New Report Details Biden Administration’s Commitment to Conservation

WASHINGTON – The Secretaries of Interior, Agriculture and Commerce and Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality released a new report detailing the Biden-Harris Administration’s plans to protect American lands from the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. President Biden’s pledge to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030 has been an early cornerstone of his administration’s conservation agenda, and a crucial commitment to preserve and protect national parks in the face of a changing climate.

Experts have warned that we need to protect thirty percent of our lands and waters by 2030 to stave off the worst impacts of climate change and the loss of critical plant and animal species. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has long been a champion of this locally-led conservation vision, and the report shows that this commitment is a top priority of the Biden-Harris Administration.

The report lays out an inclusive vision to support locally led conservation campaigns, to bring as many stakeholders to the table as possible and to inspire action.

Statement by Matt Kirby, Director of Landscape Conservation for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)

“National parks could be the biggest winners in the “America the Beautiful” Initiative. This report shows that the Biden-Harris administration is committed to the kind of bold, comprehensive policies that parks need to thrive in the 21st century. Now the administration must take action to make this vision a reality.

"The plan will help protect natural and cultural resources, wildlife, forests and waterways that make America’s national parks so special. The report calls upon communities to come together to protect the places they love and to do so in a way that is inclusive and equitable.

Whether it’s the Everglades in Florida or the Bear Coast in Alaska, national parks are at the heart of some of America’s most threatened areas. Protecting vulnerable landscapes from climate change and biodiversity loss will help not only our parks, but the people who depend on them. NPCA has been working to defend these iconic landscapes for more than 100 years. Few places bring people together like national parks and this is a call to action to ensure those places and the landscapes and communities that surround them are protected for future generations.

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.