WDPCA: Protected and Conserved Areas in Antarctica

Antarctic marine and terrestrial protected area boundaries and metadata are maintained in this repository by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). Available in GEOJSON and GEOPACKAGE formats, it integrates the WDPA and WD-OECM databases into a single monthly-updated source. The data supports reporting for Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Use Cases

• Calculating the percentage of Antarctic land and water under conservation to track progress toward Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
• Identifying biodiversity risks within specific project boundaries by intersecting user-defined coordinates with the provided GEOJSON geometries
• Tracking core indicators for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) using area designation types

Strengths

• Monthly update cycle ensures the inclusion of newly designated conservation zones
• Provided in four interoperable formats including GEOPACKAGE and GEOSERVICE for GIS integration
• Official UN-backed provenance used for tracking Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Limitations

• Specific attribute column names and record counts are not detailed in the source metadata
• Data quality is reliant on the reporting accuracy of various international stakeholders and governments
• Geographic focus is restricted to the Antarctic region, requiring integration with other WDPCA datasets for global analysis

Provenance

Source

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Collection Method

Compiled from governments and other stakeholders

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis

Geography

Antarctica