The Endangered Species Act (ESA) http://www.care2.com/causes/is-the-endangered-species-act-endangered.html is highly criticized. Many critics question the act's effectiveness or if it's enough to combat this massive species loss. A Center for American Progress study says that the ESA works, but it's not enough. That's why the Center is calling for the Obama administration to add a new at-risk classification.
1 in 5 U.S. Animal and Plant Species At Risk of Extinction
According to an Center for American Progress press release, https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release/2015/10/19/123369/release-report-on-u-s-wildlife-populations-reaffirms-effectiveness-of-the-endangered-species-act-proposes-new-tool-to-combat-extinction-crisis/ while we're used to thinking of species extinction continents away like Africa, America is quickly losing its wildlife too. The report affirms that 1 in 5 animal and plant species in the U.S., or 1,300 species, is at risk of …show more content…
For instance, it's not preventative -- on its own, the ESA can't stop or reverse species decline. There are many examples where our Congress doesn't make wildlife a priority; the agencies set in place to protect our wildlife are often understaffed and underfunded. It can also take decades for a species to be granted the endangered listing, and many species don't have the luxury of decades anymore. Finally, some species are just more of a priority than others. The report states that "Mammals, fish and iconic bird species receive a higher share of funding for research, listing, and recovery than insects, plants, and less recognized species." In 2013, the U.S. government didn't invest any funds into protecting disappearing frogs (even though we're projected to lose 7 percent of frog species within a century), http://www.care2.com/causes/we-could-lose-7-percent-of-our-frogs-within-a-century.html snakes, tortoises, trees,butterflies, lizards, reptiles, amphibians, plants or
1 in 5 U.S. Animal and Plant Species At Risk of Extinction
According to an Center for American Progress press release, https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release/2015/10/19/123369/release-report-on-u-s-wildlife-populations-reaffirms-effectiveness-of-the-endangered-species-act-proposes-new-tool-to-combat-extinction-crisis/ while we're used to thinking of species extinction continents away like Africa, America is quickly losing its wildlife too. The report affirms that 1 in 5 animal and plant species in the U.S., or 1,300 species, is at risk of …show more content…
For instance, it's not preventative -- on its own, the ESA can't stop or reverse species decline. There are many examples where our Congress doesn't make wildlife a priority; the agencies set in place to protect our wildlife are often understaffed and underfunded. It can also take decades for a species to be granted the endangered listing, and many species don't have the luxury of decades anymore. Finally, some species are just more of a priority than others. The report states that "Mammals, fish and iconic bird species receive a higher share of funding for research, listing, and recovery than insects, plants, and less recognized species." In 2013, the U.S. government didn't invest any funds into protecting disappearing frogs (even though we're projected to lose 7 percent of frog species within a century), http://www.care2.com/causes/we-could-lose-7-percent-of-our-frogs-within-a-century.html snakes, tortoises, trees,butterflies, lizards, reptiles, amphibians, plants or