What’s Happening
The Biden administration announced a new 10-year initiative it is calling “America the Beautiful.” The proposal is part of a broader campaign to conserve 30% of the United States’ waters and lands by 2030 – also known as “30 by 30.” After his inauguration, President Biden signed an executive order committing the U.S. to this target, and the intention of “America the Beautiful” is to help provide clarity and direction to that order.
Why It Matters
Global biodiversity has been in precipitous free-fall. Since 1970, the average population size of wildlife around the world has dropped 68%, while land-use changes, deforestation, and agriculture account for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the U.S. and North America alone, there are three billion fewer birds than just 50 years ago, half of wetland and riparian ecosystems have been lost, and crucial ocean ecosystems are under increasing threat from climate change .
The goal of 30 by 30 is to ensure the protection of these American lands, waters, and wildlife, both public and private, as part of the global push to restore biodiversity and tackle climate change. This is a worthwhile goal and reflects the urgent need to protect our natural environment and mitigate the worst impacts of a changing climate.
Biden’s “America the Beautiful” initiative lays out steps to achieve the 30 by 30 goals. It includes significant investment in restoration and resilience projects, cross-departmental collaboration, support for locally-led and tribal conservation initiatives, and emphasizes job creation through a Civilian Climate Corps.
My Take
It is encouraging that President Biden is putting conservation of our natural heritage at the center of his political agenda. It’s also encouraging that he appears willing to work with private landowners and local conservation groups. For example, half of all American forests are privately owned. Working with these landowners and respecting private property rights will be crucial to reaching the 30 by 30 goal.
However, the “America the Beautiful” report still fails to answer important questions about how these goals will be achieved concretely. For example, it hasn’t clarified what is meant by “conservation,” nor does it provide a specific baseline for what it considers currently conserved.
Moreover, important stakeholders have expressed worry about how these goals will be enacted. In particular, 90% of public land is in the western half of the United States, meaning that many Western states are uniquely concerned about any policy that would increase federal government control, such as Biden’s decision earlier this year to halt new oil and gas leases on public lands. It is crucial that the President doesn’t further alienate these stakeholders, and respects the principle of “multiple-use,” which maintains that conserved lands and waters can still be used for other activities, such as outdoor recreation, that are important to rural communities.
Finally, in order to have the greatest impact, the Administration will have to prioritize investments that have both climate and conservation benefits, such as natural solutions (trees, soil, ocean habitat, etc.) that can both sequester carbon dioxide and reinvigorate our ecosystems. Moreover, an emphasis on active conservation, rather than mere preservation, will be important to restore these ecosystems, plant more trees, and reduce the risk of wildfires through active forest management.
Quote Me On It
“America’s lands and waters are in desperate need of restoration. While President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative is an encouraging step in the right direction, it still lacks important specifics. Biden will need to clarify these and work closely with private landowners, local governments, and rural stakeholders.” – National Policy Director Christopher Barnard