Climate Action

In 16 years, the US has lost the equivalent of nine Grand Canyon national parks

An aerial view shows a field with deciduous trees on a sunny autumn day in Recklinghausen, Germany, October 31, 2015.   REUTERS/Ina Fassbender - GF20000040191

Currently, 12% of U.S. land area is national parks, wilderness areas, and other protected areas. Image: REUTERS/Ina Fassbender

Valerie Volcovici
Journalist, Reuters

The United States has lost the equivalent of nine Grand Canyon national parks, or 24 million acres (9712455.41 hectares) of natural area, between 2001 and 2017 due to agriculture, energy development, housing sprawl and other human factors, making the country more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, according to a report released Tuesday.

The study by progressive think tank Center for American Progress titled "How Much Nature Should America Keep" said the U.S. needs to set a goal to protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030 to stem the rapid decline of natural areas, which will protect the country from the worst impacts of climate change and wildlife extinction.

The report attempted to calculate the rate of loss of natural lands by assessing the impact of oil and gas extraction, road construction, housing sprawl, agriculture and other human activities.

Currently, 12% of U.S. land area has been conserved as national parks, wilderness areas, and other types of protected areas while 26% of U.S. ocean territory is safeguarded from extractive activities like oil and gas drilling, the report said.

"The United States is entering an era in which it will rely more than ever on the integrity and stability of the natural world to provide economic prosperity, safeguard the health of communities, and weather the effects of a changing climate," the report said.

Have you read?

The steepest losses of natural areas - untouched by human development - occurred in the southern and midwestern U.S. as the footprints of cities, farms, roads, power plants, and other development increased from cover 47% and 59% of their land area.

To achieve a goal of protecting 30% of land by 2030, the U.S. would need to beef up existing land conservation policies at both the federal and local level, the report said.

The report can be found here: https://www.americanprogress.org/?p=473242

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

Sign up for free

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Stay up to date:

United States

Related topics:
Climate ActionNature and Biodiversity
Share:
The Big Picture
Explore and monitor how United States is affecting economies, industries and global issues
A hand holding a looking glass by a lake
Crowdsource Innovation
Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale
World Economic Forum logo
Global Agenda

The Agenda Weekly

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

Subscribe today

You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. For more details, review our privacy policy.

How digital twins are transforming the world of water management

Anja Eimer

November 1, 2024

1:36

CEO Climate Alliance Letter | Gim Huay Neo

About us

Engage with us

  • Sign in
  • Partner with us
  • Become a member
  • Sign up for our press releases
  • Subscribe to our newsletters
  • Contact us

Quick links

Language editions

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Sitemap

© 2024 World Economic Forum