Endangered Species Act

“To save the species, conservation measures must quickly be developed and implemented; listing the polar bear under the ESA would be a step in this direction”
–HSUS

February 2005-The threat of extinction due to global warming urged the Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace, and the Natural Resources Defense Council to file a petition in the US Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) to list polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The FWS conducted a status review and found the listing warranted. It was solicited in December 2006 for public comments before any final action.

According to the Endangered Species Act, an endangered species "is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range."

To be considered threatened, the polar bear must be "likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range."

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List Assessment, polar bear populations are expected to decline more than 30% in the next 45 years. But by listing the polar bear under ESA, the US government would be forced to begin to seriously protect this species. Regulatory agencies would be forced to consider the detrimental effects that their decisions have on polar bears, and would lead to stricter pollution laws.

The ESA petition states that "significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are imperative to ensure the survival of the ionic polar bear."