Wildlife, ecosystems, and our tools to defend them are in trouble. Fueled by climate change, habitat destruction, and other factors, the United States is losing biodiversity at alarming rates. The landmark Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA)—like other environmental laws of that era—is hamstrung by inefficiencies, underinvestment, and tenuous political support. Meanwhile, an urgent need to build affordable, clean energy and housing in our country presents real challenges for nature conservation and outdated permitting systems. Making matters worse, the current presidential administration and Congress are exploiting this dynamic to take aim at core protections for wildlife, public lands, and clean water.
This moment of intersecting crises calls for big ideas and for embracing new opportunities. Conservation allies have successfully defended bedrock environmental laws for decades, but today we are losing too much ground, literally and figuratively, to simply defend the status quo. Supporters of America’s lands, waters, and wildlife—including conservationists, state and Tribal leaders, landowners, hunters and anglers, and other experts—need to offer a clear alternative vision. America needs a plan to revamp species conservation that achieves more for wildlife and ecosystems while enabling us to build the critical infrastructure necessary to tackle climate change and affordability. Getting more from the ESA is a key part of that work.
The above excerpt was originally published in Ground Shift.
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