The Crisis

Today, over 26,500 species are threatened with extinction, meaning that without conservation action, they face a real risk of disappearing forever. Fortunately, the creation of well-enforced nature reserves is a proven tool to prevent habitat loss and overexploitation, helping protect and recover species. QRFN helps local organizations create and expand protected areas for endangered species, acting quickly to safeguard critical habitat before it is lost.

In December 2022, governments signed a landmark agreement to protect 30% of the planet by 2030. Our team played a critical role in the science behind this agreement, leading the creation of the Global Safety Net (GSN)—a strategic framework identifying the most important places on Earth to conserve in order to prevent biodiversity loss and stabilize the climate. In 2024, our team contributed to the Conservation Imperatives, identifying the 1.2% of terrestrial surface that represents the last refuges of the world’s rarest species (Species Rarity Sites in the GSN). QRFN focuses primarily on protecting these Conservation Imperatives Sites, while occasionally supporting projects in other GSN priority areas where time-sensitive funding is needed to secure critical habitat for threatened species.

By providing rapid, flexible funding, QRFN plays a critical role in ensuring these high-priority sites are protected in time to prevent extinctions, contributing both to the global 30×30 target and to broader efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.