The United States government announced Sunday at COP28 that it's joining The Freshwater Challenge, which aims to ensure 300,000 kilometers of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands are committed to restoration by 2030. In light of the announcement, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released the following statement from Melissa D. Ho, senior vice president for freshwater and food:
"WWF celebrates the leadership and actions taken by the US government in joining the Freshwater Challenge to conserve, value, and protect freshwater resources. We're pleased to see the Biden administration follow up its commitment to conserving at least 30% of US lands and water by 2030 with another significant move, which represents the largest global freshwater restoration and protection initiative in history. This is a tremendous signal that the United States appreciates the connection between climate and nature, and the critical role freshwater ecosystems play in ensuring water security for all - the foundation for heathy, thriving communities.
"Healthy freshwater ecosystems are central to tackling the climate crisis and actions like this are a huge boost to efforts to secure the well-being of people and nature."
