In December 2022, governments will decide on the new global biodiversity framework, which aims to conserve 30% of the world's surface by 2030, the so-called 30 × 30 target (cbd.int/article/draft-1-global-biodiversity-framework). The Congo Basin Forest Partnership convened in Gabon during 4–8 July 2022 and in its final communiqué invited the member countries of the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) ‘To align the size of conservation areas with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) target of 30% conservation areas by 2030 by (i) increasing funding, (ii) improving management, (iii) identifying other effective conservation measures (OECM), and (iv) focusing scarce resources on smaller areas to improve the management effectiveness of protected areas’ (pfbc-cbfp.org/meetings-news/RDP19-Programme-fina-len.html). The 30 × 30 target was also the central theme at the subsequent African Protected Areas Congress in Rwanda during 18–24 July 2022, where we were panellists and speakers.

Here we summarize the discussions regarding how Central African countries could achieve the 30 × 30 target by addressing the following four matters. (1) Several financing mechanisms centred on forest carbon sequestration have started. Yet despite awareness of the importance of biodiversity and the fight against climate change, funding remains cruelly short of the required 10-fold scaling up. (2) Public–private partnerships, in which governments delegate the management of protected areas to private partners, have shown increased management efficiency and financing. Governments should actively prepare and oversee these partnerships, and private partners should make themselves dispensable by improving the capacities of national management staff and actively involving local communities (Scholte, 2022, Oryx, doi.org/10.1017/S0030605321000752). (3) Eight Central African countries have reached the 2020 CBD target of 17% of land surface conserved, and seven countries have > 25% and three > 40% of their land conserved (Doumenge et al., 2021, State of Protected Areas–2020, observatoire-comifac.net/publications/edap/2020?lang=en). This includes trophy hunting zones that, unlike those in southern African countries, are not internationally recognized but could be considered OECMs because of their conservation importance. This is also true for certified forestry concessions with elaborate quality controls (Eba'a Atyi et al., 2021, State of the Forests–2021, observatoire-comifac.net/publications/edf/2021?lang=en). Once certified hunting and forest concessions are recognized as OECMs, 30% of Central Africa will be protected and conserved. The real challenge is, however, to effectively manage the vast trophy hunting and certified forestry concessions that are under pressures that jeopardize their economic viability. Congress participants also stressed that the opportunity should be taken to integrate local communities and Indigenous people in the equitable governance of OECMs. (4) Where these measures are not feasible, a strategic retreat, concentrating scarce financial and human resources on smaller areas, should be pursued. From these well-protected nuclei, a viable conservation network may ultimately be rebuilt (Scholte et al., 2022, Conservation Biology, 36, e13860).

Addressing these four matters, Central Africa may seize the 30 × 30 target not only to respond to international expectations, but above all to transform its protected and conserved areas to ensure they are effectively managed, equitably governed and provide the required economic benefits.