![]() ![]() The ESA is not only effective, it is wildly popular. The Act has been responsible for recovery of the iconic American bald eagle, and even provided safeguards for protected species outside the US by limiting domestic imports. The law protects ‘listed’ species - plants and animals designated as threatened or endangered - in a variety of ways, from preserving critical habitat to prohibiting hunting, harassment, and other behaviours that could further imperil the species. Unfortunately, there are those among us who are unable or unwilling to recognise the severity of the crisis facing our planet and the entirety of its species - they choose a ‘business as usual approach’ while ignoring the devastating impacts of that choice.Īmid the dire warnings of climate change and species extinction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) last week finalised a plan to roll back protections for threatened and endangered species through fundamental changes to its interpretation and implementation of the US Endangered Species Act (ESA).įor background, the Endangered Species Act was signed into law in 1973 and has consistently proved one of the most effective tools for conserving and restoring imperiled plant and animal species - not just in the United States, but around the globe. ![]() As our natural world faces unprecedented threats, we do not stand apart from our fellow species - our very survival is also under threat. Human activities are at the root of these ominous changes and thus fuel this ongoing tailspin. ![]() ![]() Immensely powerful storms, escalating wildfires, melting glaciers, and rising seas make themselves felt around the globe.Īt the same time, according to a report released this spring by the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), species are disappearing at a faster rate than ever before, a trend fueled not only by the changing climate, but by the impacts of both habitat destruction and overconsumption. July 2019 was the hottest month on record since humanity began tracking temperatures in the late 19 th century. Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a daily reality. ![]()
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