The regulatory framework and the 30×30 target: NeMeA Sistemi’s commitment to the protection of marine ecosystems
The protection of marine ecosystems It is not merely an ethical choice, but a necessity enshrined in a complex legislative process that links Italy to the rest of the world. The process received a decisive boost in Montreal in December 2022, during COP15 on Biodiversity. On that occasion, 190 countries adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), a historic agreement for the conservation of ecosystems through four long-term objectives and 23 overall targets.
Against this backdrop, the international framework sets out the need to protect nature through three main strands:
- 30×30 target: a commitment to protect at least 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030.
- Restore: the restoration of habitats that have already suffered degradation.
- Transparency: monitoring progress through reliable data and five-year review cycles.
At European level, this vision is set out in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The directive requires that ‘Good Environmental Status’ (GES) be achieved and maintained for water bodies. The sea is thus managed as a complex system, in which climate change is intertwined with human-induced pressures such as fishing, tourism, maritime traffic and pollution.
From the Mediterranean to the Italian coast
The transition from major international summits to the national level is not merely a bureaucratic matter. Italy, with almost 8,000 km of coastline, finds itself at the heart of this challenge. To translate global commitments into local projects, the institutions have established a regulatory framework designed to engage public administrations, research bodies and civil society in a shared mission.
At the heart of this commitment is the National Biodiversity Strategy 2030 (SNB 2030). Within this framework, these ambitions are translated into specific and measurable targets:
- Expansion of the safety net: The aim is to ensure that 30 per cent of the country’s territory is protected, with 10 per cent set aside for strict protection in order to preserve unspoilt areas.
- Habitat restoration: The strategy aims to improve the conservation status by 30 per cent for those species and habitats that are currently in an unfavourable condition or at risk
- Connectivity and resilience: The plan is to strengthen and systematise existing ecological corridors – already identified as part of the Natura 2000 network – through enhanced protection, active management and monitoring measures, with a view to improving connectivity between protected areas and enhancing the ability of ecosystems to adapt to climate change.
A key contribution comes from the protection of marine ecosystems with high carbon content, often referred to as ‘blue carbon’. These include seagrass beds Posidonia oceanica, coastal wetlands and seagrass beds, which play a vital role in absorbing and storing CO₂, thereby making a significant contribution to climate change mitigation. To put these objectives into practice, Italy makes use of well-established tools such as the Natura 2000 network — which protect habitats and species of Community interest — and Marine Protected Areas, which regulate human activities to ensure the health of ecosystems.
From objectives to action
To speed up the implementation of the 30×30 target, documents such as theOcean Action Plan (organised by the IUCN and the World Economic Forum) and the recent Nice’s 2025 Commitments for the Ocean provide operational guidelines. These tools urge governments and businesses to move from declarations of intent to concrete investment, promoting shared responsibility for the protection of the oceans.
What will happen next? Understanding how international and national policies are moving towards the protection of ecosystems is essential to supporting the protection of the marine environment. Future articles will explore in greater depth the specific role of the Natura 2000 network and the priority habitats identified for conservation measures
