What Factors can Influence the Expansion of Protected Areas around the World in the Context of International Environmental and Development Goals?

Zdeněk Opršal

zdenek.oprsal@upol.cz
Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic (Czechia)

Jaromír Harmáček


Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic (Czechia)

Petr Pavlík


Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic (Czechia)

Ivo Machar


Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic (Czechia)


Abstract

The protection of biodiversity is an integral part of sustainable development. All the major international environmental and development programs – Aichi Biodiversity Targets, Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals – have committed countries to conserving valuable ecosystems by ensuring that a certain proportion of their terrestrial and marine areas are protected. While many countries have registered improvements in their coverage of protected areas, a significant number are behind in their targets. This paper attempts to shed light on the role of various factors in nature conservation which go beyond the performances of individual countries. Regression analyses were performed on variables that could influence the coverage of protected areas. The main findings point to the significance of economic development, whereas other factors remain less relevant. Although the level of economic development corresponds to the protected areas on an individual country level, it does not automatically ensure a slowdown in biodiversity loss.


Keywords:

protected area, biodiversity, environmental indicator, sustainable development, Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Development Goals, Aichi Biodiversity Targets

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Published
2018-01-02

Cited by

Opršal, Z., Harmáček, J., Pavlík, P., & Machar, I. (2018). What Factors can Influence the Expansion of Protected Areas around the World in the Context of International Environmental and Development Goals?. Problemy Ekorozwoju, 13(1), 145–157. Retrieved from https://ph.pollub.pl/index.php/preko/article/view/5047

Authors

Zdeněk Opršal 
zdenek.oprsal@upol.cz
Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Czechia

Authors

Jaromír Harmáček 

Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Czechia

Authors

Petr Pavlík 

Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Czechia

Authors

Ivo Machar 

Department of Development and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Czechia

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