A Healthy Ocean for All: The Promise of 30×30 for California
This factsheet was produced in collaboration with NRDC. The text below was first published on NRDC’s website.
DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET: A Healthy Ocean for All: The Promise of 30×30 for California (PDF)
California’s unique and beautiful coastline is under threat. Climate change and biodiversity loss are transforming our state’s ocean and coastal habitats. For example, in the past 75 years, approximately 90 percent of California’s tidal marshes have been lost and 90 percent of historical eelgrass beds have disappeared. To protect biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience, scientists believe we must conserve at least 30 percent of the ocean and 30 percent of land and inland waters by 2030, a global goal known as 30×30. In 2020, Governor Newsom ensured that California would lead the way in this effort when he signed an executive order committing to the 30×30 goal.
Meeting this goal will require both increased support for strong Marine Protected Areas and measures that emphasize equity and accessibility. California’s waters belong to all Californians. We all have a stake in ensuring its protection.
DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET: A Healthy Ocean for All: The Promise of 30×30 for California (PDF)
Related NRDC blog post: What California’s 30×30 Initiative Means to This Surfer by Lizelle Jackson, cofounder of Color the Water