Describes whether the organization has evaluated the continuity of natural habitats in protected areas as of the end of the reporting period.
Organizations should footnote all assumptions used, including source(s) of data.
This metric is intended to capture where the organization has assessed the connectedness of protected areas, which is an important measure of habitat available to flora and fauna. To assess the connectedness of a land area, organizations can implement the use of a geographic information system or apply an existing resource, such as the Protected Area Connectedness Index (https://dashboard.natureserve.org/metadata/paconnectednessindex).
This indicator is used by the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Target 11, which aims to improve biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity. Aichi Target 11 relates to other UN conventions, such as SDG 15 and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. More information on this indicator can be found through the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership, which uses remote satellite imagery to visualize forest change and land cover compared to global protected areas.
Metrics identified as "cross-category" are those that are relevant to any IRIS+ Impact Category or Impact Theme (i.e., these metrics are not specific to any particular industry/category or theme).
June 2022 - IRIS v5.3 Released (current version)
Immaterial change. Minor revisions to definition and usage guidance for clarity.
January 2020 - IRIS v5.1 Released
New metric. Protected Area Connectedness Assessment (OI2767) was developed via the IRIS+ Sustainable Forestry Expert Subgroup.
IRIS Metrics Work Better in Sets
To use IRIS metrics—and the resulting data—to understand impact performance, IRIS metrics should be used and analyzed in generally accepted sets and according to well-defined objectives. IRIS+ gives you access to generally accepted Core Metrics Sets aligned to common Impact Themes and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).