Scientists say their findings could help close a legal loophole that enables the federal government to avoid considering greenhouse gas emissions impacts on threatened and endangered species.
As Arctic sea ice shrinks as a result of climate change, a surge in the number of ravenous bears could lead to an increase in bears accessing garbage and human food, damaging property, or incidents in which humans or bears are injured or killed.
To visitors, the Norwegian archipelago can seem both ethereal and eternal. But climate change all but guarantees an eventual collapse of its vulnerable ecosystem.
Rapid habitat changes are already affecting polar bear behavior; with the sea ice retreating quickly, some of the bears now have to swim long distances in order to find places to den.
