The 15 places in the group of the best protected areas in the world | ELESPECTADOR.COM

Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico and Peru are the countries to which belong the new natural areas added to the International Union's green list for nature conservation on protected and preserved areas. The total number is 40.

In 2014, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) created its Green List to measure the effectiveness of protected areas, rewarding the best sites and serving as incentives for the conservation of nature. improved management. Now, at the celebration of the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity, which is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, until November 29, it has been updated with 15 new natural areas: Egypt, UAE United Arab Emirates, France, Jordan and Kenya. , Lebanon, Mexico and Peru. (Read Brazil beats the record of deforestation)

"If we take global goals seriously to reverse the trend of biodiversity loss, we need to make sure that the world's protected areas are doing what they claim: providing the necessary protection for biodiversity," Inger said. Andersen, Director General of IUCN. . (Read The first photo sent by InSight, the ship that just arrived on Mars)

The IUCN Green List also measures and accelerates progress towards the Aichi Target 11, the United Nations goal for biodiversity, which aims to protect, conserve and effectively manage 17 per cent of the world's biodiversity. areas fairly. land and 10% of marine areas by 2020.

New natural areas in the list

France, with 10 sites on the list – five of them added in 2018 – is the country with the largest number of sites on the IUCN Green List: from small areas near cities to vast marine reserves. In the Southern French Terrestrial Nature Reserve near Antarctica – recently added direction – the management manages to control access and human activities, despite the enormous size of the site (2.2 million dollars). # 39; hectares).

Thus, threats such as illegal fishing and invasive species are monitored and limited. The site is important for scientific research and also for commercially viable fish species.

Two of the aggregate sites are in Egypt, such as Ras Mohammed National Park, a marine area near Sharm El Sheik that, thanks to effective conservation, is home to coral reefs covered with 90% live coral. the average of 30-40% in the case of unprotected reefs in the Red Sea.

"Egypt is very proud that two of its most beloved natural areas have been recognized today as two of the most managed and managed sites in the world," said Yasmin Fouad, Egyptian Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. # 39; Environment.

In the Al Shouf cedar reserve in Lebanon, the endangered species of Lebanon cedar, a cultural symbol of the country, are developing thanks to restoration and conservation projects. The management of the reserve has been successfully adapted to the current influx of refugees from neighboring Syria, some of whom are involved in conservation work. The reserve also contributes to the local economy by providing resources that are used for traditional products and organic foods.

In the Amarakaeri communal reserve of Peru, another site recently added to the green list, fair governance has led to improvements in management. Ten indigenous groups living around the park effectively preserve their ecosystems and help badess rare species, including the threatened Amarakaeri spotted frog discovered in 2017.

Ecotourism and other sustainable activities, developed through collaborative arrangements, support the local economy. The park is located in one of the richest biodiversity areas of the Amazon world.

Candidate Places

Since its creation, 33 countries have submitted applications to the green list. In total, 250 sites have already proposed to reach their standards. Countries such as Australia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malaysia and Madagascar, as well as the US state of California, have pledged to submit proposals for registration new sites on the IUCN Green List in the near future.

California gives priority to its 124 marine protected areas, while Europe is studying how to apply the standard to its network of protected areas, Natura 2000. China, which has six protected areas on the IUCN Green List, plans to submit registration proposals. for more sites.