Amílcar Guzmán Valladares and Viviana Luján Gallegos of Wolfs Company have worked with dozens of MPAs to develop business plans and financing mechanisms. They believe there's reason for optimism about the future of MPA finance. We find out why.
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The ecosystem services provided by protected areas must be made more apparent, says Carlos Espinosa of Dos Mares. To do that, he says management programs should align MPA activities with the needs of local communities. He's now building a portfolio of community-aligned projects in Central American MPAs, and looking to attract donors and investors.
Peter Jones of University College London has researched MPA governance for the past decade. His latest publication breaks down the full range of incentives that an MPA can use to steer behavior – from payments for ecosystem services, to assessing penalties for rule-breaking, to building on local customs, and many more. We asked him why managers should consider the governance of their sites.
What will the MPA world be like when this pandemic is over? "What's increasingly clear is that we are not going back to where we were before the COVID-19 pandemic hit," says Carol Phua. "There is a ‘new normal.’"
These recent articles on MPA-related science and policy are each free to access.
More than 80 nations have now committed to 30x30 target for MPAs
As we reported in our last issue, the target of protecting 30% of national and global waters by 2030 – referred to as 30x30 – continues to gain momentum. By MPA News’s count, at least 83 nations have now committed to the 30x30 target, as of early March 2021. Most of the growth has been the result of coalitions of nations making the commitment together, as indicated below:
It is natural to want to return to normal from this pandemic. But before COVID-19, most MPAs lacked adequate funding to meet their goals, and way too many MPAs were paper parks. That was our normal. We need to build a new one.
MPA News reported on Brijuni in 2014 and said it might be the most revenue-savvy MPA in the world, with multiple income streams. When COVID-19 happened and tourism slowed, Brijuni’s budget took a hit. MPA News returns to Brijuni to see how the MPA has responded, and what lessons it could provide on lowering costs, securing revenues, and rebuilding a tourism base.
Even before COVID, the MPA field was in need of new ideas and tools for financing. We highlight three new concepts, and how practitioners are exploring their possibilities.
This year amid the ongoing pandemic, MPA News has been compiling related resources for our readers. Here is our latest collection: