World Database on Protected Areas
WDPA
Geographical coverage
| Geographical scale of the assessment | Global |
|---|---|
| Country or countries covered | |
| Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name |
This assessment covers almost all countries |
Geographical scale of the assessment
Global
Country or countries covered
Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name
This assessment covers almost all countries
Conceptual framework, methodology and scope
Assessment objectives
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is a joint project of UNEP and IUCN, produced by UNEP-WCMC and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). The overall goal for the World Database on Protected Areas is to provide the most comprehensive and authoritative global dataset on national parks and protected areas that answers key questions about sustainable development informing decision makers and policy makers.
Mandate for the assessment
The WDPA includes the “UN List of Protected Areas” mandated by the UN Economic and Social Council (res. 713 XXVII 1959) to be compiled from officially delegated national authorities on protected areas. In addition to the UN List mandate, the WDPA is specifically mentioned in many decisions and recommendations of the CBD and IUCN, and also serves to fulfil an even longer list of mandates on protected areas, ecosystem services and biodiversity protection as the recognized authoritative source of comprehensive information on the global protected areas network. To know more about the WDPA purpose:
http://www.wdpa.org/FAQ.aspx#ctl00_MainContent_Faq1
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/world-database-on-protected-areas-wdpa_76.html
This is one of the six priority IUCN Knowledge Products as identified in the 2013-2016 IUCN Programme which was adopted by IUCN members in the 2012 World Conservation Congress, and is available here:
Conceptual framework and/or methodology used for the assessment
Other (please specify)
Since 1981 UNEP-WCMC, through its Protected Areas Programme, has been compiling this information and making it available to the global community. The WDPA is a joint project of UNEP and IUCN, produced by UNEP-WCMC and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas working with governments and collaborating NGOs.
URL or copy of conceptual framework developed or adapted
To know more about the WDPA content visit: http://www.unep-wcmc.org/world-database-on-protected-areas-wdpa-data-standards_966.html http://www.wdpa.org/FAQ.aspx#ctl00_MainContent_Faq1
System(s) assessed
- Marine
- Coastal
- Island
- Inland water
- Forest and woodland
- Cultivated/Agricultural land
- Grassland
- Mountain
- Dryland
- Polar
- Urban
Species groups assessed
Ecosystem services/functions assessed
Provisioning
Regulating
Supporting Services/Functions
Cultural Services
Scope of assessment includes
Drivers of change in systems and services
No
Impacts of change in services on human well-being
No
Options for responding/interventions to the trends observed
No
Explicit consideration of the role of biodiversity in the systems and services covered by the assessment
No
Timing of the assessment
Year assessment started
Pre 2000
Year assessment finished
Ongoing
If ongoing, year assessment is anticipated to finish
Periodicity of assessment
Repeated
If repeated, how frequently
The World Database on Protected Areas is regularly updated.
Assessment outputs
Website(s)
The Protected Planet Report 2012 reviews progress towards the achievement of the protected area targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Building on the work of the CBD-mandated Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP), the report includes a set of indicators of protected area coverage, representativeness, effectiveness, management and governance.
Protected Planet report produced by UNEP-WCMC in cooperation with IUCN and other partners, is available here:
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/ppr2012_903.html
Protected Planet wesbite is the public face of the WDPA:
Report(s)
Communication materials (e.g. brochure, presentations, posters, audio-visual media)
Journal publications
Training materials
Other documents/outputs
Tools and processes
Tools and approaches used in the assessment
- Geospatial analysis
- Indicators
Process used for stakeholder engagement in the assessment process and which component
Key stakeholder groups engaged
The number of people directly involved in the assessment process
Incorporation of scientific and other types of knowledge
Supporting documentation for specific approaches, methodology or criteria developed and/or used to integrate knowledge systems into the assessment
Assessment reports peer reviewed
No
Data
Accessibility of data used in assessment
Data are accesible for non comercial use through the protected planet website:
Policy impact
Impacts the assessment has had on policy and/or decision making, as evidenced through policy references and actions
The World Database on Protected Areas is a foundation dataset for conservation decision making. It contains crucial information from national governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, international biodiversity convention secretariats and many others. It is used for ecological gap analysis, environmental impact analysis and is increasingly used for private sector decision-making.
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is used to calculate the protected area coverage indicator which is one of the formally agreed indicators to monitor progress towards CDB's Aichi Biodiversity Target 11. Protected area coverage is not only a global indicator but can also be calculated for regions and nations provided that there are sufficient data available. Coverage of protected areas is for example used by the European Environment Agency as an indicator to track progress towards the European 2010 biodiversity target in European countries.
For more information see:
Independent or other review on policy impact of the assessment
No
