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50 of the world's leading climate and biodiversity scientists issued a warning to global leaders this week: in order to protect the planet—and humanity—we must stop treating climate change and biodiversity collapse as separate issues.
The peer-reviewed report was the product of two intergovernmental bodies, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, which had never before collaborated on policy recommendations.
“The evidence is clear: a sustainable global future for people and nature is still achievable, but it requires transformative change,” said Prof. Hans-Otto Pörtner, co-chair of the committee. Pörtner called for “rapid and far-reaching actions of a type never before attempted, building on ambitious emissions reductions.”
The report highlights the need for increased land and water conservation efforts, confirming the science behind the Biden administration's “America the Beautiful” initiative, which set a goal of protecting 30 percent of America's land and water by the end of the decade.
A national monument push in Nevada
Supporters of the proposed Avi Kwa Ame national monument in Nevada point to the 30x30 initiative as they garner local support for a national monument designation. The town of Searchlight threw its support behind the monument proposal this week, following the city of Boulder, Nevada in March. The Clark County commission is expected to discuss the monument proposal soon.
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It's frightening that it's happening so quickly. I think people are surprised that it's so bad so soon, because of the role that temperature plays in aridification and sublimation — all those big words that just mean it's just so hot, the stuff evaporates, so that even the snow and precipitation we do get doesn't go anywhere near as far. It's past yellow alert. It's the red alert.”
