As the global community accelerates efforts towards the 30x30 target — protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, as agreed under the Convention of Biological Diversity — marine conservation has entered a decisive phase. Governments are expanding ocean protection, multilateral agreements are advancing (e.g., the UN’s Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement) and financial commitments are growing (e.g., $9.1 billion in new financial commitments were secured at the 10th Our Ocean Conference). Yet, as the 2030 deadline looms, an urgent question remains: will this translate into effective and lasting ecological and social outcomes?
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