This webinar originally aired on 6 May 2021.
Presented by: Mimi D’Iorio of NOAA, Kirsten Grorud-Colvert of Oregon State University, Jennifer Sletten of the Anthropocene Institute, Jenna Sullivan-Stack of Oregon State University, and Lauren Wenzel of NOAA
The 30×30 international marine conservation commitment aims to protect at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030 through representative and effective networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) that are fully or highly protected. Achieving this target would benefit marine biodiversity and the people who depend on healthy oceans as well as build ocean resilience to mitigate and adapt to a changing climate. Accurate reporting on progress toward 30×30 is vital and requires current and reliable information on protected area boundaries and regulations. This presentation is the first in a series focused on how the goal is being addressed in the United States. Speakers will provide background and context for the 30×30 initiative and highlight complementary efforts underway to catalog and classify MPAs. The MPA Guide provides clarity on what the term “protected” in MPAs really means, and ProtectedSeas’ Marine Managed Area data provides spatial data on regulations, allowing analysis of the cumulative contributions of different management authorities to the same ocean space. These efforts contribute to a more complete picture of the quality and quantity of US MPAs to help move the dial towards effective ocean protection in US waters.
Co-sponsors: NOAA National MPA Center and OCTO (MPA News, OpenChannels, EBM Tools Network)