Meeting global biodiversity targets could expand natural land by 2050
A PBL assessment says meeting the 2030 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework could increase the world’s forests and other natural land by 3 million square kilometres by 2050 compared with today. The estimated increase is roughly equivalent to the area of India, according to the organisation.
Meeting the 2030 targets in the Global Biodiversity Framework could increase the amount of the world’s forest and other natural land by 3 million square kilometres by 2050, according to PBL.
The estimated increase is measured against current levels and is described as roughly equal to the size of India. The source does not provide further details about the specific land types included beyond forests and other natural land.
The assessment concerns the targets set under the Global Biodiversity Framework and their potential outcome by 2050. The supplied information does not specify which individual targets would contribute most to the projected increase or how the change would be distributed geographically.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What conditions would determine whether the 2030 targets are actually met?
Which regions would bear the greatest costs of expanding protected or natural land?
How would competing demands for food, housing, and infrastructure affect the projected increase?
Who would monitor progress toward the targets and verify the land-area estimate?
What would happen to forests and other natural land if the targets were missed?
YOUR QUESTION
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · SEPTEMBER 2026