New Mexico Governor takes action to address climate and extinction crisis

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an executive order today establishing an official goal to protect at least 30% of the state’s lands and waters by 2030. This goal is supported by 78 percent of New Mexicans. New Mexico is uniquely positioned to implement a 30x30 plan that will build on the successful passage of community-driven collaborations that led to the establishment of the Rio Grande del Norte and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks national monuments and new wilderness areas like Columbine-Hondo, Cerro del Yuta, and Potrillo Mountains, among others. 

This Order lifts up international and national efforts that are part of an “America the Beautiful Initiative” and Presidential Order to conserve and restore the last remaining wildlands, waters, and wildlife through locally-led and designed conservation efforts. According to scientists, protecting 30% of our lands and waters by 2030 is the ‘bare minimum’ needed to save nature and buffer against the worst impacts of climate change. 

Members of New Mexico's Congressional delegation have been national leaders on 30 by 30. Former senator Tom Udall and former Congresswoman, and now Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, along with senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, as well as Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez have all either sponsored or cosponsored national 30x30 legislation.

The following is a statement in response from The Wilderness Society’s New Mexico State Director, Michael Casaus:  

“Wildfires, drought, a declining wildlife population, and the threats posed by climate change are of great concern to the future of New Mexico and our livelihoods here. We thank Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for taking action to ensure that we are developing locally-driven strategies that will create more opportunities for people to protect the nature closest to their communities, whether in downtown Albuquerque or in the middle of rural New Mexico. 

"New Mexico is in a position to be a national leader in 30x30 and to develop a plan for the future that sets bold and equitable goals that include Indigenous traditional knowledge as well as the conservation and restoration of state, private, federal, and Tribal lands in these efforts. Now we must get to work across the state to meet these goals and identify community-led opportunities to protect those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and pressures on our open spaces and public lands.”

CONTACT: 

Michael Casaus, New Mexico state director, The Wilderness Society, (505) 417-5288, michael_casaus@tws.org

Jennifer Dickson, Senior Communications Manager, The Wilderness Society, (720) 647-9417, jennifer_dickson@tws.org