30x30

CA Releases Final Pathway to 30x30 Strategy

California is working towards meeting its goals to protect biodiversity, increase climate resiliency, and expand access to natural resources with the California Biodiversity Collaborative’s 30x30 Initiative that seeks to conserve 30% of our state’s lands and waters by 2030.

At the end of 2021, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) released a draft strategy (Pathways to 30x30) for public review and input on how to meet the goals. EAC and a coastal environmental coalition commented on the draft, advocating for improved definitions of terms, to increase the scope of stakeholders for coastal working waters, update scientific criteria, and commit to achieving 30x30 goals with highly protected Marine Protected Areas. On Earth Day, the CNRA released its final report, Pathways to 30x30: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature.

California: Leading the Way in 30x30

In 2021, Governor Newsom introduced the 30x30 initiative, committing to protecting 30% of California’s lands and waters from biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change by 2030. This goal was complemented by President Biden’s executive order America the Beautiful.

So far, California is making progress in implementing the 30x30 guidelines, but we still have a long way to go.

Protecting 30% of Our Land and Water by 2030

Biodiversity loss, pollution, and the climate crisis are straining our natural systems. To mitigate and prevent additional irreparable loss, efforts to protect 30 percent of our lands, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and marine systems by 2030 (30x30) have been launched.

In response to this call to act,“California has set an ambitious goal to protect 30 percent of California lands and coastal waters by 2030 and advance nature-based solutions to address climate change, equity and species loss. We can only achieve this by holistically examining the depth and breadth of these issues with input from a variety of stakeholders.” - California Secretary for Natural Resources, Wade Crowfoot.

30% by 2030: Protecting Our Land and Water

On March 9th, EAC participated in the 16th annual California Ocean Day, where our team joined with advocates from across the state to celebrate our marine environment. In addition to meeting with our representatives Assemblymember Marc Levine and State Senator Mike McGuire, EAC also attended a panel discussion regarding the “30x30” initiative with Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot, Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, and other leaders in the field.