After 50 years of preventing extinction, we can’t turn our backs on the Endangered Species Act

Fifty years ago, Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate came together in an inspiring display of bipartisanship to pass one of our nation’s most respected and successful conservation laws: the Endangered Species Act. This law commemorates our nation’s responsibility to be good stewards of our natural heritage and protect it for future generations. This law prioritizes saving species and the amazing ecosystems they call home, by harnessing the best available science to improve life for all.

Since its enactment in 1973, ESA has prevented the extinction of nearly every species under its protection. From gray wolves howling at the moon, to bald eagles soaring above us, to black-footed ferrets leaping across the plains, to sea otters playing on the shores, the ESA has put many species on the road to recovery. road. It guides resource managers in protecting species and the habitats they depend on, and engages scientists, community and industry stakeholders to work together to deliver recovery plans for each species. Without the work directed by ESA, we would not be able to celebrate red wolves in the wild or help save other animals like Cook Inlet beluga whales and polar bears from extinction.

Sadly, too many members of Congress are either beginning to turn their backs on this life-saving law or actively working to undermine the fundamental principles that make it successful. They did this at a time when we needed ESA the most. In the 118th Congress, political overreach to strip away protections for critically endangered species such as lesser prairie chickens, northern long-eared bats, and dune sagebrush lizards has become commonplace in the House and Senate. These efforts to undermine and politicize the ESA run counter to the science-based decision-making of Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service experts who have upheld the integrity and effectiveness of the Act since its inception.

However, the world is not the same as it was half a century ago, and the need for ESA has never been greater. For years, chronic underfunding has severely hampered much-needed recovery efforts. Today, we face massive and intertwined threats to biodiversity and the climate crisis in the United States and abroad. Despite warnings from leading scientists that a million species are at risk of extinction, we continue to watch vital habitats disappear before our eyes. From coral reefs to sagebrush, rising temperatures, intensifying droughts and fires, more intense storms and floods, and increasing pest and disease risks are pushing wildlife and critical habitats beyond sustainable limits.

We are in a dangerous situation. But there is hope, because the American people overwhelmingly support ESA. That support cuts across party lines across the country, although it has become an increasingly partisan issue in the halls of Congress.

Americans understand that we are intrinsically connected in the web of life and that our well-being depends on healthy, biodiverse ecosystems that provide clean air, clean water, nutrient-rich soil, and a stable economy.

For 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has proven to be a powerful and successful tool for saving endangered species, and it must continue to be so. However, Congress needs to do a better job of funding its implementation. As Americans committed and charged with building a better future for our children, we must demand that Congress invest in and defend ESA. It is impossible not to do so in the face of extinction. We must embrace the moments when wildlife and wilderness need us, rather than burying our heads in the sand and hoping for a different outcome.

Don Beyer represents Virginia’s 8th Congressional District and Jamie Rappaport Clark is president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife.