Nations have agreed to protect a third of the planet for nature by 2030 in a landmark deal aimed at safeguarding biodiversity. There will also be targets for protecting vital ecosystems such as rainforests and wetlands and the rights of indigenous peoples.

The agreement at the COP15 UN biodiversity summit in Montreal, Canada came on december 19, 2022.

Even before the meeting started in Montreal more than 100 countries had signed up. And protecting 30% of lands and seas for nature, could just be the start.

“Extinction doesn’t negotiate — the science is clear that we need to protect at least half the Earth by 2030,” says Oscar Soria, campaign director for the non-profit, Avaaz “This text is a step forward from where we are, but nature needs a giant leap.”