Broadscale conservation

Over the past few years we have increasingly focussed our work on advocating for two important, but often overlooked, biomes in the implementation of GBF - grasslands, working with WWF, and freshwater, working primarily with TNC. Our grasslands work is spanning a number of areas including policy briefs and a major report for WWF From Roots to Riches: Priority policy and investment decisions for grasslands and savannahs and partners on the values of grasslands which are essential to catalysing increased conservation, restoration and sustainable management. This work will continue in 2026 the International year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, and at the UNCCD COP in Mongolia in August 2026. Our freshwater work continues to focus on the representativity of inland waters in both GBF Targets 3 and 2. This includes the development of a methodology to track representation, an analysis of different options for area-based conservation and continued advocacy for explicit language on inland waters in GBF targets and a WCPA Technical Report Series Designing and managing protected and conserved areas to support inland water ecosystems and biodiversity, which is being translated into multiple languages.

Protected and conserved areas

Conservationists have spent years stressing the value of nature to people. But maybe we've gone too far? Many arguments for conservation focus only on some fairly theoretical economic benefits and on social benefits, as if other species exist just for our pleasure. Nigel's recent book, Why Biodiversity Matters, defines biodiversity rights, comparing and contrasting these with other ethical priorities like human rights and animal rights. The three don't always align very neatly. Conservation and development projects have to negotiate trade-offs and compromises. The book discusses how different sectors of society tackle these issues and provides practical guidance, illustrated throughout with real-life examples.

The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and specifically Target 3 (to ensure that at least 30 per cent globally of land areas and of sea areas are conserved), has already led to many countries declaring their support for the so-called 30x30 goal (30 per cent conserved by 2030). We worked with colleagues on a major publication for the Global Environment Facility on guiding implementors in achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework’s Target 3 to protect 30% of the planet by 2030.

We are working on many projects which will help support the meeting of Target 3 and the other targets within the GBF. Target 3 is of course not just about area but about effective conservation. Rangers are the foundation of effective conservation, we have developed good practice guidelines for rangers working with local communities Building trust between rangers and communities; worked with the International Ranger Federation (IRF) and the Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA) to translate the declaration developed by rangers and supporters from 88 countries at the World Ranger Congress in France into a global action plan World Ranger Action Plan 2030.

We have been working with several countries on implementing GBF targets including in Mongolia, the Caucuses (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia), Belize, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Finland. Much of this work is focussed on effective management, governance diversity and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs).

Society and Environment

Working on the wider argument for conservation has been a theme for Equilibrium Research for many years. From the arguments for protection series for WWF Nature's Technicians: The amazing ways in which wild animals maintain our world; so beautifully illustrated by Hannah. Our work with TNC encompasses a number of projects including the work on freshwater and the GBF outlined above, as well as assisting with developing Nature Bond Project Standards and a paper for the China Council on International Cooperation for Environment & Development (CCICED). We are also developing a new project on promoting the value of protected areas.