U.S. To Lobby For Endangered Species Status For Polar Bear

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Free Internet Press

U.S. To Lobby For Endangered Species Status For Polar Bear
2010-03-14 05:58:08 (7 minutes ago)


Melting sea ice in the Arctic will kill thousands of bears in coming years, the U.S. says, and continued commercial trade must not be allowed to make the situation worse.

It is a familiar story in the climate change debate. The U.S. government is at odds with the rest of the world and, despite criticism, wants other countries to change their minds and fall in line behind Uncle Sam.

This time, the tale comes with an unexpected twist. This weekend, the U.S. will warn that the threat from climate change to the survival of the polar bear is so great that the world must grant it the highest possible protection.

At the meeting of the international body that regulates trade in animals, the U.S. will push for a total ban on the sale and movement of polar bear products that are used for furs, rugs and taxidermy. Melting sea ice in the Arctic will kill thousands of bears in coming years, the U.S. says, and continued commercial trade must not be allowed to make the situation worse. Other countries, including U.S. neighbors and keen polar bear traders, Canada, disagree.


Read more: http://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=24955

[Judi Lynn]

1. US to lobby for endangered species listing for polar bear

US to lobby for endangered species listing for polar bear
Melting sea ice in the Arctic will kill thousands of bears in coming years, the US says, and continued commercial trade must not be allowed to make the situation worse
David Adam, environment correspondent guardian.co.uk.
Friday 12 March 2010 12.15 GMT

It is a familiar story in the climate change debate. The US government is at odds with the rest of the world and, despite criticism, wants other countries to change their minds and fall in line behind Uncle Sam.

This time, the tale comes with an unexpected twist. This weekend, the US will warn that the threat from climate change to the survival of the polar bear is so great that the world must grant it the highest possible protection.

At the meeting of the international body that regulates trade in animals, the US will push for a total ban on the sale and movement of polar bear products that are used for furs, rugs and taxidermy. Melting sea ice in the Arctic will kill thousands of bears in coming years, the US says, and continued commercial trade must not be allowed to make the situation worse. Other countries, including US neighbours and keen polar bear traders, Canada, disagree.

The US has put its proposal to the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (Cites), which meets every two-three years and tomorrow begins its 12-day meeting in Doha, Qatar. Governments from 175 countries will discuss dozens of such proposals, which could help determine the fate of, among others, elephants, tigers, rhinos and the world's dwindling stocks of bluefin tuna.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/12/polar-bears-endangered-species-listing

[FarCenter]

2. Pretty much bogus -- see sea ice coverage map at

http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/

The deficit in ice coverage this year is mainly in the Gulf of St Lawrence. This means that this year's seal pup crop will likely not survive very well. However, it looks like the polar bears should be doing fine.