Backgrounder
Our achievements, direction, and plan
Protecting Canada's nature supports healthy communities, a strong economy, and a sustainable future. That's why the Government of Canada has worked with partners across Canada, since 2015, to protect an additional 530,000 km2 of our lands and oceans-an area a little bigger than the Yukon.
Context
In 2010, Canada and 195 parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed to the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity for 2011-2020 and committed to the global Aichi Biodiversity Targets to protect more of the world's nature and help reverse the dramatic decline in biodiversity. In 2015, Canada developed its own biodiversity goals and nineteen targets that support progress toward our global commitments. These nationwide goals and targets rely on actions by all governments, sectors, and Canadians.
Progress
Canada is working ambitiously toward protecting and conserving 17 percent of land and fresh water and 10 percent of our marine and coastal areas by 2020, in keeping with our biodiversity target 1 commitments. That means protecting 2.3 million km2 of land, lakes, and oceans-an area a little bigger than Nunavut.
