ASEAN urged to back call to protect at least 30% of Earth's land, oceansMANILA, Philippines — Environmental experts and community leaders called on the governments of the biodiverse Southeast Asia to endorse the proposal to protect at least 30% of the planet to help address biodiversity loss and mitigate the impacts of climate crisis. A growing body of scientific research documents the need for increased spatial targets, with experts agreeing that a necessary interim goal is to achieve a minimum 30% protection of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. The '30x30' target was championed by the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People—an intergovernmental coalition of more than 60 countries. The Philippines is among the world’s megadiverse countries that are home to two-thirds of the Earth’s biodiversity. The climate crisis is also exacerbating the archipelagic nation’s exposure to more frequent and extreme weather events, rising temperatures and sea level rise.

Source: Philippine Star June 10, 2021 04:41 UTC