Developing Statements of Compliance for UK protected areas and 'other effective area-based conservation measures'

The Protected Areas Working Group of the IUCN National Committee for the UK assessed 23 types of designation of land and sea for biodiversity conservation against IUCN definitions of 'protected area' and 'other effective area-based conservation measures'. This assessment supersedes Statements of Compliance published in 2014, reassigns several categories on the basis of new information and understanding, and provides guidance to UK and devolved governments, and their agencies, on which types of sites should be incorporated within the Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3 total. There is a need for urgent investment in improving the management effectiveness of all sites considered to ensure they can all effectively contribute to the achievement of UK's 30x30 target.