Congressional Rep. Joe Neguse, Rep. Alan Lowenthal and Chair of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife Rep. Jared Huffman have reintroduced their resolution (H.Res. 69: Expressing the need for the federal government to establish a national biodiversity strategy for protecting biodiversity for current and future) to create a national biodiversity strategy. Everywhere we turn, we see signs of ecological collapse—wildfires, the insect apocalypse, crashing populations of marine organisms, more and more species at risk, rising global temperatures, unusual weather patterns, horrific storms, and pandemics. Never was a holistic strategy on biodiversity more urgent. 

>>Tell your U.S. Representative to cosponsor Rep. Neguse's National Biodiversity Strategy Resolution, H.Res. 69.

The resolution calls for a national commitment to addressing the biodiversity crisis by establishing a strategy to be developed through an interagency process announced by the president in an Executive Order. The strategy process will encourage agencies to identify and pursue a full range of actions within existing laws and policies and encourage consideration of new ones. It would also promote accountability and progress in addressing the biodiversity crisis through a new quadrennial assessment.

“The decline of biodiversity presents a direct threat to the security, health and well-being of our communities and our planet. Human-caused activity has led to the damage of ecosystems, the exploitation of wildlife, increased pollution and the acceleration of climate change,” said Representative Joe Neguse. “It is our hope that the Biden Administration would use our resolution as a roadmap for establishing a robust, whole-of-government approach to protect our ecosystems, our wildlife and tackle the biodiversity crisis. The United States ought to be playing a global leadership role on these issues.”

The resolution lays out a holistic national biodiversity strategy, including: 

• Setting a national goal of protecting at least 30% of United States lands and water to conserve biodiversity and address climate change by 2030; 
• Affirming the need to protect threatened, endangered, and at-risk species from further extinction; 
• Developing climate adaptation and mitigation strategies for biodiversity; 
• Joining and leading international agreements to combat climate change, such as the Paris Agreement; 
• Establishing climate corridors for conservation of species affected by climate change; 
• Rapidly building renewable energy; 
• Reviewing existing laws and programs that are relevant to addressing threats of biodiversity; 
• Advancing conservation in coordination with State and Tribal governments; 
• Incorporating indigenous knowledge; 
• Providing means to ensure equitable access to nature; and 

Establishing regular monitoring, reporting, research and development and adequate funding for conservation efforts. 

>>Tell your U.S. Representative to cosponsor Rep. Neguse's National Biodiversity Strategy Resolution, H.Res. 69.