[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"question:92:en-US":3},{"metadata":4,"sys":15,"fields":35},{"tags":5,"concepts":14},[6,11],{"sys":7},{"type":8,"linkType":9,"id":10},"Link","Tag","global",{"sys":12},{"type":8,"linkType":9,"id":13},"oceans",[],{"space":16,"id":20,"type":21,"createdAt":22,"updatedAt":23,"environment":24,"publishedVersion":28,"revision":29,"contentType":30,"locale":34},{"sys":17},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"Space","ghhpjogyw4x7","a52ea1eb8edf1b98177fe2fcf8dc09e8","Entry","2022-01-03T12:50:13.640Z","2026-02-11T12:28:24.960Z",{"sys":25},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},"master","Environment",225,19,{"sys":31},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":33},"ContentType","question","en-US",{"globalId":36,"answers":37,"answersAsImages":57,"wrongPercentage":94,"name":95,"questionText":96,"statistics":97,"veryWrongStatistics":99,"correctSentence":101,"youWereWrong":102,"youWereRight":103,"dataSourceShortText":104,"dataSourceLinkLongText":105,"extendedAnswerText":106,"headingVeryWrong":107,"youWereVeryWrong":108,"headingWrong":107},"92",[38,60,77],{"metadata":39,"sys":42,"fields":55},{"tags":40,"concepts":41},[],[],{"space":43,"id":45,"type":21,"createdAt":46,"updatedAt":47,"environment":48,"publishedVersion":50,"revision":51,"contentType":52,"locale":34},{"sys":44},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"5c3eacf700695e2c4cbf4839463853bd","2022-01-03T14:08:03.031Z","2023-12-18T10:46:27.407Z",{"sys":49},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},12,7,{"sys":53},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":54},"answer",{"globalId":56,"correctAnswer":57,"isVeryWrong":58,"answerText":59},"92-a1",false,true,"Decreased by about 75%",{"metadata":61,"sys":64,"fields":74},{"tags":62,"concepts":63},[],[],{"space":65,"id":67,"type":21,"createdAt":68,"updatedAt":69,"environment":70,"publishedVersion":50,"revision":51,"contentType":72,"locale":34},{"sys":66},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"8510ee38109e2907d6f56c283f09ae37","2022-01-03T14:08:07.276Z","2023-12-18T10:46:27.373Z",{"sys":71},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},{"sys":73},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":54},{"globalId":75,"correctAnswer":57,"isVeryWrong":57,"answerText":76},"92-a2","Stayed about the same",{"metadata":78,"sys":81,"fields":91},{"tags":79,"concepts":80},[],[],{"space":82,"id":84,"type":21,"createdAt":85,"updatedAt":86,"environment":87,"publishedVersion":50,"revision":51,"contentType":89,"locale":34},{"sys":83},{"type":8,"linkType":18,"id":19},"f4936a5518b361dd86477973a79ca77b","2022-01-03T14:08:12.186Z","2023-12-18T10:46:27.338Z",{"sys":88},{"id":26,"type":8,"linkType":27},{"sys":90},{"type":8,"linkType":32,"id":54},{"globalId":92,"correctAnswer":58,"isVeryWrong":57,"answerText":93},"92-a3","Increased by about 75%",82,"Marine protected areas","Since 2016, what has happened to the share of marine protected areas in national waters worldwide?",[98],"uk 0.82",[100],"uk 0.49","Protected marine areas around countries have increased 75% since 2016.","The protected areas increased much more than you guessed! But that doesn't mean the most needed areas are protected, nor that the protection is good...","They didn’t realize more marine areas are protected.","Source: WDPA","The officially protected areas of ocean increased a lot, from 10.2% in 2016 to 22.6% in 2026 (an increase of more than 75%), according to the WDPA (World Database on Protected Areas[1]).\n\nThis data comes from many different governmental, international, national, and regional agencies and is collected by the WDPA. All data must meet the WDPA standards which includes having spatial data, and uses the IUCN definition of a protected area[2]:\n“A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.”\n\nWhile there has been a big increase in countries’ protected marine areas, the speed of growth is not the same for international water, beyond countries’ borders and interest zones. Such areas of international water cover around 60% of all oceans around the world. But, in total, no matter how you measure, the share of the ocean that is protected is clearly increasing.\n\nWe spoke to six individual experts who all recommended the WDPA as the source to use for this data. However, they did warn that just because the share of protected areas has increased it does not mean that the most important ecosystems or areas of biodiversity are included in these areas, or that the areas that are under protection are protected at a continually high standard. \n\n[1]  [World Protected Planet](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.protectedplanet.net\u002Fen\u002Fthematic-areas\u002Fmarine-protected-areas)\n\n[2]  [World Database on Protected Areas - Protected Panet Digital Report (chapter 2)](https:\u002F\u002Flivereport.protectedplanet.net\u002Fpdf\u002FProtected_Planet_Report_2018.pdf)\n\n[3]  [IUCN - Protected Areas “about” page](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.iucn.org\u002Ftheme\u002Fprotected-areas\u002Fabout#:~:text=A%20protected%20area%20is%20a,IUCN%20Definition%202008)\n\n[4]  We consulted six independent experts for this question, including Joanne Preston of the University of Portsmouth and Peter Jones of University College London.","When we think of protecting the environment - and the oceans in particular - most of us probably think that everything is just getting worse and there isn’t much being done on a global level to turn it around. That's the impression we get from environmental organizations and in the news, which makes sense, because a lot of things are actually getting worse in the seas.\n\nHowever, since 2016 the share of the marine areas around countries that are designated for protection has increased by 75%. Today, 23% of all marine areas around countries are protected. Back in 2016, that figure was just 10%.\n\nIn some sense this is an improvement that shows an increased awareness of the need to protect the oceans. But unfortunately the protection often doesn't mean much more than a signature on a piece of paper. It often doesn't guarantee positive change in these areas, and it doesn't mean that the newly protected areas include the most important vulnerable ecosystems and the greatest biodiversity. Still, progress must start somewhere and this rapid increase in commitment to protection needs to be recognized. The official declaration of protection at least means that local environmentalists can hold authorities accountable if the protection is not enforced. \n\n### Why are people wrong about this?\nPeople are well aware of the negative developments of oceans and marine ecosystems which probably leads most people to assume the worst when they are asked about marine protection. People generally assume that nothing on a global scale is improving at all. \n\n### Why is it a problem that people are wrong about this?\nNeglecting progress ruins hope. The fact that lots of areas are declared as protected is a great step forward, even if it's far from enough. If more people are aware that protection is increasing, it may be easier to ensure that the areas with the most important biodiversity are being actively and effectively protected.\n\n### Can I trust this fact?\n\nYes, it's based on official documents from governments across the world.  This data comes from many different governmental, international, national, and regional agencies and is collected together in the [World Database on Protected Areas](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.protectedplanet.net\u002Fen). \n\nHowever, it is important to remember that the meaning of \"protected\" varies a lot from area to area and from country to country. Just because the share of marine protected areas has increased significantly, it does not guarantee that the most important areas for biodiversity are being protected or that the areas that are under these designations are being constantly protected. \n","More water protected on paper","You thought it decreased, but it increased! But that doesn't mean the most needed areas are protected, nor that the protection is good..."]