Only 1.69% of oceans protected nationally

Patience Makwele

Namibia has protected only 1.69% of its marine territory, despite committing to an international target requiring countries to place at least 30% of their oceans under conservation by 2030, according to agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform minister, Inge Zaamwani.

The disclosure has highlighted a growing challenge for a country that depends heavily on the ocean for jobs, food security and economic growth, while simultaneously seeking to expand its blue economy ambitions.

Speaking at the World Ocean Day commemoration in Windhoek earlier this week, Zaamwani said the latest 2026 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Target Tracker shows Namibia has made considerable progress in protecting land ecosystems but remains significantly behind in marine conservation.

“According to the 2026 UNEP Target Tracker, our conservation metrics currently stand at 39.92% for terrestrial areas and 1.69% for marine areas. This means we need to do more in terms of marine areas,” she said.