Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of IUCN, recently authored an op-ed for Economist Impact Beyond the Surface reflecting on the importance of effectively managed Marine Protected Areas.
“The ocean is in crisis. In response, governments have turned to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). But here is the uncomfortable truth: much of this protection exists only on paper. When new MPAs are announced, headlines celebrate percentages — politically attractive numbers, easy to communicate and visually impressive on a map.
But quantity is not quality.
Consider the reality. Some of the largest MPAs — vast stretches of open ocean — have no staff, no monitoring and no enforcement, while coastal waters where biodiversity is most vulnerable remain unprotected or poorly managed.
As President of IUCN, I believe the next frontier of ocean protection is not drawing more MPAs but making existing ones work. IUCN has been at the forefront of developing tools and standards to make protection real. Our Protected Area Management Categories, ranging from strict reserves to sustainable-use areas, clarify what kind of protection an MPA offers.
Closing the gap between promise and performance is possible.
We believe that success means shifting attention from political signalling to lasting impact. Through collective action, we have the chance to make 30x30 more than a slogan. Because in the end, success will not be measured by how the map looks, but whether the ocean thrives.”
Read the full article on Economist Impact Beyond The Surface.