Today, the Biden Administration released their America the Beautiful progress report, which provides updates on the progress and accomplishments of meeting our first-ever national conservation goal – and ensuring all Americans have access to the outdoors – by conserving 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, issued the following statement regarding the report:
“The critical need and urgency are clear: conserving and restoring 30 percent of lands, waters, and ocean worldwide is the bare minimum needed to save nature and buffer against the worst impacts of climate change. It is critical to protecting our national parks, which are often on the frontlines of the battle with climate change.
We applaud the progress the Biden administration has made so far. This includes restoring the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument, as well as taking important steps to safeguard the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from development.
However, we urge the administration to push hard towards the goals laid out in 30 x 30. We must continue to ensure protections are in place for our current national parks and public lands, and we encourage the administration to strengthen their conservation legacy by establishing protections for places such Castner Range and Avi Kwa Ame.
Our progress is good but there is more to be done. We look forward to continuing to work with the administration to better protect our parks and public lands for the enjoyment of all Americans.”
Release Date: December 20, 2021
Media Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@pr********.org, 202-758-3936