In December 2022, at the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15) in Montreal, over 190 countries committed to protecting or conserving at least 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030 (the 30x30 target). Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly recognised as an important tool for conserving and restoring marine ecosystems and biodiversity under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea2, as well as a means of contributing to climate action. Coastal states can establish MPAs within their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) to protect critical habitats and species and progress toward their 30x30 commitment.