147. Protecting 30% of the World’s Land and Ocean by 2030

Currently, only 17% of the world’s land and 8% of its ocean are protected. Without government action and commitment to protect the natural world, our most vital natural systems are at risk of collapsing.

As a Bloomberg Ocean Initiative partner and the winner of the 2024 Earthshot Prize in the ‘Revive Our Oceans’ category, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People - also referred to as HAC - is turning words into action, engaging with governments around the world to officially protect 30% of our land and ocean by 2030.

An intergovernmental group of 120 countries co-chaired by Costa Rica and France, HAC is the largest coalition of countries for nature. Since its inception, the HAC has been working alongside policymakers to provide the guidance and resources necessary to track their progress and follow through on their commitments to global conservation efforts.

On this episode of Follow the Data, Katherine Oliver sits down with Rita El-Zaghloul, Director of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, to discuss the urgency of biodiversity protection, how winning The Earthshot Prize has helped the group expand its efforts, examples of progress that has been made so far, and her vision for the coalition's future.