Now in its fifth year, the Protected Areas for a Living Planet (PA4LP) project has helped governments deliver spectacular results in meeting their commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Success through Partnerships

A collaboration of the Swiss-based MAVA Foundation and WWF, PA4LP leverages WWF's institutional knowledge to support on-the-ground implementation of the CBD. Working in five transboundary ecoregions in Africa, Asia and Europe, it has helped 25 governments strengthen their national protected area networks. PA4LP support has enabled the establishment of new protected areas (PAs), the creation of management plans of existing PAs, the drafting of legislation to coordinate efforts between countries on CBD targets, and much more.

PA4LP's success stems from strong partnerships between governments, civil society, international organizations and local community organizations. Through partnerships and transboundary cooperation, international CBD decisions are implemented on the ground, at regional, national and local levels. Lessons learned and expertise gained on the ground help inform CBD decisions on biodiversity. 

Regional level activities have triggered wider CBD implementation at national level. For example, even though the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion covers a relatively small part of Mongolia and the Russian Federation, activities there have initiated and supported work that is strengthening protected areas across the whole national territory of both countries.

PA4LP Approach as a Global Model

The PA4LP approach is now seen as a model, and has been taken up in other regions of the world: in 2009 Redparques, CBD, IUCN and WWF agreed to work together to support government initiatives in the Amazon. See the recent Review of PoWPA implementation in the Amazon Biome here.

WWF is working with partners to continue to spread this experience and support delivery on CBD's new 2020 Aichi biodiversity targets.

Get a glimpse of the project's successes in the field: