The study by Joppa and Pfaff (2009) examines the biases in the location of protected areas (PAs) globally. They find that PA networks are biased towards higher elevations, steeper slopes, and greater distances from roads and cities, even though these areas are less likely to face land conversion pressures. This bias is consistent across 147 countries and suggests that PAs are often located in areas where they are least effective at preventing land conversion. The study also finds that within a country, PAs with higher protection status are more biased than those with lower protection status. These findings have implications for conservation and climate policy, suggesting that current siting rules, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity's 2010 Target, may not be effective if applied at the country level. The study highlights the need to consider threat levels when creating and managing PAs, as well as the importance of systematic conservation planning that takes into account multiple factors such as ecosystem services and costs. The results suggest that future PA allocation should differ from historic protection strategies to better address conservation priorities. The study uses a global dataset of PAs and employs statistical models to analyze the relationship between PA locations and various environmental and socioeconomic factors. The findings underscore the importance of considering the spatial distribution of PAs in conservation planning and management.The study by Joppa and Pfaff (2009) examines the biases in the location of protected areas (PAs) globally. They find that PA networks are biased towards higher elevations, steeper slopes, and greater distances from roads and cities, even though these areas are less likely to face land conversion pressures. This bias is consistent across 147 countries and suggests that PAs are often located in areas where they are least effective at preventing land conversion. The study also finds that within a country, PAs with higher protection status are more biased than those with lower protection status. These findings have implications for conservation and climate policy, suggesting that current siting rules, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity's 2010 Target, may not be effective if applied at the country level. The study highlights the need to consider threat levels when creating and managing PAs, as well as the importance of systematic conservation planning that takes into account multiple factors such as ecosystem services and costs. The results suggest that future PA allocation should differ from historic protection strategies to better address conservation priorities. The study uses a global dataset of PAs and employs statistical models to analyze the relationship between PA locations and various environmental and socioeconomic factors. The findings underscore the importance of considering the spatial distribution of PAs in conservation planning and management.