Historical patterns

Between 1970 and 2020, new terrestrial protected areas were designated at a consistently high rate, but this rate has declined since 2020. Designation of marine protected areas was slow until 2000. Since then, they have increased by more than 9 million square kilometers, which is approximately the size of Canada.

Designation of protected areas in OECD and G20 countries

Marine protected area

No IUCN category

VI - Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources

V - Protected landscape or seascape

IV - Habitat/Species management area

III - Natural monument

II - National park

Ib - W ilderness area

Ia - Strict natural reserve

Historical data can give an overview of individual countries’ approaches. Brazil, for example, designated most protected areas in the past two decades, favoring mixed-use management designations. The United States recently expanded its marine protected areas, albeit there has been little progress on new marine protected area since 2006.

Source: OECD calculations based on publicly accessible data in January 2023 version of the WDPA.