What Will It Take to Conserve 30 Percent of Lands and Waters by 2030?

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The eminent American biologist E.O. Wilson first suggested the idea of setting aside half of Earth for wild nature and biodiversity in his 2002 book, The Future of Life. He went on to expand on the concept in his 2016 book, Half Earth, and the following year he started the Half Earth Project. In 2019, a group of researchers took Wilson up on the idea and sought to flesh out the ambitious vision when they released the Global Deal for Nature, which laid out a road map for setting aside 30 percent of land and water by 2030, with an additional 20 percent of the planet conserved as "climate stabilization areas." Since then, the “30 by 30” goal has stuck and has become the new benchmark by which to measure conservation success. So far, 50 countries and 70 US mayors have committed to the 30x30 goal. 

On Thursday, May 6, President Biden got one step closer to delivering on his campaign promise to meet that measure. In a 24-page report, a quartet of federal agencies released a broad outline to achieve Biden's vision of protecting 30 percent of US lands and waters by 2030. With the announcement, the White House and the federal agencies tasked with overseeing the 30x30 initiative—now called the “America the Beautiful” campaign—are on their way to ensuring an environmental legacy that most conservation groups hope will last for generations.