SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) announced the introduction of Senate Bill (SB) 337, which would establish a statewide goal to conserve at least 30 percent of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030, also known as 30x30. Conserving the Earth’s lands and waters is one of the best tools available to prevent extinctions and protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. Protecting lands and waters can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon, helping to advance climate goals. The bill, which is co-sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife, passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“We are in the midst of a global extinction crisis, and it is time to double down before it’s too late,” said Senator Dave Min. “I am proud to author legislation that puts California on track to protect 30 percent of state lands and coastal waters by 2030. We must act swiftly and decisively to ensure that our iconic species, like California condors, monarch butterflies, tule elk, golden trout, sea otters, elephant seals, grey whales, redwood trees, giant sequoias, and California poppies, survive the threats posed by habitat loss. Through the strategic conservation efforts outlined in
SB 337, we can protect the places we love and the species they support for this generation and the next. Thank you to the incredible partnership built by the Power in Nature Coalition, and for spearheading this legislation and codifying our statewide conservation goals into law.”
