FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25 October 2026
High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People Announces Seven New Rapid Deployment Mechanism Grants at CBD COP17
Yerevan, Armenia, 25 October 2026 — The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC for N&P) today announced seven new grants through its Rapid Deployment Mechanism (RDM), supporting efforts in Costa Rica, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia to advance the global goal of conserving and effectively managing at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.
The announcement was made by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter – UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on Target 3 Action Day during the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia. Country representatives received award certificates during the HAC for N&P members and partners’ reception, recognizing their commitment to advancing the global 30×30 target.
The seven grants will support country-led initiatives spanning marine and terrestrial conservation, Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), ecological connectivity, biodiversity monitoring, and protected area management effectiveness. Together, these efforts aim to translate national 30×30 commitments into measurable conservation action, strengthen the management of existing protected and conserved areas, and support the recognition of additional areas that contribute to biodiversity conservation.
The seven recipient countries and their respective initiatives are:
Marine Conservation
Kenya: Advancing Kenya’s Marine 30×30 through Community-Led OECMs, Indigenous and Local Knowledge, and Effective Marine Protected Area Management.
Mexico: Strengthening Mexico’s Marine 30×30 through Underwater Acoustic Baselines and Evidence-Based Protected Area Management.
Land & Community Conservation
Costa Rica: From 30×30 Coverage to Effective Conservation: Developing an Acceptable Visitation Load Tool for Cocos Island National Park.
Zambia: Strengthening Zambia’s 30×30 Progress through the Busanga Swamps Wetland Inventory and Management Effectiveness Assessment.
Nepal: Operationalizing Nepal’s National OECM Guideline: Recognizing New OECMs to Advance the 30×30 Target.
Rwanda: Advancing Rwanda’s 30×30 Commitments through Community-Based Terrestrial OECMs and Ecological Connectivity.
Nigeria: Strengthening Nigeria’s 30×30 Progress through Ecological Connectivity, Terrestrial and Marine OECMs, and Protected Area Management Effectiveness.
Supporting National Action on 30×30
Launched following HAC for N&P’s 2024 Earthshot Prize win in the “Revive Our Oceans” category, the Rapid Deployment Mechanism (RDM) provides small, rapid grants to developing-country members to accelerate progress towards the global 30×30 target. Building on the original funding provided by The Earthshot Prize, the second cycle of RDM grants was made possible through additional support from the BA Better World Community Fund.
Looking Ahead
With now 124 member countries, HAC for N&P continues to advance the global 30×30 target through collaboration and initiatives like the Rapid Deployment Mechanism, which helps countries turn commitments into conservation action. Future grant rounds will depend on securing additional funding from public and private partners, donors, and philanthropies.
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About the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People
The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People is an intergovernmental coalition of 124 countries committed to the global 30×30 target: conserving and effectively managing at least 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030.
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Media enquiries:
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