Years ago following my second trip to Alaska, I wrote of lessons the “last frontier” provided.
Alaska’s undeveloped frontier is predominant with only comparably small tracts of what we’d call areas of civilized life. It’s the reverse in the lower 48 where development is predominant with only comparably small tracks remaining of undisturbed landscape and ecosystems. Worldwide, trends are similar in developed countries.
An undisturbed landscape feels boundless in its bounty. But it’s not. As the world awakens to the impact of development on climate change and its severe weather consequences, countries scramble for solutions while future generations worry what their world will be like.
As interdependent as we are in society, we’re equally interdependent with the natural world. The frequency of flooding, drought, fire, severe temperatures, and unprecedented storms is adding punch to long overdue discussion and agreement on how to fight for preservation of the world’s natural resources.
2022 ended with several significant actions on both the national and international stage. The recent United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, with 190 countries represented and chaired this year by China, lays solid groundwork for future action.
Climate change, coupled with habitat loss, pollution, and development, creates a serious threat to biodiversity. Estimates of plant and animal extinction over the next few decades were cited as high as a million species; a rate of loss 1,000 times greater than expected.
There was commitment to protect 30 percent of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030, known as 30 by 30. Currently, 17 percent of land and 10 percent of marine areas are protected.
Discussions are not easy. One of the most fractious discussions at the conference involved financing of the efforts and the level of support for undeveloped countries with fewer resources and harsher impact on basic needs like food and water. Some African nations, already in famine, decried insufficient support.
In the U.S., we’ve had our own fractious discussions with mixed messages, and yet significant progress. Last summer’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act seemed contradictory by making the largest investment yet in clean energy while also requiring the Dept of the Interior to offer leases to oil and gas development before leasing for wind and solar energy.
Per the National Parks and Conservation Association (NPCA), even with some setbacks, the net gain is profound. Daniel Hart, director of clean energy and climate resiliency policy comments, “This is nearly 370 billion to fight climate change, protect parks and public lands, and help with clean energy transition. That’s huge.”
It allows the hiring of new park staff, including scientists, preservationists and specialists with expertise in protecting landscapes and other resources from climate change threats such as droughts, fires, floods and invasive species. This is good.
Also in the U.S. and beyond last summer’s Act, recognition and action is growing around the need to assure sufficient lands to support biodiversity. The National Parks are a national gem. While core to preservation, they cannot house all habitats needed in a biodiversity crisis. Species move with climate change. Visionary ideas are hatching.
Maps of existing national parks and monuments and other federal and state lands in close proximity, are being made with a vision of possible connectivity to protect habitats for wildlife, biodiversity, migration, water movement, food availability and more.
One intriguing map looks at connecting all protected lands between Joshua Tree National Park in California to Canyons of the Ancients in Colorado. Other land conservation organizations and indigenous populations are coming onboard.
Scary times, hard discussions. We can do what we can personally and support and bet on our collective resiliency to change.