RESOURCES
Marine protection works, with scientists repeatedly demonstrating that safeguarding key areas can rapidly increase the biomass and diversity of species while providing multiple benefits to local communities. Explore the resources below to find out more about why we must work together to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.
OCEAN PROTECTION GAP REPORT
Launched in June 2025 ahead of UNOC by a consortium of nature NGOs and funders, The Ocean Protection Gap: Assessing Progress toward the 30×30 Target, reveals that just $1.2 billion a year currently flows to ocean protection efforts – a fraction of the $15.8 billion needed annually to deliver the world’s most ambitious conservation target: protecting and conserving at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Authored by Systemiq.
Produced in partnership with the Bloomberg Ocean Fund, Campaign for Nature, Marine Conservation Institute, RISE UP, SkyTruth and WWF International in association with the Together for the Ocean campaign.
Resources
Marine Conservation Institute: Blue Park Standard for Effective Marine Conservation
The Blue Park Standard for Effective Marine Conservation synthesizes the best available MPA effectiveness science into a rigorous set of criteria, guiding MPAs toward effective implementation that results in conservation benefits. It serves as the basis for the Blue Park Awards, which recognizes exemplary MPAs worldwide. The Standard was developed in collaboration with more than 150 marine conservation scientists through five workshops and ongoing review by the Blue Parks Science Council.
Access the reportState of International 30×30 Funding
Commissioned by Campaign for Nature, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and Rainforest Foundation Norway, this report provides the first comprehensive overview of international funding flows for 30×30 since world leaders adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in December 2022, the historic agreement that committed nations to protect at least 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030.
Access the reportProgress Report
This analysis from October 2024 outlines the world’s progress toward delivering 30×30 in the ocean, revealing for the first time the percentage of each country’s national waters that are likely to be effectively protected. It also highlights gaps in existing data and knowledge on the implementation of 30×30.
Download the reportTogether for the Ocean Campaign Toolkit
This toolkit includes downloadable and editable resources and assets as well as information about how you can engage with and amplify the Together for the Ocean campaign.
National Geographic Pristine Seas: The value of bottom trawling in Europe
Commercial bottom trawl and dredge fisheries are active across much of Europe, and their geographic footprint is extensive. More than half of seabed area is trawled every year in some parts of Europe. But these fisheries remain contentious; significant ecological and economic damages have been well documented. Yet, they remain a source of food and provide jobs and economic revenue. Considering recent pushes to ban or limit bottom trawling in European countries, this report explores how the costs associated with this practice compare to the benefits it provides.
Download the reportBLOOM: Breaking free from trawling
This report, written by BLOOM, was developed using the results of two scientific studies carried out by researchers from the Institut Agro (Didier Gascuel, Florian Quemper and Romain Mouillard) and the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Harold Levrel) as part of the research group on the social-ecological transition of fisheries initiated by BLOOM and L’Atelier des jours à Venir in 2022.
Download the report30×30 Progress Tracker
The 30×30 Progress Tracker is the first free, public, interactive platform designed for government agencies, civil society campaigns and the general public to see how well the world is advancing toward the ambitious goal of protecting and conserving at least 30% of both land and sea by 2030. The tracker is not a replacement for the bevy of existing 30×30 data providers (e.g., World Database on Protected Areas, Marine Protection Atlas, ProtectedSeas Navigator), but rather an independent aggregator that is partnering with these providers to drive increased attention to the full ecosystem of tools.
Explore the trackerProtecting a Changing Southern Ocean Report
ASOC’s new report calls on the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to take urgent action to protect the Southern Ocean and lead the way towards meeting the international commitment to protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030 (30×30).
Read the report