Mexico Unveils New Protected Areas Strategy to Advance Global 30x30 Biodiversity Target

Mexico has launched a new National Protected Natural Areas Program (PNANP) 2026–2030, reinforcing its commitment to the global 30x30 biodiversity target while strengthening conservation, community participation, and long-term environmental governance.

Presented by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the strategy will guide the management of 232 Protected Natural Areas and 623 Voluntarily Designated Conservation Areas, covering more than 99 million hectares. The program prioritizes conservation through a human rights-based approach, with a strong focus on Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities, environmental justice, scientific monitoring, and inclusive governance.

A major policy milestone accompanying the initiative is the ban on mining activities within protected natural areas, requiring all mining-related environmental impact assessments to undergo mandatory review by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP). The government says the measure will strengthen safeguards for ecologically sensitive landscapes.

The strategy also supports Mexico’s commitment under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for protecting at least 30% of the world’s land and marine areas by 2030. To meet its national target, Mexico aims to conserve 154 million hectares, requiring the addition of millions of hectares of terrestrial and marine protected areas backed by significant investment.

The announcement comes alongside growing recognition that biodiversity conservation must balance environmental protection with community livelihoods and property rights. Recent rulings by Mexico’s Supreme Court reaffirmed the government’s authority to designate protected areas while emphasizing public participation and transparency throughout the process.

Together, the new strategy positions biodiversity conservation as both an environmental priority and a long-term investment in climate resilience, ecosystem services, and sustainable development.

30x30-aligned protected-area strategies reshape TNFD-aligned corporate disclosure expectations, particularly for agri-food, extractive and coastal-infrastructure operators. Our nature-based-solutions and sustainability-due-diligence teams help clients evaluate biodiversity exposure and align disclosure with international frameworks.