Top Stories of 2019: Our Impact on Wildlife
It wasn't news in 2019 that humans are pushing animals to the brink. However, a landmark report released in May ran the alarm bells: 1 million species are at risk of extinction unless we take drastic action to reverse our actions.
This report made it clear that we must make biodiversity loss a central component of our conversation around climate change in 2020 and beyond. The two are inextricably linked. (Julian Castro even crafted a presidential plan around animal welfare and biodiversity--which was a pretty big deal!)
However, this past year after the jarring warning released from the UN, the Trump administration did just about everything in their power to gut the Endangered Species Act--one of the most successful (and popular) conservation laws in history. These actions showed us that legacy acts like the ESA aren't guaranteed into perpetuity--we must keep fighting for them and for conservation.
Why This Matters: We know what's at stake when it comes to our planet and the animals who share it with us. Human life is dependent upon healthy biodiversity and as election fever heats up in this coming year, we must vote for candidates that understand this.
The Good News: Seven wildlife wins in 2019.
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