Svalbard and Jan Mayen Protected and Conserved Areas (WDPCA) Geodata

UNEP-WCMC maintains this geospatial dataset of marine and terrestrial protected areas and conservation measures for Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands. Updated monthly, it combines the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM). The data supports international reporting for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Use Cases

• Spatial analysis of conservation boundaries to track progress toward the 30% global biodiversity target
• Environmental risk assessment for commercial projects by identifying overlaps with protected area geometries
• Biodiversity indicator tracking for IPBES reporting using designated conservation status fields

Strengths

• Official joint product of the UN Environment Programme and IUCN
• Monthly update frequency for high temporal accuracy
• Available in four GIS-ready formats including GeoJSON and GeoPackage

Limitations

• Geographic scope is restricted to Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
• Data accuracy depends on the reporting quality of contributing governments and stakeholders
• Specific attribute schema is not detailed in the source metadata

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Current as of March 2026

Freshness

Updated on a monthly basis according to the UNEP-WCMC maintenance schedule.

Geography

Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands