WASHINGTON (AP) — A new United Nations report finds roughly a sixth of the planet’s land and freshwater area now lies within protected or conservation areas. The “Protected Planet” report released Wednesday also found that about 8% of coastal and ocean waters are within protected areas. But scientists say these figures alone give little indication as to how well such lands and waters are actually managed to reduce biodiversity loss and stabilize the climate. Earlier this month, the Biden administration adopted a goal of protecting 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
