# Philanthropists pledge record $5 billion to protect 30% of land & sea by 2030

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/09/30/philanthropists-pledge-record-5bn-to-protect-30-of-land-sea-by-2030/
- Published: 2021-09-30T09:25:17+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The largest ever donation to nature conservation was pledged this month to finance
the protection of 30% of land and sea by the end of this decade. **

Nine organisations have joined together to pledge $5 billion over the next 10 years
to support the creation, expansion, management and monitoring of protected and conserved
areas of land, inland water and sea, working with Indigenous Peoples, local communities,
civil society and governments. This marks the largest private funding commitment
ever to biodiversity conservation. This includes ensuring that 30% of the planet
is protected and preserved in the most important places for biodiversity by 2030.

The commitment is being made jointly by Arcadia – a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing
and Peter Baldwin; Bezos Earth Fund; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Gordon and Betty 
Moore Foundation; Nia Tero; Rainforest Trust; Re:wild; Wyss Foundation; and the 
Rob and Melani Walton Foundation. The private funders have made the commitment to
help address three of the planet’s biggest crises: the climate crisis, extinction
crisis, and health crisis – with an emphasis on the role of nature and the leadership
of Indigenous Peoples in solving them.

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The private funders have launched the [Protecting Our Planet Challenge](https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/16685/Private-Funders-of-the-New-Protecting-Our-Planet-Challenge-Announce-5-Billion-Commitment-to-Protect-and-Conserve-30-of-Planet-by-2030.aspx),
and will be supporting projects around the globe that will help achieve the 30×30
initiative proposed by the [High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People](https://www.hacfornatureandpeople.org/),
a group of 70 nations. Earlier this month, the International Union for the Conservation
of Nature (IUCN), which includes governments and more than 1,400 civil society organisation
and Indigenous Peoples’ organisations, also endorsed the 30×30 goal as part of the
post-2020 framework of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The
Protecting Our Planet Challenge is also calling for additional private and governmental
financial support behind 30×30.

Research findings highlighted in the announcement indicate that the conservation
and effective management and guardianship of at least 30% of the planet in the most
important places for biodiversity could protect up to 80% of plant and animal species,
and secure 60% of the planet’s carbon stocks and 66% of the planet’s clean water.

![](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/09/7.-Solomon-Islander-by-Daniel-Lin-
1024x684.jpg)

Returning home by boat in the Solomon Islands. Photo credit: Daniel Lin

Andrew Steer, president and CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund commented: 

> “This is the decisive decade for tackling climate change, and protecting the lands
> and waters that serve as our life support system is an imperative in that fight.
> Governments, corporations, philanthropies and NGOs have a collective role to play
> in reversing nature’s decline. By prioritizing the voices of Indigenous Peoples
> and frontline communities, protecting our most delicate and vital natural resources,
> and creating more equitable access to nature for all, we will ultimately help 
> humanity and every living species on our planet thrive.”

Antha Williams, Global Head of Climate and Environment Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies
said: 

> “A global 30×30 conservation target is not an arbitrary aspiration—it is a scientific
> and moral necessity. We need increased political leadership and funding to slow
> the alarming loss of coral reefs, mangroves, and other ecosystems critical to 
> mitigating and adapting to climate change. Bloomberg Philanthropies is pleased
> to join the Protecting Our Planet Challenge, an important movement to support 
> communities whose food, livelihoods, and health are under threat by the projected
> worst of climate change and loss of biodiversity.”

The announcement was made at the Transformative Action for Nature and People High
Level event, which brought together heads of state and ministers, as well as leaders
from the worlds of finance, philanthropy, civil society and Indigenous Communities
to commit to action for nature, climate and people.