30×30

Join the Global Campaign to Protect 30% of the Ocean by 2030

Campaign

136,978 people are taking action

Only 2.9% of the ocean is officially safeguarded under “high protection.” In December 2022, at COP15, world leaders finally committed to protect 30% by 2030. Now it’s time to hold them to their promise.

30×30 | Explained

Campaign Updates

Over $250 million committed to fast-track ocean-based climate solutions
Only One launches new 30×30 campaign in Ireland ahead of key political announcement
Chumash Marine Sanctuary enters its final comment period
68 countries sign High Seas Treaty on opening day of UN General Assembly
World leaders ratify first-ever Global Biodiversity Framework Fund
Biden administration advances protection of the Pacific Remote Islands

What you can do

Use your voice

Tell World Leaders to Protect 30% of the Ocean by 2030

Call on Ireland’s Government to Protect its Seas
Urge France to Effectively Protect its Maritime Spaces
Protect the Ocean by Supporting the High Seas Treaty
Protect Antarctica to Secure the Largest Act of Ocean Protection in History
Help Advance an Indigenous-Led Marine Sanctuary in California
Urge the U.S. Government to Protect the Pacific Remote Islands

Get educated

The Living Ocean

Dive into delicate ecosystems from the most isolated corners of Antarctica to tropical reefs teeming with life.

Series· 8 videos
Watch

Science in Antarctica

Immerse yourself in the stories behind this vibrant and extraordinary region — and the work being done to protect it.

Series· 5 videos
Watch

Explainers

What is 30×30?

Scientific evidence from across the globe has made it clear that there is a biodiversity crisis in motion. We are witnessing a rapid decline of species: top predators like tigers, shorebirds in North America, the vaquita porpoise, otherwise known as the world’s most endangered marine mammal, and countless others. 30×30 is a critical solution that we can all help achieve.

Article·3 min read
What is high protection and why is it important?

The ocean is home to an unfathomable diversity of marine life and plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate. Yet human activities like fishing, mining, and drilling continue to cause significant harm to these delicate ecosystems. This is where strong levels of marine protection come in — specifically highly or fully protected marine areas.

Article·2 min read
What is a marine protected area?

With marine biodiversity in sharp decline, the future of the planet depends on us taking action to rebuild our ocean. There is no quick fix, but luckily the ocean has a powerful trick up its sleeve: when we protect and care for a specific area, we see that area and the surrounding environment recover at an astonishing rate. This is what marine protected areas are all about.

Article·1 min read

Be a champion

Share the 30×30 campaign

Spread the word among your community with our ready-to-share social posts.

Toolkit
Share the 30×30 Ireland petition

Join us by signing the petition today and telling the Irish Government that they cannot delay any longer. Sign the petition at only.one/30x30ireland. #30x30Ireland #FairSeas

Toolkit
Share the 30×30 France appeal
Toolkit
Share the High Seas petition
Toolkit
#Wildlife·Apr 16, 2024
Article·1 min read

How is bottom trawling harming the economy?

A ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas (MPAs) is not only good for the environment, it's also good business. 

  • Bottom trawling is economically wasteful: Up to 92% of all recorded fishing discards in the EU come from bottom trawlers.

  • Bottom trawling weakens industry-wide productivity: By reducing fish diversity, abundance, and size, bottom trawling ultimately lowers the success of fisheries across the EU.  

  • Bottom trawling is one of the most energy-intensive fishing methods: Vessels with bottom trawling gear consume significantly more fuel per catch than those without. Due to this inefficiency, the overall carbon footprint of bottom-trawl fisheries is estimated to be 2.8 times higher than non-trawl fisheries.

  • Banning bottom trawling increases economic benefits for small-scale, low-impact fisheries: For instance, the landing price of cod in Öresund (between Sweden and Denmark), where bottom trawling is now banned, is twice the value of landing prices in the greater Baltic Sea. This provides additional recreational fishing opportunities and proves that a ban on bottom trawling can drive up fishers’ profits.

  • Studies show that banning bottom trawling generates billions in long-term economic benefits: Research has shown that 13 years without bottom trawling would produce a return of €3.41 for every €1 spent — net benefits would outweigh adjustment costs less than five years after a ban is put into effect — with a cumulative profit of more than €8 billion over a 20-year period. Short-term costs must not outweigh long-term gains. 

Banning bottom trawling is an investment in the EU for the long haul, supporting low-impact fishers that operate without towed gear. Small-scale, low-impact fishers account for the vast majority (75%) of the EU fishing fleet and employ some 50% of its crew — the economic backbone of coastal communities and livelihoods.