Global News - May 2008

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US government lists polar bears as threatened

Thu 15 May 2008 14:15 UK — North America,Bears

The US government has announced that it has accepted recommendations from the Fish and Wildlife Service and listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

According to secretary of the interior Dirk Kempthorne, the listing was based on the best available science. This shows that loss of sea ice is threatening the survival of the species and will continue to do so.

However, Mr Kempthorne stressed that the listing would not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting.

He explained: "Listing the polar bear as threatened can reduce avoidable losses of polar bears. But it should not open the door to use of the ESA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, power plants, and other sources."

Mr Kempthorne also said that Canada did not currently list polar bears as endangered, even though it is home to two-thirds of the world’s population of the species.

"The Canadian law is different from US law with respect to endangered species, both in its criteria for listing and administrative process for making listing determinations," he added.

During a meeting between the US and Canadian authorities last week, a memorandum of understanding was signed about the conservation and management of polar bear populations.

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