Nature Needs Half 

Saving the diversity and abundance of life on Earth

The effort to protect half the world, or Nature Needs Half, is a bold commitment to conserving and protecting, on average, half of every terrestrial and marine ecoregion in the world. Setting aside half of every terrestrial and marine ecoregion would mean saving the diversity and abundance of life on Earth and ensuring a livable biosphere for the future generations of humanity. RESOLVE supports this initiative and provides science and coordination to help bring this ambitious effort to fruition.

To achieve such a target will require several decades of effort and extensive support from groups working on the ground in various countries around the world. The project’s current focus is making the case for a near-term effort to get the Convention on Biological Diversity parties to agree to formally protect 30 percent of the Earth by 2030 as a milestone to 50 percent-protected by 2050. Several major nongovernmental organizations, foundations, and Google have adopted either the 30 percent by 2030 or 50 percent by 2050 goals.

RESOLVE is a catalyst for protecting half the world. RESOLVE’s team developed the scientific basis and approach to protecting half and coordinates the Nature Needs Half Network. RESOLVE authored A Global Deal for Nature, which sets guidelines for protecting half the terrestrial realm and 30 to 50 percent of the marine realm, respecting indigenous land conservation, recovering large mammals in danger of extinction, and using appropriate technology to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions. A Global Deal for Nature is now being championed as a necessary companion agreement to the Paris Climate Agreement.