The Biden administration has outlined a bold vision for conservation, but the devil is in the details, especially when it comes to protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030.
“With the climate crisis threatening ocean life as we know it, we are depending on our leaders to treat this situation with the urgency it demands,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “By appointing a highly regarded expert from New England, President Biden will have a NMFS leader who understands the perils our ocean faces and the promise it holds in a resilient future. CLF looks forward to working with Administrator Coit to restore healthy fisheries in New England and protect critical ocean species and habitat.”
“With our nation’s waters under siege from polluters, today’s announcement is a step in the right direction,” said Heather Govern, Director of CLF’s Clean Air and Water Program. “But the Biden Administration must move quickly to officially overturn Trump’s irresponsible dirty water rule. Officials need to get to work redefining Waters of the United States to ensure clean water for current and future generations.”
Like COVID-19, severe heat waves are not an equal opportunity health threat. The most disinvested neighborhoods — those dominated by buildings, pavement, and parking lots — are hit the hardest. The built environment of these places absorbs and traps heat, creating a “heat island effect” that makes them dangerously hotter than other neighborhoods while worsening their air quality.
“Responsibly sited offshore wind has the power to transform our energy grid and combat the climate crisis,” said CLF President Brad Campbell. “Today’s news is a significant and welcome milestone for Vineyard Wind and the future of all offshore wind in the U.S. As this project and others move forward, they must keep pace with the best available science and technology to ensure that their impacts on critically endangered North Atlantic right whales as well as other vulnerable species and their habitats are appropriately avoided and minimized.”
“On this day, the right whales gave researchers a unique view of their lives; spending gentle, quiet time together, possibly making new right whales. The whales were also seen skim feeding on plankton, and nursing calves, possibly conceived in SAGs more than a year ago.”
“It cannot be overstated how critical it is to protect more of this country’s natural places,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “Permanently protecting 30 percent of lands and waters will help fight the climate crisis, protect biodiversity, and give future generations a chance at inheriting a healthy planet. The administration’s report presents a reasonable path for reaching this goal in nine short years, but for the effort to be credible the administration needs to be clearer about what criteria must be met to consider lands or waters ‘preserved.’”
Ensuring a just economic recovery from the pandemic means not following a business-as-usual model. Instead, we must prioritize people’s health, provide direct relief to families and individuals, and invest in the future of our communities.
Tuesday’s verdict was one welcome step toward change. But at CLF, we believe that real progress lies in systemic policy change that will break down the racist systems that have been in place for generations – ending white supremacy in this country.
“President Biden’s ambitious goal promises the aggressive push we need to confront the existential threat that is the climate crisis,” said CLF President Bradley Campbell. “Several New England states have already committed to strong, science-based reductions in climate-damaging emissions, and it’s time the rest of the country catches up with our leadership.”
