitano Ferreira of WWF-Brasil, Brazil.

Photo of David Lindenmayer of The Australian National University, Australia, to accompany his viewpoint on key steps toward expanding protected areas to conserve global biodiversity, published in Frontiers in Science

Key steps toward expanding protected areas to conserve global biodiversity

Beyond identifying and protecting the most ecologically significant areas, comprehensive management and rigorous monitoring are crucial for effective conservation, highlights David Lindenmayer of the Australian National University, Australia.

POLICY OUTLOOK

Frontiers in Science Editorial

Conserving biodiversity and halting extinction

Innovative financing mechanisms that harness longstanding financial market tools and mobilize private-sector investment are crucial for halting global biodiversity loss, outlines Dr Charles V. Barber of the World Resources Institute, USA.

ARTICLE EVENT

Discussion with the article authors

Experts discussed next steps for protecting Earth’s remaining biodiversity at a virtual symposium on 14 November 2024. Video available soon. 

Frontiers in Science Viewpoint

Conservation priorities mapping—a first step toward building area-based strategies

Key steps toward expanding protected areas to conserve global biodiversity

POLICY OUTLOOK

Conserving biodiversity and halting extinction

News

Scientists identify safe havens we must preserve to prevent "the sixth great extinction of life on Earth"

Conserving biodiversity hotspots which cover just 1.22% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface could stop extinctions in their tracks and protect the planet for future generations.

Protecting just 1.2% of Earth’s land could save most-threatened species, says study

Study identifies 16,825 sites around the world where prioritizing conservation would prevent extinction of thousands of unique species.

Many rare and endangered species are concentrated in territories that do not yet benefit from protection status

A “feasible and financially affordable” plan to avoid the most likely extinctions of species in the short term: this is what an international coalition of ecologists and conservation stakeholders proposes in a study.

Protecting 1.2% of Earth would prevent most extinctions, study says

Setting aside an additional 1.2% of the world's land as nature preserves would prevent the majority of predicted plant and animal extinctions and cost about $263 billion, according to a study published on Tuesday.

Scientists pinpoint vital 1.2% of Earth to prevent 6th mass extinction

Researchers from Resolve, a US conservation group, identified a way to maintain Earth’s biodiversity by protecting a surprisingly small portion of land.

Scientists call for action to prevent 'Sixth Great Extinction of Life'

Researchers have identified key areas of the Earth that need to be protected in order to safeguard the majority of the endangered species on our planet.

Elon Musk could avert global species extinction with only a portion of his wealth

A new study has pinpointed the most crucial areas around the world for protecting Earth’s rarest and most endangered species, the vast majority of which are found in tropical and subtropical moist forests.

Mass extinctions can be prevented by protecting key sites

Human-caused mass extinctions can be prevented if we take action now, according to an international coalition of ecologists and conservationists.

Biodiversity sanctuaries: 1% of the earth's surface should be protected to save the rarest species

The sixth mass extinction of biodiversity is underway. To slow it down, it will be necessary to create new sanctuaries. The question is: where?

To avert a mass extinction, protect 1 percent of Earth

Most species are rare, meaning they are few in number or cover a small range, or both. As a result, a new study concludes, humans can preserve much of the great diversity of life on Earth by marking out just 1.2 percent of the planet for protection.

Published on 30 Jun 2024

Mass extinction is a choice. A new study shows how we can dramatically reverse it.

Extinction is a natural byproduct of life and evolution, but an alarming number of species have entered the dustbin of history thanks to human activity — which is anything but natural.

How protecting 1.2% of the earth could stop the sixth mass extinction

What would it take to put the brakes on the sixth mass extinction and save the world’s most threatened species? According to a groundbreaking new study published in Frontiers in Science, co-authored by World Land Trust conservationists Richard Cuthbert and Charlotte Beckham, the answer is a lot cheaper and easier than you might think.

To prevent the sixth mass extinction these are the havens we must protect

It’s a small portion of the Earth’s surface, and the price lower than might be expected, but the will needs to be there.

Scientists identify safe havens to prevent ‘The Sixth Great Extinction’ of life on Earth

Global biodiversity study identifies 16,825 ‘Conservation Imperatives’ sites harboring rare and threatened species in need of immediate protection.

Published on 27 Jun 2024

One Earth & Resolve release 'Conservation Imperatives' – a map of safe havens harboring rare and threatened species

The latest research effort from the Global Safety Net (GSN) initiative, entitled “Conservation Imperatives: Securing the Last Unprotected Terrestrial Sites Harboring Irreplaceable Biodiversity”, was published in Frontiers in Science.

Scientists identify safe havens we must preserve to prevent ‘the sixth great extinction of life on Earth’

If we act now, we can prevent human-caused extinctions wiping out our planet’s wildlife, according to an international coalition of ecologists and conservationists.

New study identifies Conservation Imperatives to safeguard endangered species

Protecting 1.22 percent of land worldwide prevents the extinction of the most-threatened species, according to a recent study published in Frontiers in Science.

Scientists identify safe havens we must preserve to prevent "the sixth great extinction of life on Earth"

Conserving biodiversity hotspots which cover just 1.22% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface could stop extinctions in their tracks and protect the planet for future generations.

Protecting just 1.2% of Earth’s land could save most-threatened species, says study

Study identifies 16,825 sites around the world where prioritizing conservation would prevent extinction of thousands of unique species.

Many rare and endangered species are concentrated in territories that do not yet benefit from protection status

Protecting 1.2% of Earth would prevent most extinctions, study says

Scientists pinpoint vital 1.2% of Earth to prevent 6th mass extinction

Researchers from Resolve, a US conservation group, identified a way to maintain Earth’s biodiversity by protecting a surprisingly small portion of land.

Scientists call for action to prevent 'Sixth Great Extinction of Life'

Researchers have identified key areas of the Earth that need to be protected in order to safeguard the majority of the endangered species on our planet.

Elon Musk could avert global species extinction with only a portion of his wealth

Mass extinctions can be prevented by protecting key sites

Human-caused mass extinctions can be prevented if we take action now, according to an international coalition of ecologists and conservationists.

Biodiversity sanctuaries: 1% of the earth's surface should be protected to save the rarest species

The sixth mass extinction of biodiversity is underway. To slow it down, it will be necessary to create new sanctuaries. The question is: where?

To avert a mass extinction, protect 1 percent of Earth

Published on 30 Jun 2024

Mass extinction is a choice. A new study shows how we can dramatically reverse it.

Extinction is a natural byproduct of life and evolution, but an alarming number of species have entered the dustbin of history thanks to human activity — which is anything but natural.

How protecting 1.2% of the earth could stop the sixth mass extinction

To prevent the sixth mass extinction these are the havens we must protect

It’s a small portion of the Earth’s surface, and the price lower than might be expected, but the will needs to be there.

Scientists identify safe havens to prevent ‘The Sixth Great Extinction’ of life on Earth

Global biodiversity study identifies 16,825 ‘Conservation Imperatives’ sites harboring rare and threatened species in need of immediate protection.

Published on 27 Jun 2024

One Earth & Resolve release 'Conservation Imperatives' – a map of safe havens harboring rare and threatened species

Scientists identify safe havens we must preserve to prevent ‘the sixth great extinction of life on Earth’

If we act now, we can prevent human-caused extinctions wiping out our planet’s wildlife, according to an international coalition of ecologists and conservationists.