California Should Uphold Strong Conservation Standards for Coastal Areas

On Sept. 27, 2024, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Coastal Policy Solutions responded to a request from the state’s Ocean Protection Council (OPC) for feedback on its approach to achieving California’s goal of durably managing and conserving 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030, an effort known as 30x30.

In a letter, the three organizations recommend ways for OPC to strengthen the criteria the agency will use to achieve 30x30 to better account for the unique needs of the state’s bays, estuaries, and coastal wetlands, which are valuable ecosystems for Californians and critically important to conserve and restore.