A “Global Safety Net” to reverse biodiversity loss and stabilize Earth’s climate
Eric Dinerstein, Anup R. Joshi, Carly Vynne, Andy T. L. Lee, Félix Pharand-Deschênes, Marcel Giovanni Costa França, S. Antony Fernando, Tanya Birch, Katrin Burkart, Gregory P. Asner, David M. Olson
Abstract
emissions from land conversion, and enhance natural carbon removal. This framework shows that, beyond the 15.1% land area currently protected, 35.3% of land area is needed to conserve additional sites of particular importance for biodiversity and stabilize the climate. Fifty ecoregions and 20 countries contribute disproportionately to proposed targets. Indigenous lands overlap extensively with the Global Safety Net. Conserving the Global Safety Net could support public health by reducing the potential for zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 from emerging in the future.