Shafaq News/ a new report has found that greater protection of the environment will significantly boost the global economy.
A coalition of more than 100 organizations from around the world, calling for world leaders to commit to the ‘30 by 30’ pledge, by protecting at least 30% of the planet by 2030.
Dr. Anthony Waldron, the leader of the research showed that "Currently around 15 percent of the world’s land and 7 percent of the ocean is protected to some extent, at a cost of just over €21bn a year meaning that. Protecting 30 percent of the planet’s land and the ocean would require an annual investment of around €124bn by 2030.
The Campaign for Nature now hopes that the report will help spur governments to join the commitment to protect safeguard around a third of the planet. Some countries, like Canada for example, already have this pledge enshrined in formal public policy.
Scientists say that putting at least 30 percent of the planet's land and oceans under protection by 2030 is the minimum needed to halt global biodiversity loss, which is a crisis the World Economic Forum sees one of the top five risks facing the global economy.
The Waldron report also highlights the importance of safeguarding nature concerning public health. Conservation can help minimize the risk of new zoonotic disease outbreaks, such as COVID-19.
The nature conservation sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors and is projected to grow by a further 4-6 percent each year in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. In comparison, agriculture, fisheries, and forestry are projected to see annual growth of less than 1 percent.