Trump Administration Makes Major Changes To Endangered Species Protection.

Economic costs will be taken into account while determining whether a species warrants protection.  Another will weaken the initial protections given to species deemed to be threatened, one step shy of being endangered. More

A UN report indicates that ONE million animal and plant species are at risk for extinction.

  • 75% of land environment and some 66% of the marine environment “have been significantly altered by human actions.”
  • “More than a third of the world’s land surface and nearly 75% of freshwater resources” are used for crops or livestock.
  • “Up to $577 billion in annual global crops are at risk from pollinator loss.”
  • Between 100 million and 300 million people now face “increased risk of floods and hurricanes because of loss of coastal habitats and protection.”
  • Since 1992, the world’s urban areas have more than doubled.
  • “Plastic pollution has increased tenfold since 1980,” and from “300-400 million tons of heavy metals, solvents, toxic sludge” and other industrial waste are dumped into the world’s water systems.

Biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people are our common heritage and humanity’s most important life-supporting safety net. About one-third of all species right now in the U.S. are at heightened risk of potential extinction in the next couple of decades.”