Not adding up: new research shows UK is miles away from meeting 2030 goals

• New figures reveal around 6% of UK land is effectively conserved and managed for nature – just one fifth of the way towards the UK Government’s 2030 target, with only five years left to go.
• In England, the percentage of land protected for nature and in good condition is just 2.83%.
• Charities are calling on Ministers to deliver a rapid rollout of new designations, backed by proper funding, stronger nature protection, and robust monitoring to turbocharge nature recovery nationwide.
• The report is published as environmental charities and over 1,000 supporters gather in Bristol for the inaugural Wild Summit, a new national conference focused on the measures that need to be taken to drive nature’s recovery.

A new report from Wildlife and Countryside Link, with its partner Link networks in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, shows that only up to 6% of UK land is properly protected for nature. This is far short of the Government’s 30% by 2030 target. Conservationists warn that the UK risks missing its target by a ‘country mile’. 

Download "30by30: 2025 UK Progress Report" here.

30by30 is part of the international Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed to by the UK Governments at COP15 in 2022. The agreement commits governments to halting and reversing biodiversity loss and protecting at least 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. In the UK, delivering on this means restoring nature across a network of well-managed, legally protected areas. Achieving the target is critical to tackling both the climate and nature crises.

But with just five years to go, progress has been stalled by challenges including: a failure to designate new sites for nature, uncertainty in nature friendly farming policy, and continued underfunding for site restoration.

The analysis, which drew on SSSI condition data, paints a stark picture. In England, the report shows that just 2.83% of land is effectively protected and well managed for nature. The decline from 2.93% in 2024 is likely to reflect new monitoring data, as recent surveys of SSSIs reveal that more than previously thought are not in favourable condition.

Across the other nations of the UK, the data shows a similar pattern with just 2.14% of land in good condition in Wales, 4% in Northern Ireland and 12.63% in Scotland. The report found that in all four countries similar problems are blocking progress on nature recovery. These include:

• Slow expansion of protected networks – the pace of adding new protected areas remains far too slow.
  
• Poor condition of designated sites – many protected areas are still damaged or degraded due to insufficient or inappropriate management.
• Harmful activities continue – destructive practices are still allowed in some of our most important places for wildlife.
• Lack of monitoring – Governments often don’t have the data they need to track biodiversity or plan recovery.

Although 38% of UK waters are designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), many remain exposed to damaging activities including bottom trawling, offshore energy development, pollution, dredging, and cable laying. Inadequate and outdated Government monitoring means the extent of effective protection is unclear. Increased funding for monitoring efforts is urgently needed to understand the state of nature in MPAs and the activities affecting them.

Richard Benwell, CEO at Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “The UK risks missing its 30by30 nature target by a country mile. Protecting 30% of land and sea isn't a luxury, it’s vital for wildlife, our health, and the economy. This snail's pace progress shows the UK governments have neglected nature for too long.

"There's still chance to meet the target but only if Ministers get moving. In England, good policies like nature-friendly farming payments, the Land Use Framework, and radical reform of the water system are on the table, but 2025 must be the year when promises make way for delivery. We need more nature sites in better condition and a crack down on pollution and unsustainable development. The price of failure is terrible for people and wildlife, but the prize of success will be a thriving, healthy society that's rich in nature.”

Max Bryant, CEO of Northern Ireland Environment Link, said: “Unfortunately it has been clear for a while that we are not doing enough to protect our environment. We only have to look at the state of our rivers and lakes to see that this is the case. This timely report shows that we have even further to go in NI to meet our targets than many may have anticipated. Amongst other things, NI needs long term, legally binding and fully funded targets to better protect our biodiversity and public health. Earlier this year the Office for Environmental Protection recommended that DAERA should consider proposing legislation for setting statutory targets to increase the extent and condition of protected sites. We are still waiting for that to happen. We need all of the Executive parties to co-operate on this and support the AERA Minister and NIEL would be happy to work with all parties to help meet our targets and better protect our environment.”

Deborah Long, Chief Executive of Scottish Environment Link, said: “Scotland’s biodiversity is amongst the least resilient in the world and the more we can do to restore nature, the more we build a better future for all of us. 30x30 offers us an opportunity to reconnect nature and build its resilience in the ongoing crisis, but the new report shows we are not where we need to be yet. Effective nature restoration is for everyone – it means a better quality of life for all, as well as resilient local livelihoods. We need to keep the pressure on our governments to ensure that this vision is realised.”

Karen Whitfield, Director of Wales Environment Link, said: “Whilst the Welsh Government has recognised a nature crisis, action too often falls short of the scale, priority and investment necessary to turn it around. Designations by themselves do not restore wildlife; the way they are monitored and managed is crucial to nature’s recovery and will only happen with a step change in the way environmental investment is prioritised. Our Pathways to 2030 report sets out the need for investment of £438m a year to restore Welsh nature; this is only 1.7% of the 2025/26 Welsh Government budget, so entirely possible if Welsh Ministers decide to prioritise nature’s recovery.”

Please find further quotes from RSPB and National Trust in the editor’s notes. Additional media quotes from members of Wildlife and Countryside Link are available here.

Environmental charities are calling on the UK Government to take urgent action on its 30by30 commitments:

• A rapid increase in site designations across the UK.
• Proper funding for site management and restoration.
• Stronger rules to end harmful activities in protected areas.
• Robust monitoring so progress can be accurately measured.

This year’s figures are published ahead of the Wild Summit 2025, which will bring together leading voices in conservation, politics, farming, and business to set out an urgent rescue plan for nature, ensuring that the UK makes good on its nature commitments. The day will feature keynotes from Special Representative for Nature, Ruth Davis, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Natural England Chair, Tony Juniper, and Director General of the National Trust, Hilary McGrady. 

Read more in the report here, and book tickets to the Wild Summit here.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The criteria used to measure progress towards 30by30 on land are grounded in international standards from the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and the IUCN. This means that we have only included protected areas that have attained or are progressing towards “favourable” condition for nature. Sites where we are unable to verify the condition due to a lack of monitoring or data have not been included, and sites labelled as being in “recovering” condition by UK Governments are only included where there is clear evidence from monitoring that they are actually moving towards favourable condition.
2. Falls in the amount of land protected for nature is due to a steady decline over the past decade in the number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) known to be in good ecological condition. Climate change, water pollution and overgrazing are among the top reasons for habitats and wildlife suffering in these protected areas. However, the decline may also be attributed to more sites being monitored than previously, revealing a more accurate picture of their condition (Only 1% of land last assessed before 2011 was classified as declining, this rose to 31% for those assessed in 2021 - 2022). Other land designations including National Parks have huge potential for nature, but previous reports have found that the state of nature within these is often no better than it is outside of them.
3. Additional media quotes:
   1. Beccy Speight, RSPB chief executive, said: “The UK played a key role on the international stage in championing and securing 30by30 to help set nature on the path to recovery. Those global promises must translate into action to deliver the target through a strong and resilient network of protected sites on land and at sea. Achieving 30by30 isn’t just about numbers and targets, it’s about creating a sustainable future for people and nature. Protecting places that support our most threatened wildlife also benefits our own health and wellbeing, and these areas can lock up carbon, improve water quality, and combat the impacts of climate change by reducing flood risk. It is essential that the governments of the UK urgently set out 30by30 delivery plans that provide the ambition and detail that’s so badly needed to get us back on track.”
   2. Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust said: “Protecting 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 isn’t just a target — it’s a lifeline for our climate, our wildlife, and our future. The UK is falling short, with less than 6% of land effectively protected, and time is running out. Every day at the National Trust, we see how nature-rich places inspire people and enrich lives. We’re committed to playing our part, but nature charities cannot do this alone. We need urgent action from Government to deliver a real step change with proper funding, stronger protections, and a clear, coordinated plan to restore our most precious landscapes. With bold leadership we can turn ambition into reality — and ensure nature’s recovery is something everyone can be part of.