Polar bears

You probably already heard this on the news. At least I hope you did. I hope this was considerred newsworthy enough that it was reported on mainstream radio and television. The CNN article I want to call your attention to is entitled "Official: Polar bears need protection". Here's how it gets started:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Polar bears are in jeopardy and need stronger government protection because of melting Arctic sea ice related to global warming, the Bush administration said Wednesday.

Pollution and overhunting also threaten their existence. Greenland and Norway have the most polar bears, while a quarter of them live mainly in Alaska and travel to Canada and Russia. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on Wednesday proposed listing polar bears as a "threatened" species on the government list of imperiled species.

The "endangered" category is reserved for species more likely to become extinct.

"Polar bears are one of nature's ultimate survivors, able to live and thrive in one of the world's harshest environments," Kempthorne said. "But we are concerned the polar bear's habitat may literally be melting."

A final decision on whether to add the polar bears to the list is a year away, after the government finishes more studies.

Such a decision would require all federal agencies to ensure that anything they authorize that might affect polar bears will not jeopardize their survival or the sea ice where they live. That could include oil and gas exploration, commercial shipping or even releases of toxic contaminants or climate-affecting pollution.

Why do we need more studies? The polar bears are drowning due to the scarcity of ice floes. Their weight is dropping to to lack of food. And it's their thick layer of fat that keeps them warm.

But all in all, I think this is good news. Finally the Bush administration is acknowledging the effects of global warming. That's going to set a precedent and make it harder for them to engage in denial in the future.

You can learn more about the polar bear here.