Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act

Global warming poses a great threat to humans around the world, but it poses an even greater threat to wildlife. We must address the root causes of human-induced global warming by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted by industry, cars, and coal-powered plants. At the same time, however, we need to take action to help reduce the impacts that global warming will have -- and in many cases, is already having -- on wildlife across the country.

In May, Representatives Norm Dicks (D-WA), Jim Saxton (R-PA), and Jay Inslee (D-WA) introduced the Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act to help address global warming's impacts on wildlife. This important bill was incorporated into Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall's (D-WV) comprehensive legislation, HR 2337. After being reported out of Committee, this bill was incorporated into Speaker Pelosi’s multi-committee New Direction for Energy Independence Act (HR 3221) and passed the full House of Representatives on August 4th. This legislation will be conferenced with Senate energy legislation this fall.

The Wildlife Survival Act directs the federal government, in consultation with states and other organizations, to anticipate and prepare for the drastic effects that global warming is likely to have on animals, plants and their habitats. More importantly, it commands the government to take action to protect wildlife from global warming impacts. The continued survival of native animals and plants will depend on us following the common-sense plan laid out in the Wildlife Survival Act to come up with new solutions to help wildlife through the difficulties resulting from global warming.

How does the Wildlife Survival Act work?

The Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act creates a comprehensive framework for a coordinated national approach to address the impacts of global warming on wildlife. The Survival Act, introduced by Representatives Norm Dicks (D-WA-6), Jay Inslee (D-WA-1) and James Saxton (R-NJ-3), was recently passed by the House of Representatives as part of the New Direction for Energy Independence Act (H.R. 3221). H.R. 3221 represents the combination of many committees’ work, and the Survival Act is included in the Natural Resources Committee’s section (Title VII) of this landmark legislation. Read Fact Sheet

How will global warming affect the wildlife in your area?
Looking to the future, scientists predict a 2-10° F increase in temperature within this century. A few potential results of this change include an increase in storm frequency and severity, up to 2ft rise in sea level, and a loss of up to 85% of coastal wetlands. Read Fact Sheet

Wildlife Survival Act FAQs
What is wildlife adaptation?
How can we help wildlife adapt to global warming?
Is adaptation alone sufficient to ensure wildlife's survival?
On what species does the Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act focus?
How will the Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act be funded?
How will the funding be allocated?
How will states and tribes receive funding?
Why is there a need for a balanced federal and state approach?
Why is a new National Science Center needed?
Which agencies and what programs will be involved in implementing the Wildlife Survival Act?

What is wildlife adaptation?
If the climatic changes due to global warming were happening on historical time scales, and if habitats were undisturbed and unfragmented, many species would be able to adapt. However, global warming is occurring at unprecedented speed and wildlife cannot adapt quickly enough. Some wildlife and plants are already responding to the effects of global warming by shifting their home ranges towards the poles and upwards in elevation seeking cooler temperatures. However, as the impacts of global warming become more pronounced, these measures may prove insufficient.

How can we help wildlife adapt to global warming impacts?
We can:

• Establish robust wildlife monitoring programs to detect changes
• Reduce non-climate threats to wildlife, like pollution and habitat fragmentation
• Restore ecological systems to help retain natural ecological processes and services
• Acquire and protect critical travel and dispersal corridors for wildlife and habitats to shift through land protection programs;
• Intensively manage species and habitats if necessary, including for example, assisting species migration, protection of critical habitat or resources, disease prevention and, if warranted, establishment of captive propagation for reintroduction purposes.

Is adaptation alone sufficient to help promote wildlife survival?
No. Wildlife adaptation measures alone are not enough. These efforts must be complemented by efforts to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- the root cause of enhanced global warming. Even then, some species will suffer severe impacts, or even extinction, from changing climate and habitat loss.

On which species does the Wildlife Survival Act focus?
The primary focus of the efforts under the National Strategy will be on species that are at the greatest risk from the climate impacts of global warming. Species that are most vulnerable include both game and non-game species, and often include threatened, endangered, or other at-risk species.

How will the Wildlife Survival Act be funded?
The Wildlife Survival Act contains a general authorization for federal appropriations needed to implement the Act. One possible source of funding is a portion of the proceeds generated under a cap and trade system which has the potential to generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue from the auctioning of emission allowances under a federal carbon trading system. In the long run, such legislation may provide a reliable and appropriate source of funding for the Wildlife Survival Act.

How will the funding be allocated?
The bill recognizes the important roles of federal agencies, state agencies and federal-state partnership programs and appropriately balances these by allocating:

• 45% of funding to federal agencies to manage habitat in accordance with the national strategy in the national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests and BLM lands.
• 25% of funding to federal-state wildlife and partnership programs including the endangered species, fisheries and migratory bird programs and cooperative grant programs benefiting wildlife including Private Stewardship Grants, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fun and the Landowner Incentive Program
• 30% of funding to state wildlife agencies, through the established State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program, to implement global warming-related priorities identified in state and comprehensive wildlife conservation plans

How will states and tribes receive funding?
States will receive funding through the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, which has a six year track record and clear accountability of direct funding to states and tribes. The Act makes funds available to the states to revise or supplement their comprehensive wildlife conservation plans as needed to take into account global warming's impacts.

Why is there a need for a balanced federal and state approach?
Some have suggested that all, or the vast majority, of any federal funding go directly to the states. The need to help wildlife populations that are being impacted by global warming can only be met, however, through an approach that recognizes the critical importance of federal and state roles. The federal land agencies, which provide vital refuge for wildlife in contiguous habitat, manage more than 25% of the United States' lands. However, they are in fiscal crisis so additional funding is urgently needed.

The bill's balanced approach will also include federally sponsored wildlife partnership programs such as, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan that will provide significant federal resources for conservation activities of state, tribal and private partners. They also serve as leverage to encourage funding and action for wildlife conservation at every level of the national landscape.

Why is a new National Science Center needed?
The Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) of the interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has produced excellent research and reports on the effects of global warming since it was established in 1990. However, a focused study of the impacts of global warming on wildlife and the consequent development of a national strategy is now needed. The proposed National Global Warming and Wildlife Science Center is designed to provide ongoing, national-level research, develop adaptation strategies, coordinate monitoring strategies, and support individual agencies. The U.S. Geological Survey is the most appropriate agency for this center and The Science Center's efforts will be informed by consultation with federal, state and local agencies as well as other private and public entities including the National Academy of Sciences.

Which agencies and what programs will be involved in implementing the Wildlife Survival Act?
The bill directs the Secretary of Interior to consult with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, state fish and wildlife agencies, Indian tribes, and local governments to develop a national strategy. Federal lands within the National Park system, National Wildlife Refuge system, public lands within Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service lands are critical to implementing this national strategy.

Wildlife programs and conservation plans that are also instrumental to implementing this Act include:

• Cooperative grant programs administered by DOI benefiting wildlife, including the Cooperative Endangered Species Fund, the Private Stewardship Grants, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan;
• Conservation programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's jurisdiction (funded under another section of House Natural Resource Committee Chairman Rahall's bill H.R. 2337);
• State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program;
• State comprehensive wildlife conservation plans.