US Thirst for Fossil Fuels is Decimating Wildlife: Report
Published on Thursday, January 19, 2012 by Common Dreams
US Thirst for Fossil Fuels is Decimating Nature's Wildlife: Report
Beyond the polar bear: Survey of endangered species highlights animals, large and small, often neglected in popular discourse
- Common Dreams staff
The day after the Obama administration rejected a proposal for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline -- a move widely, if cautiously, applauded by environmental groups and advocates of renewable energy -- a new report highlights the destructive impact of fossil fuel consumption in the United States. The report, called Fueling Extinction: How Dirty Energy Drives Wildlife to the Brink, highlights the top 10 US species whose survival is most threatened by the development, extraction, transportation, and consumption of fossil fuels.
Generated by a coalition of environmental and conservation groups, the report looks at the impact of the coal, natural gas, and oil industries and asks the fundamental question: "What have we gained from our nation's unquenchable appetite for fossil fuels?" Coalition members nominated species for inclusion in the report; submissions were then reviewed, judged and voted on by a panel of scientists. The report identifies the home range, conservation status, remaining population and specific threat facing each of the 10 finalists.
“America’s outsized reliance on dirty and dangerous fuels is making it much harder to protect our most vulnerable wildlife,” said Mark Salvo with coalition member WildEarth Guardians, said in a statement. “We should not sacrifice our irreplaceable natural heritage in order to make the fossil fuels industry even wealthier.” ................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/01/19-2
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