Center for Biological Diversity

50-Year ESA Safety Net Removed; Climate-Threatened Species Now at Greater Risk

The U.S. Interior Department is dismantling a 50-year-old blanket protection for threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, a move environmental groups say will accelerate extinctions as climate change intensifies habitat loss. The new rules require individualized species protection plans and allow economic considerations to override critical habitat designations, potentially benefiting fossil fuel and mining sectors.

49-Year Species Rule Ends: Biotech’s Natural Drug Library Faces Extinction Risk

The U.S. Interior Department’s cancellation of automatic ESA protections for threatened species could accelerate biodiversity loss, directly threatening the natural sources of many pharmaceuticals. Bioprospecting and natural product R&D face heightened uncertainty as habitat destruction outpaces species discovery. The rule change adds regulatory complexity for biotech companies seeking access to rare organisms.

Source: thepeterboroughexaminer.com · mendocinobeacon.com