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By managing "legacy landscapes" properly while at the same time respecting the needs of local communities and their human rights, we can conserve a significant share of biodiversity on earth.

A large percentage of our globally significant biodiversity is to be found in just a limited number of outstanding Biodiversity Areas or “legacy landscapes”. Protected areas are commonly regarded as the most effective tools to safe­ guard these “legacy landscapes” when they are well man­ aged and respect the needs and rights of indigenous and local communities. With the Strategic Plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the international community agreed to protect 17% of the earth’s terrestrial surface by 2020. However, considering the importance of biodiversity and the increasing threats, particularly in times of climate change, scientists recommend protecting at least 30% of the terrestrial surface by 2030 so as to safeguard up to 70% of terrestrial biodiversity.

Despite the fact that the number of protected areas has increased in recent years, habitat integrity and biodiversity are, more than ever, under severe pressure. According to the Intergovernmental Science­Policy Platform on Bio­ diversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), species extinction rates have reached a dangerous and unprecedented level: one million species are threatened with extinction, with grave consequences for people around the world. Around 60% of global ecosystem services have been degraded over the past 50 years, and we are continuing to deplete our natural resources at an alarming rate. Estimates indicate that two to five trillion dollars’ worth of ecosystem services are lost each year from deforestation alone.

By managing “legacy landscapes” properly while at the same time respecting the needs of local communities and their human rights, we can conserve a significant share of biodiversity on earth and leave an important legacy for future generations. Many of these outstanding “legacy landscapes” are in developing countries and face a variety of complex challenges. Overcoming these challenges requires sufficient and sustained financial re­ sources. Currently, only 13% of the world’s annual spending on protected areas is allocated to developing countries. In addition, the funding is often short­term, project­based and insufficient to cover investment and recurrent costs. Thus, present approaches do not mobilise and coordinate enough funding from different sources to ensure that the most important “legacy landscapes” for biodiversity conservation are sustainably financed.

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