The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), in partnership with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), presented the national Roadmap to achieve Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This target aims to conserve at least 30% of the country’s terrestrial, marine, and aquatic ecosystems by the year 2030.
76 strategic actions for effective and equitable conservation
The Roadmap includes 76 short, medium, and long-term actions, articulated among governments, communities, academia, the private sector, and civil society. The document promotes:
- Conservation with a territorial approach
- Environmental justice and inclusive governance
- Link between economic development and environmental protection
“Conservation occurs in the territories, where indigenous communities are located,” highlighted Ileana Villalobos Estrada, Undersecretary of Environmental Regulation.
A multilateral commitment with local impact
The national commissioner of Conanp, Pedro Álvarez-Icaza, emphasized that Mexico needs at least 15 million additional hectares in protected natural areas (ANP) at the state, municipal, and federal levels to meet the target.
“Target 3 is an opportunity to conserve and improve. We call for international cooperation, subnational governments, and communities to make it a reality,” he stated.
Conservation of ecosystems with participation: Indigenous peoples and Afro-Mexican communities
The Roadmap was built through a broad and plural participatory process, which includes:
- Indigenous peoples and Afro-Mexican communities
- Academia and youth
- Private sector and civil society
“Only with equity in implementation will we achieve an effective, representative, and sustainable conservation system,” stated María José Villanueva, director of WWF Mexico.
Biodiversity and sustainable development: reconciling prosperity with a lower environmental footprint
The Undersecretary of Sustainable Development, José Luis Samaniego, highlighted that this instrument allows for synergizing sustainable development goals, integrating:
- Economic prosperity
- Reduction of environmental impacts
- Social inclusion
Environmental governance and international cooperation
The director of Global Issues of the SRE, Norma Munguia, stated that Target 3 reflects Mexico’s commitment to environmental multilateralism and the protection of biological diversity within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Key instruments: ADVC, Renom, and biocultural corridors
Mexico strengthens its strategy with tools such as:
- Voluntarily Designated Conservation Areas (ADVC)
- National Registry of Other Effective Conservation Measures (Renom)
- Biological and biocultural corridors for ecological connectivity and representativeness
The Roadmap for the 30×30 Target is not just a technical plan: it is a country proposal to protect its natural heritage with justice, inclusion, and a vision for the future.
Mexico reaffirms that conservation is a collective task, and that the well-being of people and the planet are deeply interconnected.
