A recent analysis by Earth Insight highlights a significant clash between the world’s conservation commitments and the expansion of extractive industries into protected regions. With millions of hectares of nature reserves overlapping ongoing or planned oil, gas, and mining operations, the path to safeguarding 30% of Earth's lands and waters by 2030 faces serious hurdles.
- Over 61 million hectares of protected areas overlap with oil and gas projects.
- Mining concessions threaten nearly 43 million hectares of conserved lands.
- Key biodiversity areas in the Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asia remain heavily unprotected and vulnerable.
What happened
Earth Insight’s new report reveals that protected and conserved areas globally—totaling more than 61.5 million hectares—are currently overlain by active or planned oil and gas blocks, mostly across tropical countries. In addition, 42.7 million hectares of protected lands overlap with mining concessions. These findings emphasize a major gap between conservation ambitions and the pressures extractive industries exert on these landscapes.
The report further finds that many key biodiversity areas (KBAs) remain unprotected, facing even greater risks. For example, about 19% of unprotected terrestrial KBAs are threatened by oil and gas development, and 15% by mining activities. High concern zones include the Amazon, the Congo Basin, Southeast Asia, and Central America, where significant portions of terrestrial and marine KBAs are exposed to industrial pressures.
Why it feels good
Acknowledging these threats marks an important step toward improving global biodiversity efforts. The forthcoming United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP17) offers a crucial platform for nations to assess real progress on the 30×30 target, beyond mere area coverage. By recognizing where industrial interests clash with conservation, stakeholders can work toward more strategic protections and better enforcement mechanisms.
The report also stresses the need to carefully select which ecosystems are preserved to maximize biodiversity benefits. It underscores that simply expanding protected land is not enough. This insight invites a more thoughtful approach to conservation that values quality, enforcement, and respect for Indigenous rights alongside quantitative goals.
What to enjoy or watch next
As COP17 unfolds in Yerevan, Armenia, watch how governments respond to these findings and whether stronger commitments emerge to shield sensitive ecosystems from extractive industries. The international dialogue will likely include greater attention to Indigenous voices and the social impacts of industrial activity on local communities and cultures.
Additionally, conservationists and NGOs may increase advocacy for tougher restrictions on resource extraction in protected zones and better alignment of development projects with biodiversity priorities. Observers can follow updates from organizations like Earth Insight and the World Commission on Protected Areas that continue to monitor and inform progress toward balancing nature conservation and sustainable development.