Author ORCID Identifier
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2023
Abstract
On January 27, 2021, the Joseph Biden Administration identified the national goal of conserving at least 30% of our lands and waters by 2030. With this order, the America the Beautiful Initiative (“ATB Initiative”) was born, and the United States joined many other nations in adopting the 30 x 30 conservation target. However, beneath the lofty aspiration lay ambiguity. The Administration has not defined the term “conservation” or explained how it will be measured. Without a clear definition or metric for measuring the outcome of conservation projects, the ATB Initiative will lose credibility. The Biden Administration should avoid this result by adopting Conservation Report Cards. This approach enables recognition of the full “continuum of conservation,” without suggesting that each project has the same ecological benefit. A similar reporting methodology is already available and being utilized in the voluntary carbon credit market, which includes a wide range of conservation projects with varying degrees of conservation efficacy. Conservation Report Cards would preserve the credibility of the ATB Initiative and facilitate future conservation efforts by transparently disclosing the goals, management protocols, outcomes, and durability of projects included within the ATB Initiative.
Recommended Citation
Jamie Pleune, Creating a Transparent Methodology for Measuring Success Within a Continuum of Conservation for the America the Beautiful Initiative, 14 Geo. Wash. J. Energy & Envtl. L.107 (2023)