WDPCA: Japan Protected and Conserved Areas in Geospatial Formats

This geospatial dataset maps terrestrial and marine protected areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) across Japan. Maintained by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and updated monthly, it serves as the official record for tracking international biodiversity commitments. The data is provided in multiple formats including GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and CSV.

Use Cases

• Calculating the percentage of Japan's land and sea under protection to track Target 3 progress
• Overlaying project boundaries with GeoJSON polygons to identify potential biodiversity risks for environmental impact assessments
• Analyzing the distribution of marine versus terrestrial conserved zones using the integrated WDPA and WD-OECM records

Strengths

• Official UN-backed data source for global biodiversity reporting
• Combines WDPA and WD-OECM frameworks into a single dataset
• Available in four formats including GeoPackage and GeoService for GIS interoperability

Limitations

• Specific attribute field names and record counts are not detailed in the primary metadata
• Data accuracy is dependent on the reporting precision of Japanese national authorities

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Compiled from government reports and stakeholder data through the Protected Planet Initiative

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis.

Geography

Japan