Why 1.2%?

Conserving 1.2% of Earth’s surface

Just 1.2% of the Earth’s land surface contains the highest concentration of species most at risk of extinction. These sites, known as Conservation Imperatives, were identified through rigorous scientific analysis published in Frontiers in Science. They represent the most urgent and strategic opportunity for halting global biodiversity loss.

These areas are not yet protected—by definition, they fall outside national parks, community reserves, or other conservation mechanisms. That means they are vulnerable. And in many cases, they are the last known habitats of rare and threatened species found nowhere else.

Focused Conservation,
Maximum Impact

Conserve.org was created to make protecting these places possible. Our approach focuses squarely on CI sites because of their outsized value per acre:

  • Efficient: They’re small but incredibly important. Many are less than 1,000 hectares but contain multiple threatened species.

  • Affordable: Many CI sites can be permanently protected for under $100 per acre.

  • Time-sensitive: New development, deforestation, and land-use change are already threatening many of them. Immediate action is critical.

  • Underserved: Despite their importance, many of these places receive no conservation funding today.

By targeting this 1.2%, Conserve.org enables donors and partners to directly support the most high-leverage sites for biodiversity protection. This strategy builds on our broader approach: to connect global urgency with local leadership and lasting results.

A Blueprint for Saving Life on Earth

The Conservation Imperatives model is more than just a map. It offers a globally coordinated, science-driven framework for filling the most critical gaps in the world’s conservation efforts. As detailed in the Frontiers in Science study, these areas represent the last remaining habitat for over 4,700 globally threatened species and are by definition fully unprotected. Without protection, they remain open to logging, mining, agriculture, and other pressures, and imminent extinction. Safeguarding them is not optional—it is essential to halting the current extinction crisis.

Conservation Imperatives are also the first and most foundational layer of the Global Safety Net — a scientifically derived framework for achieving the twin goals of biodiversity conservation and climate stabilization. Watch the video here to learn more:

Join Us to Protect What’s Most at Risk

One acre at a time, you can help secure the planet’s most vulnerable habitats. Each Conservation Imperative site is a real place that needs urgent protection—and your action can make that happen today.