Sense of Place
PROTECTING ICONIC SPECIES AND SPECIAL PLACES
This goal measures the condition of iconic species and percent of coastline protected to indicate some of ocean’s intangible benefits.
Iconic species and protected places symbolize the cultural, spiritual and aesthetic benefits that people value for a region.
Global Goal Score
Likely Future State
Country Rankings
*The estimate of a goal’s likely near-term future status is a function of four dimensions: Status, Trend, Pressure, and Resilience.
Sub-Goals
This goal contains two sub-goals. Sense of Place measures the condition of
culturally iconic species and the percentage of protected places within a
country.
Select a sub goal
to learn more
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Iconic Species
Why Are Iconic Species Important?
Iconic marine species are those whose unique importance is recognized through traditional activities, ethnic or religious practices, existence value, or locally acknowledged aesthetic value.
Species harvested solely for economic or utilitarian purposes are not included, nor are habitat-forming species (mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, salt marshes), as they are assessed in association with other goals.
Global Sub-Goal Score
70
Likely Future State
+26%
*The estimate of a goal’s likely near-term future status is a function of four dimensions: Status, Trend, Pressure, and Resilience.
What Does This Score Mean?
The reference point for Iconic Species is that all relevant marine species are categorized as “least concern.” Least concern means that a species has been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) or Global Marine Species Assessment (GMSA) and is not endangered, threatened, vulnerable or at risk of extinction.
A high score indicates that few to none of the iconic species in a country’s EEZ have been categorized by the IUCN as endangered, threatened or vulnerable. A low score indicates that many are in those categories.
Current Score
The current score of 70 indicates that iconic marine species are not as well protected as possible. Substantial conservation efforts will be required in order to improve the status of many iconic species that call the ocean home.
Some iconic species, such as baleen whales, have been successfully protected, and a number of small whales and dolphins, birds, fish, sea turtles and others have been protected in specific regions. Subsequent growth of these populations suggests that similar efforts could result in substantial improvements to this sub-goal score.
70
N/A0102030405060708090
How Is It Measured?
Each goal is evaluated on the basis of four dimensions
Present Status
Present Status is a goal's current value (based on the most recent available data) compared to a reference point.
Trend
Trend is the average percent change in the present status for the most recent 5 years of data.
Pressures
Pressures are the sum of the ecological and social pressures that negatively affect scores for a goal.
Resilience
Resilience is the sum of the ecological factors and social initiatives (policies, laws, etc) that can positively affect scores for a goal by reducing or eliminating pressures.
Pressures
Pressures are human-caused stressors that influence both ecological and social systems, negatively affecting the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.
Status
Status refers to the current value of a goal relative to its goal-specific reference point. The reference point is the best condition for a goal that can reasonably be achieved; it is a target to aim for when taking actions to improve ocean health.
Resilience
Resilience refers to the social, institutional, and ecological factors that positively affect the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.
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Lasting Special Places
Why Are Lasting Special Places Important?
The Lasting Special Places sub-goal focuses on geographic locations that are valuable to people for aesthetic, spiritual, cultural, recreational, or existence reasons.
Well-maintained and protected lasting special places provide culturally significant resources that can generate economic opportunities and help to sustain coastal communities.
The scores for this sub-goal are calculated based upon two assumptions: that all countries have roughly the same percentage of their coastal areas that qualify as lasting special places, and that the countries with the most protected areas are the closest to achieving their country-specific target.
Global Sub-Goal Score
41
Likely Future State
+10%
*The estimate of a goal’s likely near-term future status is a function of four dimensions: Status, Trend, Pressure, and Resilience.
What Does This Score Mean?
The reference point for Lasting Special Places is for a country protecting 30% of its coastal waters out to 3 nautical miles (nmi), as well as 30% of the strip of its shoreline extending from the high tide line to 1 km inland.
A high score indicates that a country is protecting at least the maximum global value for protected coastal areas. A score of zero would indicate that Special Places are not at all protected.
Current Score
The current score of 41 indicates that countries are far from achieving the reference point. Much more must be done to protect locations that contribute to Sense of Place and marine-related cultural identity.
41
N/A0102030405060708090
How Is It Measured?
Each goal is evaluated on the basis of four dimensions
Present Status
Present Status is a goal's current value (based on the most recent available data) compared to a reference point.
Trend
Trend is the average percent change in the present status for the most recent 5 years of data.
Pressures
Pressures are the sum of the ecological and social pressures that negatively affect scores for a goal.
Resilience
Resilience is the sum of the ecological factors and social initiatives (policies, laws, etc) that can positively affect scores for a goal by reducing or eliminating pressures.
Pressures
Pressures are human-caused stressors that influence both ecological and social systems, negatively affecting the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.
Status
Status refers to the current value of a goal relative to its goal-specific reference point. The reference point is the best condition for a goal that can reasonably be achieved; it is a target to aim for when taking actions to improve ocean health.
Resilience
Resilience refers to the social, institutional, and ecological factors that positively affect the ability of a goal to deliver its benefits to people.
References
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Maritime Heritage Research, Education, and Management Plan: Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. 97 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Honolulu, Hawai’i, 2011).Laffoley, D. Towards Networks of Marine Protected Areas the MPA Plan of Action for IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas. (IUCN WCPA: Gland, Switzerland, 2008).
