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U.S. Government will list polar bears as threatened

  2. jefftego
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Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced Wednesday that the U.S. government will list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, making it the first animal species to win protections because of threats from global warming.

The Arctic sea ice is vital to the bear's survival, its habitat has dramatically melted and computer models show that the pack ice is likely to continue melting in the foreseeable future, Kempthorne said.

Environmental groups had pressed the Bush administration to list the polar bear in hope that it would force the U.S. government to pass restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions from factories, utilities and vehicles, saying that strategy is the only way to avoid the harshest effects of climate change.

But Kempthorne made it clear that the Bush administration wouldn't use the the act to limit emissions on industrial sources or otherwise regulate greenhouse gases. The law and science wouldn't allow it because direct connections couldn't be made between greenhouse gas emissions and harm to the polar bear, he said.
jefftego

13 responses // U.S. Government will list polar bears as threatened

  • So what was the rationale for listing it as threatened?
    JanforGore
  • It sounds like neither side is really happy with this. What is the point of listing the polar bear as threatened if the government isn't going to act on it.

    Here is some interesting info:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/us/15polar.html


    jefftego
  • What a crock! I thoought the idea of making a species a protected animal was to actually PROTECT it. This doesn't help much at all, does it? Thanks for the other link, also, jefftego.
    JoQ
    • JoQ
    • 2 months ago
  • More 'make noise and hope they buy it' from this administration. I'm just so sick of it.
    patsarts
  • watch this comment being used here and here
    Looks like it was something done to shut some people up. Well lets just hope we can do something before it's to late.
    zigaroma
  • ..."direct connections couldn't be made..." ?????? Come now. How about direct connections between global warming and the melting icebergs -- or isn't that enough of a 'direct connection' (good grief!)
    shelchak
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here, here, here, and here
    I love Polar Bears, they taste like chicken.
    littlebobo2008
  • This is scary. A lot of people dont understand that some animals have developed to live in harsh environments. They cant survive as well anywhere else.
    dmass5
  • I don't understand the rationale of these environmental groups; pushing for the protection of polar bears to try and bring about global warming legislation? When did the potential risk for humans become secondary to polar bears?
    mako2424
  • The planet belongs to all of us, When does conservation kick in ,after the current powers leave??
    ArtLiquidBlogspot
  • "When did the potential risk for humans become secondary to polar bears?" - dmass5

    Never, perhaps? These same environmental groups lobby for climate legislation, and it's not their fault it hasn't passed in the US under this administration. This was just another item that needed addressed, and it did. At least symbolically, which is more than I can say about many issues that need addressed in our country.

    And as for their rationale: I think protecting a species on the brink of extinction due to our negligent actions is a noble enough cause that helps the local ecosystem. I doubt they were trying to use this in order to enact climate policy, although such an outcome would be helpful nonetheless.
    H3ADLINE
  • This legislation that has passed is quite ridiculous. The environmental groups sued the government because of global warming and the legislation that was passed does not even include anything about global warming. They passed this legislation but not before there was a large amount of Alaskan land sold to oil companies that is an environment for the polar bears.

    I think that this legislation was passed to merely appease the people by giving them the bare minimum and not really taking the issue into consideration.

    Hunter2323
  • Whatever it takes to keep oil companies from drilling in the north.
    Tomcatt

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