From Creation Justice Ministries (http://www.creationjustice.org/):
The goal of protecting and preserving 30 percent of public lands and waters by the year 2030 (“30×30”) is an important goal that we cannot miss. The climate crisis is ever worsening and we do not have the luxury of waiting any longer to rightly care for God’s creation.
We have this amazing gift of responsibility from God. The earth has all we need and we have the ability to live in harmony with the land and animals. Caring for creation does not only mean taking care of the earth but enjoying it as well.
We have the opportunity to comment on the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Report, which outlines the pathway to 30%.
Can you take 3 minutes to submit a comment on this important report at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/10/29/2021-23590/request-for-information-on-noaa-actions-to-advance-the-goals-and-recommendations-in-the-report-on#open-comment? Feel free to use our template language below.
TEMPLATE LANGUAGE:
The goal of protecting and preserving 30 percent of public lands and waters by the year 2030 (“30×30”) is an important goal that we cannot miss. The climate crisis is ever worsening and we do not have the luxury of waiting any longer to rightly care for God’s creation. As Christians, we see the world as creation — a gift from God that blesses us with life and health. We also have the responsibility to care for creation — protecting, restoring, and rightly sharing the abundant natural world. We see 30×30 and the America the Beautiful report as more than a governmental or environmental document. We see it as a moral vision that would increase our flourishing with each other, our lands, and our waters.
We support the United States’ national 30×30 goal and applaud the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful report. We support the administration’s efforts to take an interdisciplinary and community-based approach to conserving 30% of our lands and waters. In particular, we are supportive of the following in the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful report:
- Honoring of Indigenous and Tribal-led priorities
- Emphasis on locally-rooted and community-driven conservation
- Rootedness in the best available conservation science
As NOAA and other agencies prepare the next America the Beautiful report and design the implementation of 30×30, we urge the following:
- Development of science-driven conservation guidelines for marine and terrestrial protected areas
- Geographic diversity for marine conservation, with a particular focus on areas in the Atlantic
- Reestablishment the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (MPAFAC) to solicit stakeholder and expert input (from NRDC scientists letter)
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