Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures
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Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) are sites outside of
protected areas Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewoo ...
that are governed and managed in ways that deliver the long-term ''in situ'' conservation of
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
. As of March 2023, 856 such sites have been reported to the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures, managed by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre. OECMs cover of the Earth's surface, accounting for on land and in the ocean.


Definition and criteria

An OECM is defined by the
Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of its ...
as:
geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio–economic, and other locally relevant values.
There are four criteria for identifying OECMs: #The area is not currently recognized as a protected area; #The area is governed and managed; #The area achieves sustained and effective contribution to in situ conservation of biodiversity; Criterion #Associated ecosystem functions and services and cultural, spiritual, socio-economic and other locally relevant values are conserved and respected. Under the four criteria above, there are 26 sub-criteria.


History

The term "other effective area-based conservation measures" was first used in Target 11 of the
Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of its ...
’s ''Strategic Plan for Biodiversity'', agreed to in
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
, Japan, in 2010. Target 11 stated:
By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and
ecosystem service Ecosystem services are the various benefits that humans derive from ecosystems. The interconnected living and non-living components of the natural environment offer benefits such as pollination of crops, clean air and water, decomposition of wast ...
s, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes. (Emphasis added)
In 2014, Harry Jonas,
Ashish Kothari Ashish Kothari is an Indian environmentalist and author. Life Ashish Kothari studied Sociology at Hindu College, University of Delhi, graduating in 1983. He then gained a master's of arts in Sociology from Delhi School of Economics, University ...
and other authors affiliated with the ICCA Consortium – ICCA stands for "Indigenous and Community Conserved Area" – argued that “defining ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ offers a unique opportunity to better recognize areas that deliver the conservation of biodiversity outside of protected areas.” In 2015, the
International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the stat ...
World Commission on Protected Areas The World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) is one of six commissions of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). History In 1948, the IUCN established a Committee on National Parks. Two decades later the IUCN had been ...
established a Task Force, co-chaired by Harry Jonas and Kathy MacKinnon (2016-2020), to provide technical advice to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It submitted its advice to the
Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who was the ninth winn ...
of the Convention on Biological Diversity in January 2018. That advice, together with a report on marine OECMs, was considered at two workshops hosted by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in February 2018. Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity negotiated a draft decision at the 22nd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, and adopted Decision 14/8 on ‘Protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures’ at the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties, which contains the definition and criteria for identifying OECMs. ‘Other effective area-based conservation measures’ are referenced in Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework. The Framework was agreed upon in December 2022 at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, Canada. Integration of OECMs into global biodiversity targets had been a topic of discussion in the lead-up to the conference. Target 3 calls on Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to:
"Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrated into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean, while ensuring that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional territories."


Global extent

The World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures is managed by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre. As of April 2024, 856 sites have been identified and reported to the World Database. OECMs cover of the Earth's surface, accounting for on land and in the ocean. Locally managed marine areas (LMMAs) are one form of OECM; examples of these exist in
Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...
and
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
.


Relationship between OECMs and protected areas

Protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...
s and OECMs are distinct but complementary within landscapes, seascapes and river basins. Protected areas have a primary conservation objective, i.e., they are areas dedicated to the conservation of
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
and managed accordingly. In contrast, OECMs do not need to be dedicated to the conservation of nature but must deliver the effective and long-term in situ conservation of biodiversity. OECMs can deliver long-term in situ conservation through ancillary conservation, secondary conservation, and sometimes primary conservation in places that cannot, or will not, be recognized as protected areas. OECMs are intended to take a more inclusive approach to biodiversity conservation that traditional protected areas, by permitting some small-scale area management. This is achieved by accounting for the needs of other rights holders such as small scale fisheries and low-impact
agroforestry Agroforestry (also known as agro-sylviculture or forest farming) is a land use management system that integrates trees with crops or pasture. It combines agricultural and forestry technologies. As a polyculture system, an agroforestry system c ...
. Traditional protected areas have attracted controversy over Indigenous rights and
displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...
; OECMs are intended to be more equitable to human needs.


See also

* Governance of protected areas *
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the 'improvement of relationships' between people and their environments. MAB engages w ...


External links


Protected Planet
- the most complete and up to date database of OECMs and protected areas around the world.
Good Practice Guidance on OECMs
- Guidelines by IUCN.
Convention on Biological Diversity homepageICCA Consortium homepageInternational Union for Conservation of Nature homepage
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References

* {{Conservation of species Environmental conservation Convention on Biological Diversity Indigenous peoples and the environment