The Biden administration’s commitment to the “30×30” goal of conserving 30% of the planet’s lands and waters by 2030 remains enigmatic, in part because the administration has changed the playing field.
The original concept of conserving 30% of natural spaces addressed two goals — mitigating climate change and safeguarding biodiversity. The administration’s America the Beautiful initiative adds a social justice element, and the basic parameters for the initiative — baseline, targets, metrics — have not been defined.
An August statement from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland reads, “Increasing access to outdoor recreation opportunities is essential to advancing the Administration’s commitment to the conservation stewardship of our public lands.”
As reported by Jennifer Yachnin in Greenwire, Interior Department spokesman Tyler Cherry said, “The interagency work to implement the initiative is in its early stages and making steady progress.”
