OECMs: An opportunity to turn ‘coercive conservation’ upside down

Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are one possible solution ‘for people and the planet.’ These sites promise an alternative to traditional protected areas — such as national parks — that will deliver long-term benefits for biodiversity and people through innovative and inclusive governance structures.

But are OECMs designed to deliver on their promises or do they risk the same conservation pitfalls? Speakers addressed this question at the 2022 World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Fuller Symposium — appropriately titled “Challenging OECMs.”