In recognition of global commitments to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 under the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and the growing momentum reflected in the High Seas Treaty, ELI is working to strengthen area-based marine protections in countries around the world.
Our work supports governments and communities in developing and implementing area-based marine protections, including marine protected areas (MPAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), by identifying best practices, developing guidelines, and working directly with governments to help craft marine conservation laws and policies (such as Dominica’s Sperm Whale Reserve Act).
Recent projects include a comprehensive analysis of MPA laws in countries across several continents, development of a legal baseline for area-based marine protections in the Arctic, and an update of ELI’s 2015 guide on Legal Frameworks for MPA Enforcement in the Caribbean. Through its work, ELI aims to advance durable, equitable, and science-based ocean governance across jurisdictions.
U.S. State and Local Authority for Marine Protection