Climate change and its adverse consequences we observe in last decades in the world compel scientists of the world to look for efficient measures to stop or at least mitigate it. One of these measures is the increment and preservation of all existed forests and reserved areas. Climate change process is exacerbated by deforestation, forest degradation and overexploitation in many forest rich countries of the world like Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, etc. Another source of climate change is the acceleration of urbanization tempos and air and noise pollution due to city traffic. The degradation of ecosystem services in the world contribute to increase of nature disasters like floods, storms, tidal surges, draughts, and natural and human induced fires taking place every year in USA, Australia, Russia, etc. In this situation forests and especially reserved areas can play significant role in mitigation of climate change consequences by absorbing carbon dioxide and submitting oxygen to the atmosphere. We must use this unique feature of forests and enlarge existed and create new reserved areas. 

Scientific and technical progress brought significant benefits to all peoples of the world but at the same time it was accompanied by many detrimental effects to environment, biodiversity degradation and   climate change acceleration. The increased levels of exhausted transport emissions into atmosphere are poisoning ambient air in big cities and settlements, causing allergies, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and lung damage [1,2]. The great threats to climate change also are: deforestation, forest degradation and forests uncontrolled overexploitation. Especially must be underlined the cut and slash practice in Africa and Latin America where forest lands are converted into agricultural use by indigenous people due to extreme poverty and lack of other facilities to satisfy their elementary human needs. Natural and human induced forest fires taking place in North America, Brazil, Australia, Russia, etc. are also big contributors to climate change [3.4].

Forests and reserved areas help to conserve natural ecosystems and provide habitat to forest fauna representatives and people with wood materials and non-wood forest products that help to maintain food security in the world. They are the natural barriers against disasters. They make stable of natural resources and many other ecosystem services. Forest and reserved areas help people as well as different species of flora and fauna in adaptation to climate change. In 2019 many well-known ecologists of the world suggested the plan that was called, the global deal to nature’’ for saving the biodiversity on the planet and abundance of life on the earth by enlargement of reserved areas up to 30 % and to designate additional 20 % of adherent territories as climate stabilization zone by 2030 [5]. This plan must be supported by all scientists of the world working on problems of ecology, biodiversity loss and to climate change. Moreover, scientists have to convince government leaders and policy-makers in all countries of the world about importance of this plan and that future of the planet is in their hands. This plan will help to keep the average global temperature on/below 1.50 C. Many countries of the world have already achieved this goal and others are still working to keep pace with them [6.7]

2.1 Case study of protected areas of Georgia

Protected areas are the key factor to have protected planet. Well managed protected areas not only conserve ecosystem services but also benefit communities and provide solutions to global challenges like water provision, soils protection, food security, human health and well-fare, disaster risks reduction and climate change mitigation [8]. One of the important ways of conservation and restoration of biodiversity of the planet is increment of extensive network of protected natural territories. Specially established  protected natural areas are geographical territories that are under state-level protection in order to safe and maintain biodiversity of nature. Rare and typical natural ecosystems, habitats for rare flora and fauna species, landscapes that are peculiar, beautiful and geomorphologic formations, as well as territories, significant for recreational and educational purposes are preserved on these areas [9,10]. 

Georgia is notable for biodiversity. About 400 trees and shrubs of different species grow there. Among them are many species of endemic and relict trees and bushes of local and the Caucasian importance. The best way of preserving local flora and fauna is the enlargement of the reserved areas. At the beginning of the twentieth century there were few reserved protected areas in the world. Today their number account more than 200 thousand. Protected areas provide wide range of social, environmental and economic benefits to people and communities worldwide. They conserve nature and are associated with cultural resources of local communities and indigenous people. Protected areas are the vital response against some today’s most pressing challenges including food and water security, human health and well-being, disaster risk reduction and climate change [11, 12]. 

From reserved areas in Georgia are organized: strict nature reserves, national parks, managed reserves, natural monuments and protected landscapes (table2.1). Until 2005 there were 15 strict nature reserve, 5 hunting farm and only one national park that was not recognized by IUCN because it wasn’t organized according to their regulations, there wasn’t strict nature reserve [13]. After including strict nature reserve into Tbilisi national park, it was recognized by IUCN [13.14]. By Conservation International Georgia is praised as an area distinguished for richness of species and complex of landscapes, variation of climate and ecosystems [15]. The central and eastern parts of the Caucasus mountains are especially rich by endemics. Some ecosystems of Georgia have global environment value. There are 31 sites of special importance for bird species, 17 sites of special interest for biodiversity, which are included in the Emerald Network. Since 2019 Georgia officially Adopted Emerald cites of its territories [16]. The wetland forests of the central Kolkheti Lowland located by the Black Sea coastal line, as well as unique peat bogs and alder forests are included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of international importance [17]. 

 According to the 1990 registry of the state fund of Georgia the total territory of reserved areas occupied 20059 hectares including 14 strict nature reserve with territory of 168872 hectare and 5 hunting farm -12283 hectare. In 2021 the reserved areas of Georgia increased up to 93 categories with territory of 793352 hectares. Among them: 14 strict nature reserve with area of 131301; 13 natural parks with area of 445768 hectare; 23 managed reserve with area of 75207 hectare; 40 natural monuments with area of 2749 hectare and 3 protected landscapes with area of 138327 hectare.

Source: 1. Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

               2. LEPL Agency of Protected Areas

Table 2.1.1 Protected areas of Georgia by categories, number/hectare, 2021

The first strict nature reserve was established in east Georgia in 1912 in Lagodekhi. It was the first strict nature reserve not only in Georgia, but in the Caucasus region altogether. The strict nature reserves conserve regional rare and typical ecosystems and biodiversity of local nature, habitats of rare species of fauna and flora, landscapes that are peculiar, beautiful and characteristic for the given region of the country, geological and geomorphological formations, as well as, beautiful forest territories most significant for recreational purposes. In strict nature reserves grow such relict and endemic species of Georgia and Caucasus as: Pinus Pithuisa, Pinus Eldarica, Querqus Pontica, Buxus Colchica, Rhamnus Imeretina, Rhododendron Ponticum etc [18,20]. 

According to 2021 data there are 93 reserve area in Georgia with territory of 793352 hectare, among them: 14 strict nature reserve with territory of 131301 hectare; 13 national park with territory of 445708 hectare; 23 managed reserves with territory of 75207 hectare; 40 nature monuments with territory of 2749 hectare and 3 protected landscapes with territory of 138327 hectare. In natural reserves of Georgia besides endemic and relict plants and bushes are preserved many local animals and birds. Among them from animals: brown bear, wild cat, common marten, Eurasian badger, grey wolf, red fox, nutria, Asiatic jackal, European lynx Caucasian goat etc. From birds: hawk, griffon vulture, hillock eagle, tawny owl, rock partridge, Caucasian blackcock, Turkey vulture, Eurasian   woodcock, wood pigeon, goshawk, white stark, crow, Eurasian jay, pheasant, etc. Historically Georgia was considered as forest rich country, but little by little it lost this status due to different reasons, mostly from foreign invaders in early centuries and later from uncontrolled overexploitation. It continued until 1970s when forests were exploited on scientific base. It continued up to breaking down of the Soviet system. From 1991 on the chaos in forest overexploitation continued with new wave and this trend is still continued. Strict nature reserves played significant role in preserving biodiversity of forests. Georgia have always been a leader country by reserved areas amount   in south Caucasus, but presently it legged behind. 

2.2 Protected areas of other countries of the world

In table 2.2.1 we see that many countries of the world have already exceeded the target of 30 % that was designated in 2019 by the leading ecologists of the world for keeping the world’s average temperature increase by 2030 at 1.50C.

Source: United Nations List of Protected Areas. https://www.worldbank.org 

Table 2.2.1 The terrestrial reserved areas (% of total land area) of the countries who already achieved the designated 30% in 2019

We must be in a hurry to catch up with the leading countries as there is only five years ahead. We have many beautiful landscapes rich by biodiversity, geographical and geomorphological features, flora and fauna that deserve and must be organized as strict nature reserves, national parks, managed reserves, natural monuments or protected landscapes. It must be underlined that the biodiversity of the country and relict and endemic species has been preserved until now due to the reserved areas [21]. 

Source: Global forest resources assessment, 2020. https://www.sprep.org

Table 2.2.2 Forest amount in protected areas by geographical regions, 2020

Source: United Nations List of Protected Areas. https://wedocs.unep.org

Table 2.2.3 Top ten country for forest amount in protected areas

Reserved areas prevent the loss of carbon in vegetations. Ecosystem degradation is one of the major courses of greenhouse gas emissions that is about 20 % of the total greenhouse gas emissions altogether. The degradation of ecosystem services in the world contribute to increase such natural disasters as: floods, storms, tidal surges, draughts and wild and human induced fires. In last decades economic loss from climate and human induced disasters increased ten times and is predicted to keep this trend in future. 

Source: United Nations List of Protected Areas. https://wedocs.unep.org

Table 2.2.4 Forest area designated for biodiversity conservation by region

Presently the percentage of the world’s terrestrial reserved areas from the total land area is 14.8. It is the half of the target that we need for stabilization of average temperature by 2030 on 1.50 C. Many countries of the world have already achieved the target of 30% of the reserved areas and even exceeded it, especially the European ones (table 2.2). Among world regions Latin America and Caribbean and the European Union are the leaders. By forest amount in protected areas according to geographical regions are leading South America-31%, Africa-27%, Asia-25% and Oceania-16%. The forest amount in protected areas of the world is 18% (table 2.3). In top ten countries for forest amount in protected areas are leading Brazil-21%, Indonesia-7% and Venezuela-6% (table 2.4). The other countries have approximately the same 4-3 %. The forest area designated of biodiversity conservation by region shows that Africa. Oceania and Asia are the leaders (table 2.5).
 

Reserved areas preserve essential ecosystem services and increase resistance to climate change. They reduce vulnerability of livelihoods against different natural disasters like, floods, storms, tidal surges, droughts and wild and human induced fires. Presently there are 93 reserved area in Georgia with territory of 793352 hectare, among them: 14 strict nature reserve with territory of 131301 hectare; 13 national park with territory of 445708 hectare; 23 managed reserve with territory of 75207 hectare; 40 nature monument with territory of 2749 hectare and 3 protected landscapes with territory of 138327 hectare. In natural reserves of Georgia along the endemic and relict plants and bushes are preserved many local animals and birds. Among them animals: brown bear, wild cat, common marten, Eurasian badger, grey wolf, red fox, nutria, Asiatic jackal, European lynx Caucasian goat etc. Birds: hawk, griffon vulture, hillock eagle, tawny owl, rock partridge, Caucasian blackcock, Turkey vulture, Eurasian woodcock, wood pigeon, goshawk, white stark, crow, Eurasian jay, pheasant, etc. In 2021 percentage of the terrestrial reserved areas of Georgia was 13% and of course it isn’t enough. Many countries of the world have already exceeded the target of 30 % that was designated in 2019 by the leading ecologists of the world. Georgia has many beautiful landscapes rich by biodiversity, flora and fauna, that must be protected. The biodiversity of the country and preservation of relict and endemic species depend on abundance of reserved areas.