Despite a rapid increase in protected areas across the world, new research warns that nature loss is continuing inside many of these zones, raising serious questions about whether conservation efforts are delivering real ecological results. Scientists say that governments are focusing more on meeting numerical targets for land and ocean coverage than on ensuring actual protection on the ground.
Protected areas are widely regarded as one of the most powerful tools to halt biodiversity loss. Under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, countries have pledged to protect 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030. On paper, progress appears encouraging, with about 17.6 per cent of land and inland waters and 8.4 per cent of oceans currently under some form of protection. However, researchers caution that these figures hide deeper failures in how conservation is implemented.
Several studies published in 2025 indicate that biodiversity continues to deteriorate within many protected boundaries. Climate change, invasive species, habitat degradation and human activity remain largely unchecked, even in areas officially designated for conservation. Scientists argue that success is often measured by the size of protected areas rather than by whether ecosystems are recovering or wildlife populations are stabilising.
Marine protected areas, in particular, are drawing concern. Research published in npj Ocean Sustainability found that many marine zones allow industrial fishing, bottom trawling and other damaging activities. In Europe, more than 80 per cent of marine protected areas have weak restrictions, with fishing pressure sometimes higher inside protected zones than outside them. Despite this, these areas are still counted towards global conservation targets.
On land, climate change is undermining protected ecosystems in ways that current management systems are struggling to address. A study published in *Nature Sustainability* analysed data from India’s Project Tiger and found that invasive plant species are spreading at an alarming rate of around 729 square kilometres each year. By 2022, invasive species had overlapped with over 106,000 square kilometres of tiger habitat, threatening food chains and ecosystem stability.
Another global study published in *Nature* examined vegetation changes around more than 12,500 protected areas between 1988 and 2020. While 71 per cent of protected areas showed positive effects beyond their boundaries, researchers found that these benefits depended heavily on management quality. Well-managed sites supported climate regulation, soil protection and water availability, while poorly managed areas delivered little ecological benefit.
A major challenge highlighted by researchers is inadequate and uneven funding. The State of International 30×30 Funding report released in December 2025 revealed that international funding for protected areas in developing countries reached just over $1.1 billion in 2024. While this marks a rise over the past decade, it falls far short of the estimated $6 billion needed annually by 2030 to meet conservation goals.
The report also found that management costs for protected areas in low- and middle-income countries could reach $13.7 billion annually, with current international funding covering only a fraction of this amount. Most funding remains short-term and project-based, while conservation requires long-term staffing, monitoring and enforcement. Marine ecosystems receive just 14 per cent of international funding, despite mounting pressures from climate change and industrial activity.
Experts argue that conservation strategies must move beyond area-based targets and focus on measurable ecological outcomes. This includes enforcing strict protection standards, especially in marine environments, and monitoring whether biodiversity is actually improving. Scientists also stress the need for adaptive management, as climate change continues to shift species ranges and reshape ecosystems.
Strong local institutions, trained staff, effective enforcement and meaningful involvement of Indigenous and community groups are critical to conservation success. Without these, researchers warn, protected areas risk becoming symbolic designations rather than effective shields for nature.
As global biodiversity continues to decline, the message from scientists is clear: expanding protected areas alone is not enough. The quality of protection, sustained funding and real accountability will determine whether these spaces can truly safeguard the planet’s remaining ecosystems.