U.S. to conserve 30% of land & water. What will it mean for public and private lands?

Overview:

The Biden administration has declared its intention to protect 30% of U.S. land and offshore waters by 2030. A few states have also committed to conserving 30% of their land, or are considering such a pledge. Dr. Justin Brashares is a professor of environmental science, policy, and management at the University of California, Berkeley. He discussed topics including:

• What achieving the national 30% goal might mean for various parts of the country;
• What counts as “conserved,” and ways this goal can be achieved;
• How conservation can protect biodiversity, and why that matters;
• Economic, social, and health benefits of conservation; and
• How unstable ecosystems gave rise to the current pandemic – and why the next one might originate in the United States.

Recent Media Examples:

Dr. Brashares co-authored a New York Times op-ed on the Biden administration’s conservation commitment, and gave a talk that was broadcast via University of California Television on how biodiversity loss harms humans.

Availability:

Dr. Brashares spoke to members of the media on Tuesday, March 30, from 12:00 to 1:30 pm ET. He was also interviewed by SciLine. To request the video of SciLine’s interview with Dr. Brashares, email Sara Brinda at sbrinda@aaas.org.