ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
Learn more about the movement to protect at least 30% of land and ocean in Canada by 2030.
NATURE IS IN CRISIS
For over 4 billion years, the natural world has helped all life on Earth thrive. But the environments that supply us with air, water, food, medicine, and shelter can’t keep up with us.
Our reliance on resource extraction over the last 50+ years hasn’t just degraded the Earth’s ecosystems, it is pushing them to the breaking point.
Biodiversity is in rapid decline. One million species worldwide face extinction within the next 10 years — a rate not seen since the last mass extinction that took place over 200 million years ago.
If we want a healthy, sustainable, and resilient future, we need to demand urgent action to protect nature.
WE CAN’T WAIT.
PROTECT
Move Forward on the Path to Change
Evidence shows that protecting between 30-70% of the Earth’s land and ocean will likely be required to reverse the decline of biodiversity and sustain a healthy planet.
Canada has committed to protecting 30% of its land and ocean by 2030, with a milestone target of protecting 25% by 2025.
CPAWS is committed to helping Canada meet its targets. Our first Report Card assessed how well Canada’s governments fared in meeting the country’s previous target to protect 17% of its land and 10% of its ocean by the end of 2020. Using our first Report Card as a baseline, we plan to track progress made towards the 2030 target.
One of the most significant challenges to both meeting and surpassing the 30X30 protection goal is a lack of political will from provinces and territories. The lack of permanent funding to support long-term protection of land and ocean is another major challenge.
We are now setting a clear path forward to bridge the gap between where federal, provincial, and territorial governments are and where they need to be.
The CPAWS Roadmap Report recommends actionable and achievable strategies to meet Canada’s commitment to protect 30% of its land and ocean by 2030.
CONNECT
Expand the Reach of Protected Areas
A crucial step to our Roadmap is implementing a plan to create connected networks of protected land and water across Canada.
Our Roadmap recommends identifying natural areas for protection through transparent and collaborative landscape and seascape-scale planning processes that:
- are based on science and Indigenous knowledge;
- prioritize Indigenous-led initiatives;
- enhance landscape connectivity;
- identify carbon-rich ecosystems for protection;
- protect habitat for species at risk, including meeting critical habitat requirements under the federal Species at Risk Act.
- adopt and enhance more ecologically-friendly industrial practices across the provinces and territories to ensure habitats between protected areas are well-connected and resilient.
RESPECT
Support Indigenous-Led Conservation
Indigenous communities account for 5% of the global population, but they are solely responsible for protecting approximately 80% of nature’s biodiversity. Across Canada, Indigenous governments have consistently stepped forward with landscape and seascape-level plans and initiatives to conserve their traditional territories.
Support for Indigenous-led conservation is critical to delivering on the targets, preserving and strengthening Indigenous knowledge and cultures, and supporting Indigenous Peoples’ livelihoods.
Supporting Indigenous leaders in conservation will go a long way toward making the 30X30 goal possible.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We’d like to acknowledge and express our gratitude to our passionate and dedicated major partner.
ABOUT CPAWS
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only charity dedicated to the protection of public land, freshwater, and ocean with a strong national and regional presence across the country.
Working in a way that respects the sovereignty and leadership of Indigenous nations, we are focused on conserving nature to respond to the dual crises of accelerated biodiversity loss and climate change. Our vision is that at least half of land, freshwater, and ocean in Canada is permanently protected to sustain nature and people for current and future generations.
With a national office in Ottawa and 13 chapters across the country, CPAWS is working to conserve the natural spaces relied on by both wildlife and people. Our staff has the deep conservation expertise and strong relationships with Indigenous communities and federal, provincial, and territorial governments needed to move protection forward in the spirit of collaboration and reconciliation.
Learn more about how CPAWS is working to protect nature across the country and how you can support conservation in your community. Check out our chapters across the country:
ACT NOW FOR NATURE
You can make a difference. Take action in the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change by using your voice to help protect land and ocean in Canada. We can’t wait.