Washington, D.C. – In response to the United Nations’ release of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued the following statement from Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo:

“Today’s IPCC report is crystal clear – lands have to be a part of our climate solution or else we’re screwed. The report is yet another wakeup call, and the United States is uniquely positioned to be a global leader in the fight to save our lands and people. With the U.S. losing a football field’s worth of natural area to development every 30 seconds, it’s time to commit ourselves to a bold conservation goal—protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and oceans by 2030. Congress should start right away by permanently and fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund — our most effective and popular lands program which helps sequester carbon by keeping forests intact and builds our communities’ resiliency to flooding by protecting wetlands and dunes. And, our elected officials should use every tool in the toolbox to reduce emissions in our agricultural sector and build a more sustainable food system. Every candidate for president also owes the people a plan for protecting our lands from climate threats and the role lands must play in solving the climate crisis. This is the fight of our lives — it is time for the people in charge to listen to the scientists, instead of the polluting special interests and act on climate change now.”

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