New Delhi, June 26 -- As countries rush to meet the 30x30 target of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a new study on sea turtles raises questions about the efficacy of marine protected areas and their ability to protect marine biodiversity. The 30x30 target mandates that 30 per cent of marine areas are protected by 2030.

Merely 23 per cent of the world's sea turtle hotspots lie within these Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). According to the Marine Protection Atlas, over eight per cent of the ocean is designated as MPAs, but only about three per cent are effectively managed.

The study published in Science Advances on June 25, 2025, reveals that climate change is pushing sea turtles away from their traditional habitats to...