A Climate Initiative the Outdoor Community Needs to Get Behind

Like many people, climate is on my mind these days.

Things are pretty grim – the science is soul crushing, and more data are generated by the minute. Politics are divisive, making it challenging to pursue bold climate policy initiatives. Where should we begin? What if protecting what we love could be a climate solution?

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I love the outdoors and all the experiences that they provide. It turns out that protected natural landscapes and waters can play a major part in combating climate change, building climate resilience and healthy ecosystems, and helping buffer communities from fires, storms and floods. Protecting natural landscapes is not a single silver bullet to fix climate change, but the outdoors will be a major part of how we save the climate and the planet.

This is a welcome idea (and not just from my perspective as Executive Director of Outdoor Alliance). I love kayaking and mountain biking, especially with my two kids, so protecting public lands and waters is a personal priority. More importantly, it’s a welcome way to address climate change because the U.S. is already good at protecting public land and water. Our system of public lands and waters is second to none – a common ground for Americans rural and urban, liberal and conservative.

Recently, a handful of lawmakers led by Senator Udall (D-NM) and Senator Bennet (D-CO) introduced a resolution that the U.S. should establish a national goal of conserving at least 30% of the land and oceans of the United States by 2030. I like this. It's an ambitious yet achievable goal that will help protect the climate. Today, the resolution was introduced in the House by Rep. Haaland (D-NM).

Some advocates will point out a resolution is different than a comprehensive piece of legislation, and unlike a law, can't really change anything. For a few reasons, I think the ideas underlying S. Res 372/H. Res 835 can do a lot, and they nail what's most important if we are going to stick this line.

First, it gives science its due, but it centers people as a central part of the story. The resolution presents public lands and waters as a cornerstone part of climate solutions, but also describes access to the outdoors as a personal right essential to the health, well-being, culture, and economic prosperity of the United States. Protecting the outdoors isn’t tough medicine we need to take; rather, it preserves a sacred aspect of our American identity while also fighting climate change.

Second, the resolution is a straightforward reminder that the U.S. is in a great spot to protect 30% of our lands and oceans in the next 10 years. We already have the traditions and laws that have made us a global leader in protecting the outdoors. We've conserved a ton of land and waters so far, and there is plenty more yet to be protected. In the last 50 years, we've already protected nearly 15% of our lands and oceans. Getting to 30% will be ambitious but hardly a moonshot.

Third, the resolution embraces the idea that many communities will have roles to play. Large landscape conservation gives us the biggest bang for our carbon sequestration buck, but we also need to address environmental justice, honor private property rights, leverage market solutions, and maintain genuine economic opportunities for people whose livelihoods depend on the land.

The devil is in the details, but this is a big picture vision for how protecting the outdoors will help protect the climate that is equal parts inspiring and realistic.

If you agree that protected natural landscapes should be a major part of how we address climate change, let your lawmakers know how you feel. Encourage them to join the resolutions and let's build some momentum around the idea that part of the solution to climate change is something we already know how to do together as a country.

P.S. And maybe some of the 30% of the land and water we end up protecting in the next 10 years will have some trails we can ride, crags we can climb, places to paddle and fish, and places outside to just be.