Scientists estimate that 50% of Earth should be in protected areas and climate stabilization areas to maintain the planet’s climate regulating capacity to keep global temperatures from rising above the global target of 1.5 degree Celsius. At present, only 15% of the land area in B.C. is in protected areas. Friends of Clayoquot Sound join with all the Indigenous Nations, organizations, businesses, faith groups, and local governments calling on the B.C. government to take a pivotal step to avert the extinction and climate crises by committing to:
- Develop science-based protection targets and policies for all ecosystems, from dry forests to rainforests (including old-growth forests), from grasslands to tundra, from freshwater to marine ecosystems.
- At a minimum, adopt targets that match or exceed the national (25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030) and international (30% by 2030) protected areas targets.
- Support Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), with appropriate policies and sufficient funding for land-use planning, management and stewardship programs such as Guardians initiatives, and associated Indigenous-led sustainable economic development in First Nations communities.
- Dedicate significant annual funding to purchase and protect private lands of high conservation value.
- Embrace the federal funding for expanding protected areas in BC for IPCA’s and land acquisition.
#PROTECTWHATYOULOVE
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This and many more articles can also be found in the FOCS Winter 2021-2022 Newsletter. Please click THIS LINK to explore more of our work and learn how you can help protect Clayoquot Sound.
