After consultation with the WAZA Council, the WAZA Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Committee (CESC), and the WAZA Associations Committee, at the 79th Annual General Assembly, WAZA members adopted Resolution 79.2. A resolution that committed WAZA to the development of the WAZA 2030 Conservation Goal, a goal with the general objectives that:  

By 2030,  

1. WAZA Member Regional Associations* have a process in place that requires institutional members to actively contribute to halting extinctions, reversing declines, restoring populations and securing a future for threatened species. This process will be expected to include specific, WAZA-approved elements that align with global biodiversity targets and frameworks.
2. WAZA Member Regional Associations* will have a system in place for their zoo and aquarium members to document and report their conservation efforts. This system will be used to report on these activities to WAZA in a standardised manner.  

* Without the oversight of a Regional association, this responsibility will be that of the operating National association. 

Background

WAZA recognises that biodiversity conservation is a shared responsibility, and zoos and aquariums play a crucial role in these efforts through their work in species conservation, both in situ and ex situ. 

Acknowledging the importance of global frameworks like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), WAZA emphasizes the need for unified and measurable contributions to global conservation goals. Progressive zoos and aquariums are well-positioned to lead and coordinate efforts to achieve these targets, while partnerships and capacity-building among WAZA members are vital to closing gaps in resources and expertise.

Through the 2030 Conservation Goal (30CG), WAZA commits to developing a framework for standardised reporting of conservation activities by WAZA members to enhance understanding of the role of zoos and aquariums’ conservation efforts in alignment with global biodiversity targets. 

By scaling up their conservation efforts, WAZA members aim to significantly support the delivery of the Convention of Biological Diversity’s vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050.