WDPCA: Protected and Conserved Areas in Malta in Multiple GIS Formats

This geospatial dataset tracks marine and terrestrial protected areas in Malta, managed by the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). It integrates the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM) into a single resource updated monthly. The data supports international reporting for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Use Cases

• Calculating the percentage of Malta's land and sea under conservation to track Target 3 progress
• Overlaying marine boundaries with commercial activity zones to identify biodiversity risks
• Using terrestrial conservation polygons to inform environmental impact assessments for infrastructure projects

Strengths

• Official UN-backed data source from the Protected Planet Initiative
• Combines WDPA and WD-OECM frameworks into one dataset
• Available in four formats including GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and CSV

Limitations

• Geographic scope is restricted to Malta
• Specific record counts and attribute schemas are not provided in the summary

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Compiled from government submissions and stakeholder data as part of the Protected Planet Initiative.

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis; last recorded update March 2026.

Geography

Malta