When it comes to protecting America’s public lands and waters, 2015 was a banner year. The convergence of the traditional lands movement with the climate and social justice movements has created a reinvigorated force for change that’s bringing tremendous results. Here are some of the highlights.
New Monuments: Local communities spoke and President Obama listened, which is why we now have six new national monuments! The president’s designation of Pullman, Honouliuli, Waco Mammoth, Browns Canyon, Basin and Range, and Berryessa Snow Mountain national monuments safeguards their natural, cultural, and historic value, while also making our protected public lands more representative of the full American experience. From high schoolers having their first entry into civil society at a public meeting for Basin and Range, to civil rights leaders speaking out in support of Pullman, these new monuments came about due to broad and diverse support.
New Wilderness Legislation: After years of gridlock, it’s refreshing to see action preserving places like Idaho’s amazing Boulder-White Clouds. Led by Republican Congressman Mike Simpson, the campaign to protect this wonderland of jagged peaks nestled in one of the largest remaining roadless areas means that it will now be preserved in its natural state.
Shell No and People Power: People power, from kayaktivists and others uniting under a powerful Shell No campaign, forced Shell to abandon plans to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean. The company’s decision to leave the Arctic is good news for the Arctic’s fragile environment and for climate progress. Following President Obama’s historic visit to northern Alaska to witness firsthand the devastating effects of climate disruption, the administration canceled future leasing through 2017.
Keystone XL Goes Down: Climate concerns have moved front and center in energy decisions after years of dedicated activism asking the president to reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, he finally did just that on November 6, citing concerns over its climate impact. The decision marks a major turning point for a rapidly growing movement that is pushing to link fossil fuel production with emissions reductions as meaningful climate action.
Keep It in the Ground Around the World: Building from Keystone XL, the movement to keep dirty fuels in the ground has turned our country’s leaders from an “all of the above” energy policy to something much better. Leaders have opened their eyes to the reality that in order to truly avoid catastrophic climate impacts, we must keep the majority of fossil fuels in the ground. This shift, and strong public support for accelerating wind, solar, and efficiency as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, provided President Obama a strong foundation of credibility during the COP21 summit in Paris. The result? A historic agreement by almost 200 nations to meaningfully reduce the amount of climate change pollution pumped into the air.
Together, these amazing achievements have me eagerly anticipating the rest of 2016. Collaborations currently underway with tribal leaders could permanently protect the Bears Ears area of Utah, which is being devastated by tribal-artifact theft and burial-ground desecrations. The area around the Grand Canyon could be safeguarded against new uranium mining through a Greater Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument; and the Arctic Refuge could finally receive the protection it deserves. In fact, Senator Bennet of Colorado has been joined by 33 other senators on legislation that would protect the Refuge’s coastal plain from oil drilling. Worthy areas in Oregon’s Owyhee-Canyonlands, Nevada’s Gold Butte, and the California desert could also be recognized with national monument designations.
The Arctic Ocean, safe for now from Shell’s meddling, and other Atlantic and Gulf coastal areas could be protected into the future through a new offshore drilling plan that puts them off-limits to drilling. A groundbreaking “Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground” bill, cosponsored by senators Jeff Merkley and Bernie Sanders could halt new dirty fuel leasing on public lands and offshore. With close to one-quarter of our country’s carbon pollution originating from federal lands, this would be a major step toward achieving our climate goals while preserving wild places and clean water. And the first ever standards to reduce methane, a potent greenhouse gas could be adopted nationwide.
A public movement is building to demand climate and social accountability, to keep public lands in public hands, and to secure the future of our outdoor heritage. There’s a growing realization that keeping dirty fuels in the ground, protecting special places, and increasing outdoor opportunities for everyone are intricately connected issues that must be addressed together.
As we approach the centennial of our national parks, what better place to unite our best ideas than "America’s best idea"? We have a unique opportunity to not only mark their importance to our national identity but also reshape how we think about, enjoy, and protect our public lands and waters in the future. Next year, the Sierra Club and the National Park Service will partner to lead outings that will enable thousands of people from all walks of life to get outdoors. Our hope is to set the stage for the next 100 years of our national parks, where visitors fully reflect the rich and rapidly changing demographics of our country.
We must remain vigilant. Even as we celebrate progress, threats continue to emerge -- the lifting of the ban on crude oil exports, and attempts in Congress to starve or undermine successful conservation programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Endangered Species Act -- the list goes on.
But for now, let’s take time to thank our leaders for their gifts of environmental protection in 2015. Revel in what you’ve helped accomplish, and let's double down on our efforts to protect wild places, communities, and our climate in 2016.
(Arctic ice photo by Micah Baird)