Guidebook Offers Practical Tools for Equity in Ocean Conservation

In 2022, nearly 200 countries adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a landmark agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The framework called for, among other things, the conservation of 30% of the planet’s lands and waters by 2030—commonly referred to as “30 by 30”—and required that the conserved and protected areas be “equitably governed,” placing fairness, inclusion, and justice at the heart of global conservation.

But despite broad support for the principle of equity, there remains considerable uncertainty around how it should be interpreted and applied in practice. This presents complex governance challenges, especially in marine settings, nearly two-thirds of which are outside any national jurisdiction. To help resolve the confusion, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Commission on Environmental, Economic, and Social Policy recently released a Guidebook for Assessing and Improving Social Equity in Marine Conservation, which offers a structured approach to evaluating and enhancing equity in marine protected and conserved areas.

The inclusion of equity in the global biodiversity framework reflects growing recognition in the field and among decision-makers that conservation outcomes are not solely determined by ecological factors but also by governance structures, stakeholder engagement, and the distribution of costs and benefits. Equity is essential to the legitimacy and effectiveness of conservation initiatives, and efforts that fail to consider who is included, who decides, and who benefits often lead to conflict, reduced compliance, and social harm. In contrast, equitable governance enhances accountability and can strengthen local support and make conservation outcomes more durable.

Yet until now, practical guidance for implementation of equity has been limited, and managers, governments, and stakeholders have often lacked tools for assessing existing conditions, identifying gaps, and improving over time. The new guidebook was authored by a team led by Mark Andrachuk of ReConnect Consulting and Nathan Bennett of World Wildlife Fund and was supported by the Blue Nature Alliance. It was developed through extensive collaboration with marine practitioners and managers and was tested in four marine protected areas, with each site piloting one of the guidebook’s three assessment options.

The assessment options were designed to be adaptable to local needs and constraints and to provide increasing depth and complexity on the issue of equity. Each option provides practical tools for evaluating how governance arrangements support equity and for identifying opportunities for improvement, as well as insights on the recognition of rights and identities, participation in decision-making, the distribution of costs and benefits, and the influence of local political and environmental history.

“Ultimately, the aim of all three equity assessment options is to improve equity by promoting learning, raising awareness about key issues, and providing insights for marine conservation initiative managers and other actors to drive action,” the guidebook reads.

By providing a clear and scalable method for assessing equity, the guidebook helps address several practical challenges that marine conservation actors face. For managers and government agencies, it provides a way to identify weaknesses in governance systems and to track progress over time. For local communities, marine users, and rights-holders, it can clarify what equitable governance should entail, supporting more informed engagement and advocacy.

“Lasting ocean protection depends on people being included, heard, and respected,” said Ryan Dolan, managing director of the Blue Nature Alliance. “This guidebook helps make equity practical by giving conservation leaders and communities clear, usable tools to understand what’s working and where progress is needed. When governance is fair and inclusive, marine protection is stronger and built to endure.”

The guidebook’s approach also supports mutual learning and transparency. By making equity assessments a shared, consistent, and context-appropriate exercise, rather than a top-down audit, the guidance encourages dialogue among stakeholders and fosters more inclusive and adaptive governance processes, especially in marine contexts where governance structures and social dynamics are often complex.

As global momentum toward 30 by 30 accelerates, tools such as the guidebook are essential to ensuring that equity remains a central component of marine conservation practice now and in the future.

Kira Sullivan-Wiley, Ph.D., leads The Pew Charitable Trusts' work related to the impact of its environmental programs on people.