MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US lists polar bears as threatened species, with a loophole

The United States has listed the polar bear as a threatened species, because its Arctic sea ice habitat is melting due to climate change. US government scientists predict that two-thirds of the polar bear population of 25,000 could disappear by 2050. However, the government stressed the listing would not lead to measures to prevent global warming.

Environmentalists have expressed disappointment that more will not be done to protect the bear's habitat. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne formally announced on Wednesday that he is accepting the recommendation of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The listing is based on the best available science, which shows that loss of sea ice threatens and will likely continue to threaten polar bear habitat. This loss of habitat puts polar bears at risk of becoming endangered in the foreseeable future, the standard established by the ESA for designating a threatened species. In making the announcement, Kempthorne also announced that "the listing decision will be accompanied by administrative guidance and a rule that defines the scope of impact my decision will have, in order to protect the polar bear while limiting the unintended harm to the society and economy of the United States." Kempthorne further stated that while "legal standards under the ESA compel me to list the polar bear as threatened, I want to make clear that this listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting. Any real solution requires action by all major economies for it to be effective. That is why I am taking administrative and regulatory action to make certain the ESA isn't abused to make global warming policies". A federal judge had ordered the US government to make a decision on the issue by May 15. But environmental campaigners described the listing as a limited victory. "Protecting the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act is a major step forward," said Andrew Wetzler of the Natural Resources Defense Council in a statement. "But the Bush administration has proposed using loopholes in the law to allow the greatest threat to the polar bear - global warming pollution - to continue unabated," he continued. Mr Kempthorne said there would be greater steps to monitor polar bear populations in Alaska, and more cooperation with foreign governments to protect the species. But environmentalists said this would not be enough. "By denying a direct link between the sources of global warming pollution and the loss of the polar bears' sea ice habitat, and by denying that the polar bear will be protected from oil and gas development, they're willing to sit by and let the polar bear go extinct," said John Kostyack of the National Wildlife Federation. In February, the Bush administration sold drilling rights for oil and gas off the Alaskan coast, which includes an area of polar bear habitat.