Advancing Marine Conservation through Protected and Conserved Areas (PCAs)
“A regional initiative to strengthen marine conservation, improve protected area management, and support biodiversity targets across the ROPME Sea Area.”
Project Overview
The ROPME-PCAs Project is a regional collaboration between ROPME and UNEP-WCMC to advance marine conservation by improving the management, reporting, and effectiveness of Protected and Conserved Areas (PCAs) across the ROPME Sea Area. The project supports the implementation of the ROPME Strategic Directions 2026โ2030, the KunmingโMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), and SDG 14.
Project Objectives
The project aims to:
- Improve the quality and availability of marine protected area data.
- Strengthen national reporting to the Protected Planet databases.
- Build regional capacity through technical training and collaboration.
- Develop a regional assessment of progress towards global biodiversity targets.
- Support the development of a regional marine protected areas data hub.
Key Activities
The project is delivered through four main work packages:
- Assess existing data and identify gaps in marine protected area information.
- Conduct regional workshops to strengthen national reporting and technical capacity.
- Produce the ROPME PCA Regional Report 2026, providing regional progress and recommendations.
- Support the development of a regional PCA data hub to improve long-term data management and collaboration.
Expected Impact
The initiative will:
- Strengthen the capacity of ROPME Member States to manage and report high-quality conservation data.
- Improve regional monitoring of progress towards KMGBF Targets 2, 3, and 4.
- Provide a regional roadmap and priority actions for marine conservation.
- Enhance collaboration, knowledge sharing, and effective management of marine protected and conserved areas across the region.
Regional Benefits
By improving data quality, strengthening cooperation, and promoting effective management of protected and conserved areas, the project will help safeguard marine biodiversity, support sustainable ocean governance, and contribute to a healthier and more resilient ROPME Sea Area for future generations.