The United States is beginning an important new initiative to protect its natural resources. It's setting out on a comprehensive effort “to take stock of nature and nature’s benefits,” under the umbrella of the US Global Change Research Program.
The study is designed to provide an all-encompassing perspective on biodiversity and aims to highlight the intrinsic value that the species and environments of the nation offer to everyone's lives. As their website announces, it's in order to "better understand the full picture of what is happening with nature, USGCRP is undertaking a National Nature Assessment, which will take stock of U.S. lands, waters, wildlife and the benefits they provide to our economy, health, climate, environmental justice, and national security. The Assessment will also look ahead at how nature might change in the future, and what those changes may mean for our economy and our lives."
The National Nature Assessment seeks to underscore urgency and community responsibility for maintaining our planet’s biodiversity. Aside from its impressive scope, the assessment strives to assign economic, social, and cultural value to the nation’s natural riches. This evaluation goes beyond numbers to convey the deep impact of nature on everyone's lives, on both land and sea. The report intends to envision a peaceful future in which abundant biodiversity is a cornerstone of our shared prosperity by intelligently combining ecological and human-centric principles for a healthy, sustainable future.
As Phil Levin, director of the project and part of the faculty at the University of Washington, notes: this assessment aspires “to inform policy, but not dictate policy,” heralding an era where we embrace the wisdom of nature to sculpt a more resilient world.
The National Nature Assessment is expected to be completed in 2026.