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UW climatologist's research leads to polar bears being listed as threatened species

Anita Weier  —  5/14/2008 3:04 pm

The U.S. Department of the Interior has listed the polar bear as a threatened species, the first major listing based largely on the effects of climate change.

The decision announced Wednesday by Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne was based in large part on research by University of Wisconsin-Madison climatologist Eric DeWeaver.

DeWeaver used climate models to predict how global changes in coming decades will likely affect the Arctic, particularly with regard to summertime sea ice, a critical part of polar bear habitat.

But Reed Hopper, a principal attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, issued a statement following the Interior secretary's announcement threatening a legal challenge to the government's decision.

``The government has relied on speculative computer modeling to justify its listing decision,'' Hopper wrote. ``Never before has a thriving species been listened under the Endangered Species Act, nor should it.''

DeWeaver was part of an International Polar Bear Science Team that advised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the matter. In turn, the Fish and Wildlife Service recommended the change to the Department of the Interior.

According to DeWeaver, all climate models pointed to widespread reductions in Arctic sea ice in coming decades. Exactly how much melting will occur and how quickly is less certain.

The climate models predicted a loss of more than 40 percent of prime spring and summer polar bear habitat by 2050, based on current rates of greenhouse gas production.

Polar bear experts believe those losses will lead to the demise of more than 60 percent of the current population within the next 50 years, which near-extinction likely by the end of the century.

"While the Legal standards under the Endangered Species Act compel me to list the polar bear as threatened, I want to make clear that this listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice form melting," Kempthorne said.

"Any real solution requires action by all major economies for it to be effective."

Anita Weier  —  5/14/2008 3:04 pm