A group of Australian scientists is calling on the United Nations to protect 100 per cent of the Earth's remaining wilderness areas, ahead of an international conference on biodiversity later this month.

Key points: Australia among 5 countries with most wilderness

Australia among 5 countries with most wilderness 77 per cent of Earth, 87 per cent of oceans modified by people

77 per cent of Earth, 87 per cent of oceans modified by people Indigenous management key to effective conservation

Researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have compiled the first comprehensive map detailing what is left of the world's pristine marine and terrestrial wilderness.

According to their results, which are published today in Nature, most of Earth's surface has been modified by human activities, and we are running out of time to save what is left.

Just five countries, including Australia, have the lion's share of remaining wilderness, and researcher James Watson from the University of Queensland said we should be one of the countries that shoulder the responsibility to protect it.

"Australia is one of them. The United States in another, Russia, Canada, and Brazil — those five nations hold 70 per cent of all the wilderness, not including the high seas and Antarctica," Dr Watson said.

"What is incredibly important is that means it is time for a handful of nations to actually step up."

Australia is third behind Russia and Canada for the most remaining wilderness. ( Supplied: James Watson )

Australia will be at the table for the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP) Convention on Biological Diversity in Egypt at the end of this month.

At the convention, the United Nations and decision makers from more than 190 countries will formulate a beyond-2020 plan to, "halt biodiversity loss and protect the ecosystems that support food and water security and health for billions of people".

But the time has come to stop biodiversity loss in its tracks, according to Dr Watson.

"It's time to rethink the strategy, and we're arguing quite forcefully that we need a bold target," he said.

"We need to say, let's keep 100 per cent of the last places intact."

Australian wilderness unique in the world

Australia is among the top 5 countries for wilderness. ( Supplied: UQld )

The researchers created a global map by combining 2016 data, which looked at the human impact on land, with 2018 data that analysed our impact on the oceans.

Excluding Antarctica, they found we've modified 77 per cent of the Earth's surface, and 87 per cent of oceans.

The first disruption of an ecosystem often does the most damage, according to the researchers.

So instead of using conservation to respond to ecological crises when they happen, they're arguing for a prevention-over-cure approach.

That means industrial-scale developments like mining would be off limits in these wilderness areas.

In Australia, regions they classify as pristine include ecosystems of global significance, according to Dr Watson.

"In the north, it includes the largest savannah in the world. It also captures the great western woodlands, which is the largest temperate woodland in the world," he said.

"Deserts are functionally very important. They play a critical role in biodiversity and for indigenous cultures."

Marine areas in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the Arnhem Land Coast, and off southwest Tasmania are also identified as untouched by industrial activity.

Waters in Australia's gulf are some of the last marine wilderness. ( Supplied: Christopher Michel )

The Pew Charitable Trusts, a not-for-profit NGO, have also thrown their support behind the push for increased protection of Australia's wilderness.

Although Australia has some of the most intact wilderness in the world, Pew's Australian director Barry Traill, who wasn't involved in the research, fears we may take it for granted.

"There's very few places on earth where you can go that rivers run free and there's wildlife in abundance," Dr Traill said.

"With the exception of literally Canada, and bits of Brazil and Russia, no other country has that."

Indigenous knowledge, management key to effective conservation

The researchers aren't advocating for these regions to be locked up, but for activities within these areas to be ecologically sensitive.

Integral to that is supporting indigenous knowledge and land management, according to Dr Traill, who said desert and arid landscapes in particular needed constant upkeep.

Indigenous management is essential for good conservation. ( supplied: Jawoyn Association )

"There are many places in the outback where we've got fewer land managers there than have been there in the last 60,000 years," Dr Traill said.

"Because of that you see pests and weeds getting out of control, and you see damaging fires."

The arguments for protecting these areas are economic and cultural, as well as ecological.

Bush foods, tourism, recreational and commercial fishing all rely on a healthy ecology. The waters in the Gulf are an important fish-breeding ground, and many coastal communities throughout Queensland and the Northern Territory rely on the sea to provide food.

According to Dr Watson, we need to provide support for people who know the country, to manage it well.

"I would strongly encourage any initiative that funds Indigenous people to maintain their connection with country and maintain the health of that country, by keeping industrialised activities out," he said.