Senate Gets New Global Warming Wildlife Bill

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., called global warming "the single greatest threat to the world's natural environment" as he announced a new bill that would create a national strategy for addressing the affect of climate change on America's wildlife.

(Whitehouse, incidentally, has one of the best political names of all time.) Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., is a co-sponsor. ("Boxer" isn't a bad political name, either.)

Global warming is already affecting many species. As summer warmth extends longer into spring and fall, for instance, the migration of some bird species is changing, and their ranges are shifting northward with the climate. Species that aren't as mobile as birds and which can't shift with the climate -- such as those in the icy north, where there is no more northerly latitude to flee toward, or on mountaintops where there is no higher altitude -- are particularly in danger. Emissions of carbon are also leading to an acidification of the oceans, which is already preventing some species from forming calcium carbonate shells.

The Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act will:

• Set New National Strategies to Address Climate Change’s Impact on Wildlife and Oceans. The bill would direct the federal government to develop coordinated national strategies to identify, monitor, and protect or restore wildlife populations and habitats that are likely to be harmed by global warming; and to protect, maintain, and restore coastal and marine ecosystems to help them better withstand ocean acidification, sea level rise, and other stresses related to climate change.
• Create Advisory Panels to Share Scientific Research and Advice. The bill would create Advisory Boards, with members appointed by the President of the National Academy of Sciences, and a new National Global Warming and Wildlife Science Center within the U.S. Geological Survey, to conduct research and provide scientific and technical advice on strategies to help wildlife, oceans, and coastal ecosystems adapt to global warming. A special panel would also be convened to look specifically at the impacts of climate change on endangered species.
• Provide Resources to Help States Protect Wildlife and Marine Ecosystems. The bill would provide grants and other federal resources to help states, territories, and Indian tribes study wildlife, oceans, and habitats that may be affected by global warming, and plan and implement programs to mitigate the effects of climate change on these populations.

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