An alliance turns biodiversity goals into action

This intergovernmental group is helping nations meet 30x30 targets

Spotted: The world is in a biodiversity crisis, with around 1.2 million plant and animal species threatened with extinction, many within a few decades. If we don’t do something to reverse this trend, whole ecosystems will collapse. The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC for N&P) was established to help ensure this doesn’t happen.

Although biodiversity loss has been a critical (and growing) issue for some time, governments have failed to make or meet binding nature-focused pledges. At COP15 in 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set out a crucial goal, the 30×30 target, to effectively conserve and manage at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030. HAC was instrumental in establishing and securing this target.

The intergovernmental group of 120 countries – which is co-chaired by Costa Rica and France, with the UK as oceans champion – now works with countries to help them meet and exceed this target. To do this, the organisation campaigns among politicians at the highest levels to ensure nature is prioritised on government agendas. HAC also works with policymakers on efforts such as expanding protected zones, increasing financial investments, providing technical expertise, and building cross-party political support.

HAC is also addressing financial and technical barriers to action with a number of initiatives. For one, it has developed a 30×30 Solutions Toolkit for participating countries, which shares scientific research, best practices, and practical roadmaps to help governments act effectively. The coalition also offers a financial and technical matchmaking tool to help governments request specific types of assistance, drawing from a global network of other governments, NGOs, and international organisations.

Communication and Engagement Specialist for HAC Valentina Oben told Springwise that, with just five years left to deliver the 30×30 goal, HAC is working to improve its matchmaking tools to unlock more action on the ground. After just winning a 2024 Earthshot Prize, the organisation is also ramping up its work to support developing countries and small island states, with a rapid response tool that will help direct resources to their marine protection initiatives.

Written By: Lisa Magloff