D029 Commit to the 30x30 Initiative for Biodiversity
Resolved, the House of ________________ concurring,
That the 81st General Convention direct Provinces, Dioceses, Congregations, and all other institutions of The Episcopal Church to adopt the 30x30 target in the report from the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (also known as The Biodiversity Plan), to ensure 30% of land and water are conserved by 2030; and be it further
Resolved, That in order to support the 30x30 target goals, dioceses and congregations seek to collaborate with local communities, including other faith-based advocacy groups, non-profit organizations, and local and state governments to establish effective and responsible methods of land management; and be it further
Resolved, That Episcopal Church leaders making decisions about church properties routinely and comprehensively consider the environmental repercussions of decisions about local and diocesan properties. Such decisions may include prioritizing native plant species to reduce irrigation needs and encourage pollinators; transforming open grass lawns into native plant meadows; and seeking to use environmentally friendly products and services in performing buildings and grounds upkeep (such as halting use of gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers and environmentally toxic chemicals); and be it further
Resolved, That those who implement these practices and policies for protection and promotion of biodiversity report such efforts by submitting them to the Creation Care website (https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/creation-care/) thereby providing usable information and templates for Congregations, Dioceses, Provinces, and the Creation Care ministry of the Episcopal Church.
Explanation
“God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered ‘” (Genesis 9: 1-2).
God gave the stewardship of creation into our hands. The dual crises of climate change and mass wildlife extinctions threaten to forever change God’s beautiful creation unless we act decisively. The Episcopal Church identifies Creation Care as a critical goal that protects God’s creation. This objective is multifaceted and can be difficult for regional and local communities to operationalize. The 30x30 Initiative for Biodiversity provides specific ways that dioceses and congregations can contribute to environmental efforts that are manageable and can make a significant impact.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) following a four- year consultation and negotiation process. This historic framework includes 23 targets for 2030. Colloquially called “30x30,” the third target is a worldwide initiative for governments to designate 30% of Earth’s land and ocean area as protected areas by 2030.
It is estimated that The Episcopal Church is the collective steward of properties worth billions of dollars. This Resolution offers several achievable and pragmatic pathways for dioceses and congregations to make intentional and far-reaching inroads to support the 30x30 initiative by modeling environmentally conscientious methods of land management including working collaboratively with local communities to establish responsible methods of land management; deliberately making property management decisions which prioritize environmental stewardship; and sharing achievable contributions to the 30x30 target throughout the wider church.
This resolution builds on General Convention and Executive Council resolutions, including: MBMW 002, establishing biodiversity as a central priority for the Episcopal Church’s creation care strategies and encouraging education about how our everyday decisions affect the lives and health of endangered species; A087 Net Carbon Neutrality by 2030, requesting diocesan bishops to build networks of landowners and creation trustees in each diocese who will devote portions of their land to reforestation, prairie restoration, wetland and coastland preservation, and collaborate with neighboring dioceses for best water practices to protect our watersheds, and GC 2009-D015; GC 2003-D046; and GC2015-A030.
Support Documents:
The Episcopal Church Creation Care Website
United Nations Biodiversity Conference
Preparations for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework
MBMW02 Biodiversity Resolution
2022 A087 Commit to Carbon Neutrality by 2030
Urge Dioceses to Educate on Environmental Decisions Affecting Animal Species
Urge Stewardship of Water Resources
Support Ecologically Responsible Stewardship of Church Property
Note: this resolution and/or its explanation contains external references, such as URLs of websites, that may not be in the required languages of General Convention. Because of copyright restrictions, the General Convention cannot provide translations. However, your web browser may be able to provide a machine translation into another language. If you need assistance with this, please contact [email protected].