The Programme of Work on Protected Areas is one of the great successes of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and has helped stimulate rapid growth in both the number and effectiveness of protected areas throughout the world. We congratulate the Parties on this vital initiative and the many local and international NGOs that are supporting this effort. But there is still a lot to do. IUCN and its World Commission on Protected Areas, in partnership with many governments, intergovernmental bodies and NGOs, played a major role in crafting the agenda for the Programme. We remain committed to supporting the CBD as the work on protected areas enters a new phase after Nagoya. The latest research tells us that without a significant investment, protected areas may not be able to continue to provide the multiple benefits which we have enjoyed up until now. This booklet tells you why we think investing in protected areas is important and lays out our commitments to making the vision of the Programme of Work on Protected Areas a reality. Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General and Nik Lopoukhine WCPA Chair