Tools for assessing the effective management and equitable governance of marine protected and conserved areas

Abstract

Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity have committed to making progress towards equitable governance and effective management of protected and conserved areas under Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Regular assessments of the qualitative aspects of the Target can be used to demonstrate both conservation outcomes (i.e. what was achieved) and management performance (i.e. how it was done) and, thus, where and what improvements are needed at a site. The many assessment tools and methodologies range from detailed, resource-intensive approaches to simpler scorecards or questionnaires. This paper discusses some of the tools available, provides examples of their application in marine protected and conserved areas, emphasizes the importance of assessments for adaptive and improved management, and indicates how they can be used to support monitoring global progress towards Target 3.