<p>Biodiversity is worldwide under severe stress. Anthropogenic activities, such as pollution, habitat destruction, hunting, mining or agriculture, have immense effects on biodiversity. However, these effects are not uniformly distributed across regions. Hence, evidence-based knowledge on the long-run evolution of biodiversity protection in space is of vital importance for environmental policy making. This study seeks to identify the existence of spatial convergence patterns in biodiversity protection between countries all over the world and across regional areas. The study of the space–time dynamics of the related biodiversity patterns calls for advanced statistical methods. To this purpose, we apply the Phillips and Sul (Phillips and Sul, Econometrica 75:1771–1855, 2007, Phillips and Sul, J Appl Econometr 24:1153–1185, 2009) algorithm utilizing three alternative indicators related to biodiversity and habitat protection. The sample spans the period 1995–2022 covering 215 countries all over the world. The empirical findings from our model application allow us to identify up to three convergence clubs of countries. Our analysis reveals that the transition trajectories of these clubs exhibit discrepancies based on each of the three biodiversity indicators. This significant empirical differentiation may raise concerns about the effectiveness of global green initiatives, including Treaties like the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).</p>