What were the Aichi Biodiversity Targets created under the Convention on Biological Diversity?

The Aichi Biodiversity Targets were a set of 20 goals established under the Convention on Biological Diversity during a meeting held in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010.1

The primary objective of these targets was to integrate biodiversity considerations into global economic markets and society at large, with the aim of significantly increasing protection efforts by 2020. Following their introduction, 164 countries developed national plans to work toward these goals.1

A notable target within this framework sought to protect at least 17 percent of terrestrial and inland waters and at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas. By January 2019, progress toward these specific goals included the protection of 14.9 percent of land areas and 7.5 percent of the world's oceans. These targets represent a critical component of international conservation efforts to mitigate biodiversity loss.1