Mesoamerica Regional Forum targets 30x30 biodiversity goals

The Mesoamerica Regional Forum towards 30x30 was held in Mérida, Yucatán, to develop a regional roadmap for achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework's Goal 3. This goal aims to conserve at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, and marine areas by 2030.

Organized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), SEMARNAT, and CONANP, with support from GEF, KfW, and the Government of Canada, the forum focused on equitable governance, sustainable financing, and the participation of indigenous communities. Experts emphasized that progress must move beyond increasing protected hectares to ensuring the operational resources necessary for effective management.

Currently, the region protects 24.5% of its land surface and 25.3% of its marine areas. The forum serves to coordinate regional positions for upcoming international commitments, including the COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the IUCN World Congress of Protected and Conserved Areas in Panama in 2027. During the event, Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve was recognized by being added to the IUCN Green List.