Without urgent remedies the UK’s poor progress to internationally agreed 30x30 targets risks failure for nature on the global stage, warn nature experts. Annual progress tracker on the landmark 30x30 nature target shows a decrease in the amount of land in England effectively protected for nature to under 3%, while the amount of sea protected increases fractionally to 9.9%

The annual update from Wildlife and Countryside Link into progress in England on the target to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 (the “30x30 target”) shows continuation of a worrying trend. The amount of land in England that can be said to be effectively protected for nature has fallen to just 2.93% while the amount of sea protected and effectively managed continues to lag at 9.92%. This follows last year’s update on progress showing 3.11% of land and 8% of sea in England was effectively protected for nature.

The decline in the amount of land protected for nature is due to a steady decline over the past decade in the number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in good ecological condition. Climate change, water pollution and overgrazing are among the top reasons for habitats and wildlife suffering in these protected areas. However, the recent decline may also reflect that more sites have been monitored this year than in previous years (in 2022, 66% of SSSIs had not been monitored in the past ten years). This increased monitoring is welcome, as it gives a more accurate picture of the poor condition of many sites and the action needed to recover them. Other land-based designations including National Parks have huge potential for nature, but previous reports have found that the condition of nature within these is often no better than it is outside of them.

Dr Tony Gent, chief executive, ARC said:

As a national wildlife charity, ARC is committed to play its part in achieving these ambitions and ensure they make a difference for amphibians and reptiles – through its own actions, through encouraging others and through working to see that Governments can deliver on their promises.  – species and their habitats are under increasing pressures and the UK remains one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.  But there is hope. ARC is one of many environmental NGOs that are actively working to conserve wildlife and to provide the voice it needs to survive into the future.  As a leading custodian of UK amphibians and reptiles and the habitats on which they depend, ARC is well positioned to make a positive difference towards conserving biodiversity, to challenge the threats to it and to help people gain access to nature.

In a bid to outline the Trust’s roadmap to tackle these issues, ARC has published its strategic plan to 2030.

The UK’s wildlife is in urgent need of support, and our native amphibians and reptiles require particular attention : Currently, nearly a third of Britain’s reptiles and amphibians under threat of extinction. These animals play a crucial role in our ecosystems and hold significant cultural associations within the UK.

Amphibians and reptiles possess unique qualities that make them especially significant and vulnerable. Their reliance on specific habitats and ecological traits such as metamorphosis and regeneration abilities render them key bioindicators of the health of our natural environment. They serve as flagships for our threatened habitats and help foster understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Our protected landscapes have huge potential to restore nature, fight climate change and improve air quality. 

Link's report covers protected land and sea in England only. The UK Government was instrumental in securing this international target to effectively protect 30% of land and sea by 2030 and has committed to meeting it at home. Governments have committed to deliver this target in each of the four countries of the UK, as devolved nations are responsible for environmental policy and protection, with nature groups within Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland expressing the need for urgent action in all countries to make progress towards achieving the 30% target.

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 

The new Government is going to need to take giant strides in the next 6 years to meet internationally agreed 2030 nature targets. As delegates arrive in Colombia for crucial nature talks, the UK has a major opportunity to show global environmental leadership. This must be backed up by action at home. As we approach the five-year countdown to the deadline to restore nature, we’re calling for a rapid rescue package for UK nature. 

At the moment, the UK’s critical natural infrastructure is in a state of chronic neglect. More land needs to be designated for nature protection and restoration. Land that’s already protected needs a new lease of life. Farming and fisheries reform must be brought back to the top of the agenda. Time is tight, but there’s still hope that a rapid rescue plan can restore the ecological foundations of our economy.

The 30x30 target is far more than a number to tick off. Protecting our land and ocean means that nationally cherished sites from Windermere in the Lake District to the coastline of Cornwall would be protected for future generations to enjoy, while dwindling numbers of wildlife from red squirrels to puffins would be restored. Nature action has ramifications in nearly every aspect of our lives, with healthy nature being the foundation of climate action, strong public health, and social equality. With this in mind, Wildlife and Countryside Link has previously called for Defra to be seen as a mission critical department for Government.

The report notes progress from Government in setting out draft criteria (in 2023) for land counting towards the 30x30 target. These draft criteria align with the Wildlife and Countryside Link report’s assessment conditions, that protected land must be in good condition for nature to count towards the target of 30%. We now need Government to finalise these criteria, keeping them at least as ambitious as the draft, and to implement them robustly to drive more rapid action ahead of the 2030 deadline.

The amount of land and sea protected for nature comes out significantly lower in Link’s report when compared to the amount of area covered by designations including National Parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This is because Link’s report accounts for the condition of sites and real-world effectiveness of protections. For example, many SSSIs are in poor condition for nature while a large number of MPAs suffer huge damage from bottom trawling and other activities.

The report comes after further damning evidence on the state of nature across the country, with the most recent Birds of Conservation Concern seabirds assessment adding a further five species to the red list.

ARC along with 60 other Nature charities, which comprise WCL Link network are calling for action to be taken before the end of the year to get progress to the 30x30 target on track. This includes using the already announced review of the Environmental Improvement Plan to set out action for improving the condition of existing protected nature sites and designating more of these sites. At sea, Link is calling for byelaws to be published to halt damaging fishing activity across all Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by the end 2024.

Key figures from the report show:

• The network of protected sites covers approximately 8.5% of England. Currently, only 34.67% of SSSIs are in good condition for nature. Thus only 2.93% of England’s land is effectively protected for nature and can contribute to the 30% target.

• This is a decline from 2023 when 36.82% of SSSIs were in a good ecological state, and therefore 3.11% of England’s total land area could be said to be effectively protected for nature.

• A maximum of 9.92% of English waters in September 2024 are protected from the most damaging form of fishing and are moving towards effective protection for nature.

• Only 37 out of the 374 UK MPAs have enough monitoring in place to assess if their management measures are working, and only 83 out of the 374 UK MPAs are moving towards their conservation objectives.

 Nature groups hope to hear substantial commitments to UK nature from the new Secretary of State at the COP16 talks. A nature rescue plan is needed that includes:

1. Introducing a new, significant, long-term fund to boost nature in key areas, including protected sites currently in poor condition, National Parks, and National Landscapes.

2. Expanding the protected sites network by implementing recommendations from previous reviews and designating more significant and rare natural habitats, such as ancient woodlands and chalk streams.

3. Publish Stage 3 & Stage 4 fisheries management measures to halt damaging fishing activity across the whole of the offshore Marine Protected Area (MPA) network by the end of 2024.

4. Pledging to protect at least 10% of English seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) by 2030.

5. Putting targets to protect 30% of land and sea at the heart of a new Land Use Framework and planning reforms, to ensure that space for nature is planned for and that all development is playing an active role in nature recovery.