Information brief

Role of Protected Areas in Climate Change Mitigation and Biodiversity Conservation

There is general consensus that biodiversity loss and climate change are twin crises requiring integrated, comprehensive and holistic approaches… The creation of new Protected areas (PAs), the expansion of existing ones, protecting and establishing conservation corridors that connect PAs, and better PA management are the first and most effective policy tools to address these global crises.

KEY MESSAGES

1. Widespread consensus has emerged that biodiversity loss and climate change are twin crises that must be addressed together to achieve success in either one.

2. Protected and Conserved Areas (PAs) are the most effective tool to address both biodiversity loss and climate change within a time-frame that reflects the required urgency.

3. New PAs, the expansion of existing PAs and support for OECMs can target places where carbon richness and high biodiversity overlap to create ‘carbon stabilization’ areas.