Fifteen years ago, Yale scientists launched a digital platform called “Map of Life,” an initiative to monitor changes in global species populations and support practitioners with robust conservation guidance. With climate change and human development altering habitats worldwide, the need for information, tools, and careful surveillance was accelerating.
This fall, Map of Life delivered some encouraging news. Its second annual Species Protection Report — which documents progress in species conservation, from global to national and regional levels — showed that overall protection efforts in 2025, including governmental and private conservation initiatives, increased by 6% on land and by 4% in the seas. And they found that the amount of land area gaining protected status increased by 0.7%, and protected marine areas increased by 1.4%.
“It’s nice to be able to document real progress,” said Walter Jetz, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and director of the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, who has spearheaded Map of Life initiative since its launch. “Clearly, more nations are taking the biodiversity crisis seriously and stepping up their efforts.”
The report was officially released during the Half-Earth Day event at Chicago’s Field Museum in October, a celebration that attracted individuals from across the world (including the actor Harrison Ford, who was the special guest).
Map of Life produces the report in partnership with the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation Half-Earth Project. Central to its message is the distinction that conservation is about more than protecting land; It’s about helping biodiversity flourish on that land.
Terrestrial vertebrates: In 2025, the global SPI for terrestrial vertebrates reached 50.9, a 3.1-point increase from the previous year. Examining the taxonomic breakdown of this index, we see that birds have the highest global SPI with an average of 62, followed by mammals at 55, amphibians at 44, and finally reptiles at 43.
In a Q&A, Jetz discusses the importance of species monitoring, the benefits of international peer pressure, and why we still have a long way to go.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Should we be celebrating these findings?
Walter Jetz: Well, they represent quantitatively measured progress. The report reflects the fact that some countries have indeed followed through on their commitments; they increased the network of protected areas and other conservation measures in a way that increased the coverage of species. And that’s good news — we know that significantly more species are now better protected than just a year ago. But in no way has this resolved the overall biodiversity crisis. We still have a long way to go, not least due to the looming impacts of climate change.
Was there anything that surprised you?
Jetz: Several aspects were surprising, but I think the first thing was that some countries really improved strongly from last year. In some cases, it might just reflect updates to their reporting which now shows achievements realized earlier, but in several other cases there clearly more countries are measuring progress and disclosing results. Reports like ours hold countries accountable and provide an additional incentive to ensure conservation activities are designed to be effective and publicly disclosed. They don’t want to look like they’re way behind everybody else.
Which nations have most markedly improved their biodiversity conservation efforts?
Jetz: Mexico, Madagascar, and Oman stand out for particularly strong improvement. Oman — among others — worked very directly with us to make sure we had their latest data. When it comes to promoting marine species, certain nations showed particularly strong improvements. They include Mexico, Madagascar, Bangladesh, and some of the Atlantic islands. We highlight the countries that have improved in the report [page 37].
In addition to large-scale, national land conservation efforts that increase available habitat for species, what are the other conservation efforts that you measure?
Jetz: So, it isn’t just government-designated protected areas we count. Community or private activities also drive conservation management in particular areas, and they’re gaining formal recognition. Indigenous areas are thankfully increasingly recognized for the important conservation outcomes the deliver, and especially in tropical countries with large Indigenous territories this does change the needle.
How is this report utilized by other scientists and environmentalists?
Jetz: Well, the biggest aggregate impact might come from the many people just stumbling across it. We had a lot of medica coverage at our launch, and millions of readers saw the key report messages. Creating awareness lets people broadly learn about importance of conservation biodiversity and about concrete success and opportunities. The report creates a jumping off point for those who want to go deeper.
Beyond this public understanding, the report also specifically supports regional and local government employees and other decision-makers to puts their own progress, or lack thereof, in a global context. It gives non-governmental organizations [NGOs] a quantitative way of measuring their progress. And increasingly, businesses are taking notice and begin to leverage this information to address the biodiversity risks associated with their activities.
Since this report had some positive news, do you worry that people will think biodiversity conservation is getting better, so we can all relax now?
Jetz: It’s obviously a double-edged sword to come out with a positive message. There’s no doubt that there have been some important improvements, and it’s important to celebrate these. But we need to provide both messages of success and reminders that there is still a biodiversity crisis that’s worsening in many ways.
What’s the one message you’d like readers to take away from this report?
Jetz: More than ever, conservation areas are central to safeguarding biodiversity for future generations. Science-driven measurement and guidance are key to achieving outcomes for biodiversity and people. There are tremendous and concrete opportunities for all of us to make a difference for biodiversity through smart, well-informed conservation actions. The science and technology innovations at our center at Yale are contributing to this and support policymakers with decision-relevant information.
