Our Goals for 2030

Our planet faces the interconnected crises of rapid climate change and biodiversity loss. We have years, not decades, to address these existential threats.

Canyon Lake Dam, Canyon Lake Texas — Canyon Lake Dam Canyon Lake Texas © Inna Sherman/TNC Photo Contest 2021

We are facing the biggest, most complex challenges of our lives. And that calls for our biggest, most ambitious plans—for people and nature.

The Opportunity
Our Goals
Videos
Our Work

We Have A Window of Opportunity

Our planet faces the interconnected crises of rapid climate change and biodiversity loss. We have years, not decades, to address these existential threats.

The science is clear: We must act now to halt catastrophic climate change and biodiversity loss. What we do between now and 2030 will determine whether we slow warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius—the level scientists agree will avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Our actions will also determine whether we conserve enough land and water to slow the rapid acceleration of species loss. If we do both, we will safeguard people from the disastrous effects of these crises.

So much can occur in a single lifetime. Three quarters of the carbon dioxide emissions driven by humans have occurred since 1950. We have seen a nearly 70% average decline of birds, amphibians, mammals, fish and reptiles since just 1970.

There is no time for delay. Reversing course on these staggering trends represents the biggest, most complex challenge of our lives. And that calls for our biggest, most ambitious plans—for people and nature.

Our approach reflects decades of learning and refining, and the special role TNC can play side-by-side with partners, communities and decision-makers across the globe:

The Nature Conservancy's Goals for 2030

Our ambitious plan to secure a thriving planet – for people and nature:

Aerial view of a sunset over a green forest.

Cumberland forest project: Sunrise aerial image taken near the border of Tennessee and Kentucky of land protected by The Nature Conservancy's Cumberland Forest Project. © Cameron Davidson

Mangrove trees on a wet beach with a low sun.

Mangroves Port Douglas, Queensland. © Alan Barker

Colorful finishing boats sitting on still blue water.

The fishing fleet Near Ancon, Peru. © Jason Houston

Light shining through trees over a forest trail.

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu Parque Nacional do Iguaçu © Scott Warren

Water flowing over tree roots from a waterfall.

Waterfalls of the Balkans The waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. Plitviče Lakes National Park is a 295-sq.-km forest reserve in central Croatia. It's known for a chain of 16 terraced lakes, joined by waterfalls, that extend into a limestone canyon. Walkways and hiking trails wind around and across the water. The Nature Conservancy is developing partnerships with European governments and development agencies to achieve shared conservation goals around the world. © Ken Geiger/TNC

Close up of a hand holding a fruit with red seeds.

Seeds in fruit Seeds in fruit used for dyes and make-up in Las Marias, an indigenous Pech community. © Erika Nortemann/The Nature Conservancy

Cumberland forest project: Sunrise aerial image taken near the border of Tennessee and Kentucky of land protected by The Nature Conservancy's Cumberland Forest Project. © Cameron Davidson

Carbon Emissions

Reduce or store 3 gigatons of C02 emissions yearly

We will use the power of nature and the strength of policy and markets to reduce emissions, support renewable energy, and store carbon to reach our goal of avoiding or sequestering 3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

Mangroves Port Douglas, Queensland. © Alan Barker

Helping People

Benefit 100 million people

We will help 100 million people at severe risk of climate-related emergencies by protecting and restoring the health of natural habitats—from mangroves and reefs to floodplains and forests—that help protect communities from storm surge, extreme rainfall, severe wildfires and sea level rise.

The fishing fleet Near Ancon, Peru. © Jason Houston

Our Ocean

Conserve nearly 10 billion acres of ocean

We will conserve 4 billion hectares (9.9 billion acres) of ocean through new and better-managed protected areas, global-scale sustainable fishing, innovative financing, and positive policy changes to how the world governs the seas.

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu Parque Nacional do Iguaçu © Scott Warren

Healthy Lands

Conserve 1.6 billion acres of land

We will partner with communities around the globe to conserve 650 million hectares (about 1.6 billion acres) of land. Together we will restore and improve management of working lands, support the leadership of Indigenous Peoples as land stewards, and conserve critical forests, grasslands and other habitats rich in carbon and biodiversity.

Freshwater

Conserve more than 620,000 miles of rivers

We will conserve 1 million kilometers (621,000 miles) of river systems and 30 million hectares (74 million acres) of lakes and wetlands by engaging in collaborative partnerships, promoting innovative solutions, and supporting policies that improve the quality and amount of water available in freshwater ecosystems and to communities.

Seeds in fruit Seeds in fruit used for dyes and make-up in Las Marias, an indigenous Pech community. © Erika Nortemann/The Nature Conservancy

Local Leaders

Support 45 million local stewards

We support 45 million people whose well-being and livelihoods depend on healthy oceans, freshwater, and lands. We will partner with Indigenous People and other local communities to learn from and support their leadership in stewarding their environment, securing rights to resources, improving economic opportunities, and shaping their future.

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Issues 101

Our new videos explain some of the biggest challenges we're facing:

Video

Solving Climate Change

In this video, it's the future, and we look back on how we saved the world with nature. Spoiler alert: we did it with nature. How? In the 2020s, we learned that nature could pull 11 billion metric tons of carbon from the atmosphere. (3:01)

Watch Video

Video

Biodiversity Explained

What if all the variety on the planet disappeared? It could happen. Extinctions are happening faster than ever. We must prioritize biodiversity for health of our environment, food supply, and economies. (3:05)

Watch Video