October 2024 – UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves comprise some of our most essential and valuable natural and cultural treasures, and yet they are threatened by fossil fuel extraction projects, with the industry planning to increase their footprint dramatically over the next few decades.

December 2023 – A new report, released at COP28 in Dubai, spotlights fossil fuel expansion threats to protected areas around the globe and calls for a global moratorium on all fossil fuel development and expansion — as well as a phase-down of current fossil fuel infrastructure — in the world’s protected areas. Produced in cooperation with IUCN, WCPA, and Earth Insight.

Available in English

This toolbox offers a comprehensive collection of financial
mechanisms designed to support the transition away from fossil
fuels by providing countries with the necessary incentives to
leave fossil fuel reserves untapped. We call these mechanisms
Leave-it-in-the-ground/LINGO Incentive Deals (LIDs).

May 2023 – The global brief summarises our analysis of oil, gas, and coal extraction projects within the world’s protected areas. With trillions of dollars in damages at stake and millions of lives in the balance, the need to defend these areas from dirty fossil fuel projects is more urgent than ever.

Available in English

November 2023 – A brief on declaring protected areas as no-go zones for fossil fuel extraction. 50 Gigatons of potential CO2 emissions are located under the world’s protected areas, mostly in economically marginal oil, gas and coal fields. Pledging to keep these in the ground constitutes an accessible additional mitigation measure that adds millions of tons of avoided CO2 emissions to a country’s climate commitments with significant biodiversity co-benefits. 

Available in English

Despite Bolivia’s progressive policies recognising its status as a megadiverse nation and its commitment to protecting nature and planning for climate change, inadequate investment has allowed deforestation to continue due to agricultural expansion and fossil fuel projects. Establishing non-extraction commitments for protected areas would strengthen climate action, safeguard its natural heritage, and align with existing legislation.

Canada has demonstrated ambition on the international stage by co-founding the Powering Past Coal Alliance, signing the Paris Climate Agreement, and issuing joint statements urging urgent action on both climate and biodiversity. However, the country remains a major fossil fuel extractor with plans to expand extraction projects in conservation areas—including protected sites and UNESCO World Heritage Sites—that, if allowed to proceed, could generate over 3.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ and breach agreements protecting indigenous life.

China’s 101 IUCN-recognised protected areas—ranging from vast regions like the Qinghai Hoh Xil World Heritage Site to local reserves such as Shanghai’s Chongming Dongtan Ramsar Site—represent only a small fraction of an estimated 10,000 sites, many of which face potential threats from fossil fuel extraction pressures. Reforms adopted in 2019, which centralise management under the Ministry of Natural Resources, aim to resolve long-standing issues of regulatory ambiguity and underfunding while safeguarding these areas from harmful extraction projects.

Colombia’s protected areas now face a significant threat from current, planned, or idled oil, gas, and coal extraction projects that could emit billions of tonnes of CO₂. Several projects rely on high-risk methods like fracking and unconventional extraction. Shutting down these projects would protect delicate ecosystems and indigenous communities, preserving some of the country’s most undisturbed nature reserves.

Germany’s current and planned extraction projects within protected areas have the potential to generate over 3.8 billion tonnes of CO2, a potent greenhouse gas. Discounting the massive Hambach coal mine, which is due to close by 2030, still leaves 1.1 billion tonnes of potential CO2 emissions from oil and gas extraction, along
with the associated harms such drilling causes to the high-value conservation zones they are located in.

Oman has no current fossil fuel projects within its protected areas, but this may not hold in the future. Under the “Oman Vision 2040” plan, the country intends to diversify its economy, achieve “net zero” CO2 emissions by 2050 (scope 1 & 2 only), and become a global leader in green hydrogen. In light of these policies, non-extraction commitments for protected areas may become more viable as another element of Oman’s climate leadership plans.

Zambia is a signatory to the Paris Climate Agreement and has acknowledged the effects of anthropomorphic climate change in government policies such as the National Policy on Climate Change and the Vision 2030 long-term national plan, which identifies climate change as a significant obstacle to development. Conversely,
Zambia has designated coal mining and oil exploration as economic priorities and has created incentives to attract further foreign investment in fossil fuel extraction.

May 2023 – The Hail and Ghasha offshore oil and gas fields in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lie within the boundaries of an important UNESCO programme site: the Marawah Biosphere Reserve. Existing oil extraction operations in the Hail field are still increasing in capacity and are expected to peak in 2033.

Available in English and Arabic

May 2023 – This report addresses the case of Laguna de Términos, Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche. Oil activity in the area has been present in recent decades. Since its decree in 1996 as Natural Protected Area Laguna de Términos, three onshore oil wells, seven development wells, and four gas pipelines have been constructed, as well as the Xilacalango gas gathering station and a gas pipeline to the Atasta compressor station.

Available in English and Spanish

May 2023 – Russia has over 13,000 “Specially Protected Natural Areas” (State Natural Reserves, National Parks, Nature Parks, State Natural Sanctuaries and Natural Monuments), which occupy more than 13% of its territory. LINGO analysis has identified 1.4 billion tonnes of CO2 in 171 oil & gas extraction projects inside Russia’s protected areas.

Available in English and Russian

May 2023 – Mittelplate is Germany’s largest oil field. The field is currently undergoing extraction and has been since 1987, with permits lasting until 2041. Extraction is taking place in the Southern part of the Wadden Sea National Park, which is part of a complex belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Wadden Sea.

Available in English and German