SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), author of last year’s Assembly Bill (AB) 3030, released a statement today in response to the Biden Administration’s release of their report to conserve 30 percent of U.S. land and 30 percent of its ocean waters by 2030, a plan known as “30 by 30”, similar to that in California’s AB 3030 and subsequent statewide executive order by Governor Gavin Newsom:
“California led the way in being the first state in the union to establish a 30 by 30 goal and I am proud that my previous measure, AB 3030, helped open this dialogue to create urgent and necessary conservation goals. I commend President Biden and Interior Secretary Haaland for now creating the first-ever conservation goal at the national level, an essential commitment to our environment. California will continue to be at the forefront of these innovative pathways toward reversing climate change, protecting our wildlife and their habitats, and preserving natural resources around our rural and coastal communities.
“With symmetry at the federal level, I am optimistic California will meet its goals quickly to protect biodiversity and preserve healthy and equitable outdoor, natural spaces for all. The pandemic has reminded us how important recreational outdoor spaces are to our communities’ health and wellbeing – we must have clear roles in safeguarding them.”
In October, an executive order by Governor Gavin Newsom included a statewide “30 by 30” conservation goal, an initiative that was first championed by Assemblymember Kalra and environmental advocates through AB 3030. More than 50 countries to date have adopted similar targets.
AB 3030 declared it to be the goal of the state to protect at least 30 percent of California’s land areas and waters and to help advance the protection of 30 percent of the nation’s oceans by 2030, while addressing the racial and economic inequities in these spaces by improving equitable outdoor access to nature among marginalized communities—those who suffer the worst impacts from environmental injustices.
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Assemblymember Ash Kalra was first elected to the California Legislature in 2016, representing the 27th District, which encompasses approximately half of San Jose and includes all of downtown. In 2020, he was re-elected to his third term. Assemblymember Kalra is the Chair of the State Assembly Labor and Employment Committee and also currently serves as a member on the Housing and Community Development, Judiciary, Transportation, and Water, Parks, and Wildlife committees.