Senator Tom Udall and Representative Joe Neguse discuss bold conservation goal in Colorado “Road to 30” virtual event
Center for Western Priorities and Conservation Colorado highlight the bold vision and leadership behind protecting 30 percent of America’s land and water by 2030
The Center for Western Priorities held its second stop on the Road to 30 virtual tour of states across the West, emphasizing the importance of a bold proposal to protect 30 percent of America’s lands and water by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative, and how Colorado can play a role in this effort. New polling by the Center for Western Priorities shows that 75 percent of voters in five key Western states — AZ, CO, MT, NM, and NV — support setting a national goal to conserve 30 percent of America’s lands and ocean areas by 2030 to help protect wildlife and open spaces for future generations with majority support across party lines for the ambitious conservation goal.
Co-hosted by Conservation Colorado, the Colorado event was moderated by Jennifer Rokala, executive director of the Center for Western Priorities, and featured New Mexico Senator Tom Udall, who is leading the 30x30 effort in the U.S. Senate, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse, a co-sponsor of the 30x30 Resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Kelly Nordini, the executive director of Conservation Colorado. The panelists discussed the importance of protecting Colorado’s lands and biodiversity and how Colorado can contribute to this bold conservation goal.
Highlights from the speakers at the Colorado event are shared below.
Tom Udall, United States Senator for New Mexico:
“I grew up hiking, camping, fishing, rafting and kayaking all over the West, and like many westerners, this gave me a deep reverence and respect for the beauty and wonder of our lands, waters and wildlife. The fight to preserve our outdoor places is personal for me — and essential to our area’s outdoor economy. But we are currently facing a nature crisis that threatens not only species but human health and prosperity, which is why I introduced the Thirty By Thirty Resolution to Save Nature in the Senate. We must listen to the scientists and save 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030 — not only to save the natural world we love, but to make sure our children inherit a livable and productive planet.”
Joe Neguse, United States Representative for Colorado’s 2nd district:
“Public lands are ingrained in our way of life in Colorado — they fuel our outdoor recreation economy, our main street small businesses, and inspire us every day. Conserving and protecting these lands is inextricably linked to climate action. A commitment to conserve 30 percent of America’s lands and oceans by 2030 is absolutely essential and, as many scientists suggest, is a minimum step that must be taken to pull us back from the tipping point that nature and our climate have reached. Climate change is the existential threat of our time, one that cannot be ignored or idled on, but one that must be met with bold and pragmatic solutions like the 30 by 30 resolution to protect our future and our planet.”
Kelly Nordini, Executive Director of Conservation Colorado:
“Colorado has a long history of setting and attaining big goals — from clean energy to climate, to lands and waters. This is what we do. Protecting 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030 is an attainable goal that will unite our work to fight climate change, protect vulnerable communities, and to preserve our land, waters, and wildlife.”
Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director of the Center for Western Priorities:
“Scientists have urged us to protect at least 30 percent of our planet’s land and water resources as a necessary step to prevent the unraveling of the ecosystems that support all life on this planet. Despite the ongoing challenges we are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 30 by 30 goal is an important path to conserve nature, strengthen communities, and improve public health. We are excited to work with Senator Udall and Congressman Neguse to support their efforts to lead the next bold conservation idea to protect 30 percent of nature.”
A video recording of this event is available on RoadTo30.org. To learn more, check out our new video explaining the 30x30 initiative, featuring National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Enric Sala and U.S. Senator Tom Udall.
Coinciding with the Colorado virtual event, Senator Tom Udall and Colorado Senator Michael Bennet published an opinion in the Denver Post urging the United States Congress to do more to protect America’s land and ocean. Senator Bennet is an original co-sponsor of the 30x30 Senate resolution.
The Road to 30 Virtual Tour will visit states across the West throughout the summer. To stay informed on the virtual tour and for more information about 30x30, visit our website and sign up for our Road to 30 mailing list.
30x30 Background:
Nature across the world is collapsing. Global human activity has altered three-quarters of the Earth’s lands, while within the United States, about a football field worth of natural area is converted to human development every 30 seconds. Hundreds of leading scientists have warned that this rapid loss of natural space is resulting in a mass extinction, exacerbated by climate change. In the face of this crisis, scientists have urged us to conserve at least 30 percent of the planet’s lands and oceans by 2030 (30×30), a step that is necessary to prevent the unraveling of fundamental natural systems. Research has found much higher animal and plant abundance within protected areas, both on land and in marine reserves. Protected natural areas are also critical to stabilizing the climate and reducing the risk of the most severe impacts of climate change.
Protected natural areas have numerous economic and environmental benefits, including drawing visitors to local economies built on outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation and tourism provide rural communities — that may otherwise be dependent on the boom and bust cycles of energy development — an opportunity to diversify their economies. Protected natural areas also provide a competitive advantage for hiring and retaining workers; research shows that in the West, protected public lands support faster rates of job growth and higher levels of per-capita income. Natural areas also provide fresh drinking water to hundreds of millions of Americans, and research has shown that protecting watersheds is the most cost-effective strategy to ensure clean drinking water. Increased human health and well-being is also related to access to natural areas. These benefits can include lower risks of disease and obesity, as well as better mental health.
For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. To learn more about the 30x30 goal and to participate in discussions about this bold vision, visit RoadTo30.org. Sign up for Look West to get daily public lands and energy news sent to your inbox, or subscribe to Go West, Young Podcast.”
