Expressing the need for protecting and conserving at least 50 percent of the land, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems in the United States and encouraging diplomatic community efforts to achieve this goal worldwide.
This is a non-binding House resolution that expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should protect and conserve at least 50 percent of its land, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems. It builds on existing conservation efforts and calls for global leadership—urging diplomatic and international cooperation to help achieve the same goal worldwide. The resolution emphasizes that protecting natural ecosystems delivers climate resilience, clean water and air, medicines, pollinator support, and broader community and economic benefits, while also highlighting the need for an equitable transition that includes Indigenous peoples, local communities, and affected workers. It notes that the Biden administration’s America the Beautiful Initiative (30 percent by 2030) is a crucial first step and encourages ongoing stakeholder engagement to ensure fair impacts. As a sense-of-the-House resolution, it sets policy direction and priorities but does not itself create new law or allocate funding. It signals congressional support for ambitious conservation targets and for mobilizing public-private partnerships, community stewardship, and international cooperation to reach a 50 percent protection goal.
Key Points
- 1Expresses a sense of the House that the Earth is in a biodiversity and extinction crisis and Congress should work toward protecting and conserving at least 50 percent of the United States’ land, freshwater, and ocean ecosystems, and promote global efforts to achieve this goal.
- 2Highlights the broad benefits of protecting ecosystems, including helping with climate change mitigation, providing clean drinking water, reducing air pollution, supporting medicines, reducing disease risk, and protecting pollinators essential to food production.
- 3Encourages area-based conservation achieved through collaboration, including public-private partnerships, stewardship by local communities and Indigenous peoples, and international cooperation.
- 4Recognizes and builds on the administration’s America the Beautiful Initiative (goal of 30 percent by 2030) as a necessary first step and urges continued momentum toward a larger, 50 percent target.
- 5Emphasizes early and ongoing stakeholder consultation to ensure just impacts and a fair transition for communities and workers affected by conservation efforts.