Representatives from countries around the globe have pledged to protect nearly one-third of the planet's land and water by the start of the next decade, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced this week.

The United Nations' biodiversity conference the Convention on Biological Diversity 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) concluded Dec. 19 in Montreal with the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the DOS announced the next day, calling the agreement a "sweeping and ambitious" commitment to conserve or protect "at least 30 percent of global lands and waters by 2030."

"More than one million species are at risk of extinction – many within decades – and more than ever before in our history," the announcement reports. "This drop in biodiversity endangers all life on our planet."

The DOS cites intergovernmental environmental scientists conclusions "that biodiversity is declining at a catastrophic rate" and that conserving and protecting 30% to 50% of the planet's lands and waters "could preserve nature’s ability to sustain people and the planet."

The United Nations (U.N.) stated the GBF has "four overarching global goals": Halting or reducing by tenfold human-induced species extinction by 2050; sustainable use and management of biodiversity "to ensure that nature's contributions to people are valued"; equitable distribution of benefits of genetic resources; and that the ability to implement the GBF "be accessible to all Parties, particularly Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States."

The agreement includes 23 targets to reach by 2030, the U.N. report states, including effectively conserving and managing of at least 30% of the planet's land, coastal areas and oceans; restoring 30% of land and marine ecosystems; halving global food waste; raising $200 billion annually for biodiversity-related initiatives from public and private sources; and increasing funding from developed to developing countries to at least $30 billion annually.

“Success will be measured by our rapid and consistent progress in implementing what we have agreed to," Inger Andersen, executive director of the U.N. Environment Progra. "The entire U.N. system is geared to support its implementation so we can truly make peace with nature."

U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken called the GBF "a game-changing win for biodiversity."

"Together, we will conserve and protect at least 30 percent of global lands and waters for people and the planet," Blinken said.