The U.S. lists polar bears as “Threatened”

Meanwhile, life for most Canadians remains the same as it did last week. Our grocery stores are still replete with foods that travel the world to reach our table, and plastic bags derived from the depleted petroleum reserves, crinkling away at cash registers while thousands of miles north, hungry bears stalk the diminished terrain in search of local food.

But complacency is only afforded us humans temporarily. The Arctic is changing first and fastest, but if Canada does not take proactive steps to deal with the climate crisis now, we Canadians will be forced to change our lives in unpleasant, unexpected ways, once the situation has escalated to the point at which we can no longer lessen the brunt of the coming storm.

On June 2nd, leasing of areas for oil and gas development will open in the Beaufort Sea, an area of high value to polar bears. WWF-Canada has called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to place a moratorium on new industrial development in this area until proper planning has been done to protect sensitive habitats. WWF-Canada has also called on the Prime Minister to institute measures to ensure any hunting for polar bears is fully sustainable, and most importantly, to quickly stop, then reverse the rise in Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, so we are doing our part in the global fight against climate change.

To save the polar bear will be a challenge, but if we wait for the last bear to disappear, we may be struggling to save ourselves.

by Maggie MacDonald