Saving endangered species should be more important than saving the act that was originally designed to protect them, our Professor Jonathan Adler argued at the Oversight Subcommittee hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

In his testimony, Professor Adler made a strong case that Congress should consider critically looking at the overall record of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which was enacted 1973. Since that time, approximately 2,000 species of plants and animals, foreign and domestic, have been listed as “endangered” or “threatened.” The goal of the ESA is to recover listed species so that they no longer need the Act’s extraordinary protections.

Yet in nearly 40 years, this goal has been reached with scarcely over 1 percent of listed species. As of this month, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reports that only 48 species have been removed from the list of endangered and threatened species. Of these, only 22 are deemed to have recovered.

Species conservation is an important goal. Serious efforts are necessary to stem the loss of biological diversity and to reconcile the nation’s environmental aspirations with other social goals.

“Whether or not this committee accepts my policy recommendations, I hope all members recognize that substantial reform is necessary, both to insulate scientific research from political pressures, as well as to advance the cause of species conservation more generally,” Adler said in remarks prepared for the committee’s hearing record. “Saving endangered species should be more important than saving the Endangered Species Act.”

Read more.

Saving endangered species should be more important than saving the act that was originally designed to protect them, our Professor Jonathan Adler argued at the Oversight Subcommittee hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

In his testimony, Professor Adler made a strong case that Congress should consider critically looking at the overall record of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which was enacted 1973. Since that time, approximately 2,000 species of plants and animals, foreign and domestic, have been listed as “endangered” or “threatened.” The goal of the ESA is to recover listed species so that they no longer need the Act’s extraordinary protections.

Yet in nearly 40 years, this goal has been reached with scarcely over 1 percent of listed species. As of this month, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reports that only 48 species have been removed from the list of endangered and threatened species. Of these, only 22 are deemed to have recovered.

Species conservation is an important goal. Serious efforts are necessary to stem the loss of biological diversity and to reconcile the nation’s environmental aspirations with other social goals.

“Whether or not this committee accepts my policy recommendations, I hope all members recognize that substantial reform is necessary, both to insulate scientific research from political pressures, as well as to advance the cause of species conservation more generally,” Adler said in remarks prepared for the committee’s hearing record. “Saving endangered species should be more important than saving the Endangered Species Act.”

Read more.