Over 10% of the Ocean Now Protected: UNEP Records Global Breakthrough

Countries have reached a major global milestone for humanity and the planet: more than 10% of the world's oceans are now officially protected.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced this week that five million square kilometers of ocean—an area larger than the territory of the European Union—have been placed under protection over the last two years. According to UNEP estimates, the share of protected marine zones has reached 10.01%, compared to 8.6% in 2024.

"We all depend on the ocean for our survival; more than half of the world's oxygen is produced by marine life," noted Neville Ash, Director of the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. He described this as a cause for celebration.

Ash emphasized that much work remains, as the 2022 agreement mandates the protection of 30% of land and sea by 2030. To achieve this, an area equivalent in size to the Indian Ocean must be brought under protection within the next four years, UNEP stated.

Effectively managing these protected zones remains a significant challenge. A new report highlights the scale of illegal fishing by industrial trawlers in the UK’s marine reserves: Protected only on paper: industrial trawlers plundering UK’s MPAs. "It is vital that both new and existing areas are managed effectively to achieve positive outcomes for people and nature," Ash added.