30 by 30: A Two-Year Status Update on E.O. 14008

30 by 30: A Two-Year Status Update on E.O. 14008

INSIGHTi

30 by 30: A Two-Year Status Update on
E.O. 14008
February 24, 2023
30 by 30 is a global initiative to conserve 30% of the Earth’s lands and waters by 2030, which the
concept’s founding researchers propose would reduce threats to biodiversity, “avoid catastrophic climate
change and … secure essential ecosystem services.” Global efforts toward 30 by 30 at various
jurisdictional levels have been ongoing since 2019. At the United Nations Convention on Biological
Diversity in December 2022, over 190 countries committed to 30 by 30 (among other commitments) by
joining the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Some U.S. states and localities—but not
all—also have resolved to support 30 by 30, as have some tribal leaders.
The Biden Administration formalized a 30 by 30 policy for the United States at the federal level through
Section 216 of E.O. 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” The section specified that
the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with other relevant Secretaries and agencies, must issue a
report recommending steps that the United States should take to achieve the goal of conserving at least
30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. The E.O. specified that the report must propose guidelines for
determining what lands and waters “qualify for conservation” and must establish mechanisms to measure
progress toward reaching the goal.
Implementation of Federal 30 by 30
The Biden Administration launched its federal 30 by 30 framework, America the Beautiful, and issued the
report required by E.O. 14008, Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful, in 2021. The report
specified principles for the Administration’s efforts in pursuit of 30 by 30, such as ensuring conservation
benefits all Americans and honoring private property rights and tribal sovereignty, among others. The
report recommended that the federal government publish annual progress reports and create an American
Conservation and Stewardship Atlas to collect information on areas being managed for conservation
purposes. However, the report did not explicitly specify what lands and waters qualify for conservation,
nor did it establish mechanisms to measure progress. The Administration issued a one-year progress
report on America the Beautiful in December 2021, which highlighted projects and programs that the
Administration considered to be furthering the initiative but did not include cumulative conservation
statistics. The Administration also invited the public to participate in development of the atlas in January
2022. The atlas has not yet been launched.
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Questions Remain about Federal 30 by 30
The Administration has not yet defined what lands and waters are considered to be conserved for the
purposes of E.O. 14008. In the absence of such a definition, a baseline of conservation under the policy
cannot be established and progress cannot be definitively measured. Therefore, stakeholders might
question what U.S. lands and waters are already conserved, how progress toward 30 by 30 is to be
measured, and what specific actions may support or oppose the policy. For example, it is unclear whether
progress requires protection of currently unprotected land—such as through new conservation easements,
federal land designations, or federal land acquisition—or whether it also includes restoration of currently
protected areas. It is also unclear whether areas with certain characteristics “count” under E.O. 14008—
such as those where extractive activities are allowed, such as fishing or timber harvesting—and therefore
how to approach management policies for such areas for the purposes of the E.O. Some have estimated
that about 12% of U.S. lands and 23% of U.S. oceans are protected in some way. However, it is unclear if
these statistics align with the definition of conserved for the purposes of E.O. 14008 or with other ways
progress could be measured (for example, whether progress in conserving lands and waters should be
measured separately).
This uncertainty contributes to a lack of clarity regarding the impacts of the Administration’s 30 by 30
policy—particularly, whether it has generated an increase in conservation or has primarily served as an
organizing principle for ongoing activities. Federal and nonfederal activities have purported to support
America the Beautiful, such as the America the Beautiful Challenge grant program administered by the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and existing programs through various federal agencies, including
the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Natural Resource Conservation Service. However, these activities
appear to reflect redeployments of existing federal resources (e.g., the America the Beautiful Challenge
grants “streamline federal grant opportunities”). It is unclear whether any regular FY2023 appropriations
were intended for 30 by 30 or E.O. 14008, and Congress did not allocate specific funds in FY2023
appropriations (see p. S8651) in response to the Administration’s requested $25.5 million to fund the U.S.
Geological Survey’s development of the American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas. The
Administration has identified the America the Beautiful initiative with $7.1 billion in funding provided
through the Inflation Reduction Act for varius objectives. However, it is difficult to directly attribute this
funding to congressional support of 30 by 30.
The federal 30 by 30 policy has been controversial. Those who oppose the policy have asserted that it
could lead to increased federal land acquisition and protective designations, or federal conservation
easements on private land, infringing on private property rights, curtailing state and local government
revenue, or reducing economic opportunity. Those who support the policy, in contrast, assert that working
toward 30 by 30 may reduce climate risk, protect biodiversity, or support resource-related economic
development. Congress might wish to evaluate how the Administration balances these concerns in
implementing America the Beautiful, particularly if the Administration further clarifies the initiative’s
terms and methods. Congress also might want to take its own actions to advance or oppose 30 by 30—
such as by supporting or opposing certain federal land and water designations, expanding or shrinking the
federal estate, or managing certain uses of federal lands. In the absence of formalized definitions for
America the Beautiful, such actions may be independent of the Administration’s vision for 30 by 30 but
could support Congress’ conception of it. Congress also may seek clarification about the Administration’s
definitions of conservation or progress under the E.O. before taking further actions.

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Author Information

Anne A. Riddle

Analyst in Natural Resources Policy

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