Only 3 days left to help save the Polar Bear

[ALex]

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/images/AAMasthead.gif (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=5yHFi%2BAA908hRpJtfhhyKOSF1GOrRI%2BH)
Dear Alex,

<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" width="100"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <table bgcolor="#00675a" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" width="100"> <tbody> <tr> <td> http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/images/blast_images/2008/polarbear_brendancummings.jpg (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BhdCF7UTLA%2BQUEMDfRuQweSF1GOrRI%2BH)
Click here to forward the petition. (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=6kexu2M432aoKi72iTbeV%2BSF1GOrRI%2BH)

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Thank you for signing our petition to list polar bears as endangered. We're counting on you to help spread the word.

On Thursday, the federal government will make one of the most important decisions in conservation history.

If it declares the polar bear to be an "endangered" species, the decision will set off an unprecedented worldwide discussion on global warming... and establish legal requirements to do something about it.

More than 36,000 of you have already heeded the call, adding your name in support of listing the polar bear as endangered. Thank you.

But we only have three more days before the decision on May 15th. We need to generate 60,000 petition signatures in favor of polar bear protection before that date.

We must protect the polar bear. Take a moment right now to pass this email on to everyone who cares about our planet (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=QunNjtQJzawIxAm4Hi%2FUYOSF1GOrRI%2BH). And if you're not sure you've signed yet, click here (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=yMJZ7MnRrImWL4EPZp2NguSF1GOrRI%2BH) to sign the petition.

Together we can generate an unstoppable wave of public support for global warming action. Please forward the petition now to 10 friends (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=tulEFTipLwbW05kx74Y9L%2BSF1GOrRI%2BH).

When I wrote the scientific petition to list the polar bear as an endangered species in 2005, I had no idea how important it would become to the battle against global warming. The decline of the polar bear has focused international attention on the real-world effects of catastrophic climate change.

I also didn't know we'd have to file suit -- twice -- just to get the Bush administration to make a decision. But now it's committed to making one by this Thursday. Help others sign the petition now (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=m%2Bfbpj0vJj%2BY%2FzewK6ZdJuSF1GOrRI%2BH).

The Bush administration has been rushing out Arctic oil and gas leases at the same time it has delayed deciding whether to declare the polar bear protected under the Endangered Species Act. A positive decision Thursday will ensure that all future oil and gas decisions take into account the polar bear and global warming.

This is our best chance to save the polar bear and get a grip on global warming. Please pass on our petition now (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=X%2BXa2QjSs8tfGg37iawDe%2BSF1GOrRI%2BH) urging the Secretary of the Interior to list the polar bear as an endangered species.

Please forward this email to 10 friends today. The fate of the polar bear and all other species threatened by global warming -- including ourselves -- hangs in the balance. Your friends will thank you for the opportunity to weigh in. Sincerely,

<table border="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="50">http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/images/blast_images/2008/kassie_and_bear.jpg</td> <td> http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/images/blast_images/2008/kassie_signature.jpg
Kassie R. Siegel
Climate, Air and Energy Program Director
Center for Biological Diversity

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> PS: If you have trouble with the above hyperlinks, please copy and paste the forward-to-a-friend link directly into your browser: http://salsa.democracyinaction<wbr>.org/o/2167/t/5243/tellafriend<wbr>.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=2733 (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=owYuvPx332kKt8r3YIV35%2BSF1GOrRI%2BH)
PPS: Here's an excerpt from an interview on the Public Radio International show Living on Earth with my colleague Bill Snape, the Center's senior counsel in D.C.

[ALex]

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Dear Alex,

<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="5" width="100"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <table bgcolor="#00675a" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" width="100"> <tbody> <tr> <td> http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/images/eeo_images/407/PolarBear_byPeteSpruance_jpg.jpg
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> History was made today when the U.S. Department of Interior formally listed the polar bear as a "threatened" species. The decision came in response to the Center for Biological Diversity's 2005 scientific petition and two subsequent lawsuits filed by the Center and its allies.
It also came in response to your pleas to save the polar bear. More than 100,000 of the Center's supporters signed petitions urging the Bush administration to protect the polar bear.
Thank you. This outpouring of political pressure was invaluable.
Bush Still Hiding from Global Warming
Today's decision was bizarrely schizophrenic in that the administration simultaneously enacted policies to prevent the polar bear's listing from affecting runaway greenhouse gas emissions.
- The administration should have listed the polar bear as "endangered" rather than "threatened." An endangered listing would require a stronger protective standard.
- The administration refused to designate and protect the polar bear's habitat as "critical habitat." The overwhelming threat to polar bears is the melting of Arctic sea ice. It is absolutely essential that this habitat is itself protected if we expect to save the bear.
- The listing decision includes a "special rule" and a declaration that greenhouse gas emissions can't and shouldn't be limited by the Endangered Species Act. This poison pill attempts to completely undermine the entire point of the polar bear's listing: to reign in the primary actions driving the species extinct.
Back to Court
The Center for Biological Diversity will not let these atrocious policies stand. We've repeatedly beat the administration in court over the past three years and we'll do so again.
We and our allies at the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace will soon haul the Bush administration back to court to ensure that the polar bear and its habitat are fully protected.
I'll keep you updated in the coming weeks about our progress.
Thanks again for your help, and don't let the administration's futile efforts to undermine the Endangered Species Act get you down. This is a watershed moment in the global battle to combat global warming. Give yourself a pat on the back for helping to make it happen.
Sincerely,

<table border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="50">http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/images/blast_images/kieran-agave-small.jpg</td> <td> http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/images/blast_images/kieran-sig.jpg
Kierán Suckling
Executive Director
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