US develops plan to protect wildlife as climate changes

Los Angeles Times : In response to global warming, the Obama administration this week announced the publication of the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy . The plan was developed by a partnership of government and other agencies, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and state and tribal authorities. According to the strategy highlights brochure , the climate has changed noticeably over the past 50 years: Average temperatures in the US have risen by 2 °F, extreme weather events are occurring more frequently, sea levels have risen, and Arctic ice is melting. To help wildlife, fish, and plants adapt, the strategy sets forth seven goals, among them the creation of wildlife “corridors” to allow animals and plants to move to new habitats. Although state-level efforts to deal with global warming continue to be hindered by politicians who claim that climate change is a hoax, “efforts to help wildlife adapt have not provoked a backlash so far,” writes Neela Banerjee for the Los Angeles Times.