**5.2 Measuring the conservation effort: propositions**

The quantitative "one-upmanship" that marks the creation of MPAs, although criticised [For example, see 3], remains championed by countries as well as many NGOs.8 But it is based on assessment indicators of protected surfaces that our analysis contributes to challenging. In light of our analysis, we propose to measure them by taking into account mainly actively protected perimeters as defined on the basis of the analysis and which it is possible to quantify, and then passively protected perimeters, which could, by default, be assimilated with perimeters that are classified even if, in reality, they are slightly larger. Admittedly, this second level cannot be precisely circumscribed in that it depends on how stakeholders in environmental disputes seize hold of (or do not) the existence of the MPA – but it can be approximated. Furthermore, for a more detailed assessment, these perimeters should not be studied without examining the MPA's institutionalisation process, its degree of consolidation and what might constitute a threat to it: to do this, it would be useful to mobilise the indicators regarding the durability of the MPA's funding, its social acceptance, and the degree of adherence and convergence between public organisations with regard to this territorial conservation policy. Concerning the assessment of levels of protection within the perimeters under consideration, our

<sup>8</sup> During the Global Forum for MPAs in 2017, current international commitments were described as the "minimum goal to be attained", the ambition being to protect "at least 30% of the world's seas" according to the IUCN, while the WWF asserted the need to raise this objective to 40%.

analysis also leads us to challenge a vision championed in certain political discourse (the "fully natural zones" proposed by the French presidency) and scientific studies [17, 39], according to which, the more uses with potential impacts are covered by a legal framework, the more effective the protection is: our analysis indicates that it is important both not to ignore the significance of systems of rules that are not legally recognised but adopted by stakeholders, and to examine the way in which legal regulations are effectively used.
