Quality of marine protected areas is critical to achieving global biodiversity targets
Summarising CBD target 3 to “30 × 30” emphasizes area coverage, but conservation success depends on MPA quality. Many existing MPAs are under-protected, and rapidly designating new areas risks creating ‘paper parks’ without ecological or social benefits. Prioritizing strictly or fully managed MPAs, supported by a clear and shared definition, is essential to achieve meaningful biodiversity outcomes. Quality-focused strategies ensure that global targets benefit both nature and people, rather than merely meeting numerical goals.
Authors
- Patrick Eskuche‐Keith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8855-9455)
- Bárbara Horta e Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9960-3893)
- Kirsten Grorud‐Colvert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4234-4499)
- Carissa J. Klein (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6299-6451)
- Mark J. Costello (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2362-0328)
- Felipe Paredes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6064-1868)
- Madhu Rao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5360-4073)
- Paula Alexandra Reis Bueno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4595-513X)
- Heidi W. Weiskel
- Anna Maria Addamo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1228-2143)
- Helen Fox (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0541-7484)
- Sue Wells (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2942-9524)
- Joachim Claudet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6295-1061)
- Pippa Jane Moore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9889-2216)
- F Stephenson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9500-5204)
- Jenna Sullivan‐Stack (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0114-1019)
- David Gill (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7550-1761)
- Elizabeth P. Pike (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8578-0605)
- Nigel Dudley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7068-0468)
- Katharine B. Nalven
- Cesc Gordó−Vilaseca (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5992-218X)
- Lauren Wenzel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5320-3616)
- Lance Morgan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3643-3487)
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Oregon State University (US)
- Wildlife Conservation Society (US)
- École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Coral Reef Alliance (US)
- Marine Conservation Institute (US)
- Nord University (NO)
- Viña del Mar University (CL)
- University of the Pacific (CL)
- Corvallis Environmental Center (US)
- Equilibrium Research (GB)
- Institut Océanographique (FR)
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (CH)
- University of Algarve (PT)
- University of Valparaíso (CL)
- Newcastle University (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Ocean Sustainability
- Published
- 2025-11-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00169-8
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 6.87
Funders
- Biodiversa+
- Centro de Ciências do Mar
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia