"This grim news for polar bears is a call to action for all of us," said Kassie Siegel at Climate, Air, and Energy Program for the Center for Biological Diversity, and author of the Petition to list the Polar Bear under the Endangered Species Act. "Polar bears will become extinct if current greenhouse gas pollution rates continue," Siegel said. "But there is still time to change this outcome. Rapid and deep greenhouse gas pollution cuts can save polar bears and the entire Arctic ecosystem."The USGS study was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the ongoing Endangered Species Act listing process for the polar bear. The Bush administration was forced by a petition and lawsuit by the Center for BiologicalDiversity, Greenpeace, and NRDC to determine whether the polar bear qualifies for listing under the Act. A final listing determination is due on January 9, 2007."Americans should be outraged that inaction by our government and stalling measures on global warming from corporations like Exxon that are driving the majestic polar bear into oblivion," said Melanie Duchin, Greenpeace global warming campaigner in Alaska. "Congress needs to kick into high gear on global warming legislation. Failure is not an option."The unprecedented melting of Arctic sea ice this summer underscores the urgency of the climate crisis. On August 17, the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that sea ice extent dropped below the previous record low, from September 2005, of 2.05 million square miles. As of September 3, 2007, sea ice extent had fallen to 1.70 million square miles - fully 250,000 square miles below the previous record and the melting is expected to continue into the third week in September.
VVPR info: Kassie Siegel, Center for Biological Diversity (760) 366-2232 x302 or (951) 961-7972 and Jane Kochersperger, Greenpeace, (202) 680-3798
