Dr. Jane Goodall, Pierce Brosnan & Mark Ruffalo Join Big Roster of Celebs to Stop Attacks on Endangered Species Act (Video)

October 30, 2017
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The latest attack—narrowly thwarted in the Senate—would have taken protections away from over 1,000 species.

Since its inception in 1973, the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) has served as one of the world’s most powerful tools to protect thousands of iconic and beloved species facing extinction. Now it’s being repeatedly attacked by Congress and the Trump Administration and needs our protection.

To raise public awareness of the heightened political tensions threatening to engulf the Act, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) developed the #OneActForAll campaign and partnered with over two dozen celebrities, including IFAW Ambassadors Slash and Pierce Brosnan, and stars like Samantha Bee, Nina Dobrev, Mark Ruffalo, Wilmer Valderrama and Susan Sarandon, to band together to fight off attacks on the ESA.

The ESA is the nation’s most effective wildlife protection law; it has prevented the extinction of 99% of the species that have been put under its protection. With wildlife vanishing at an unprecedented rate around the globe, the ESA is needed now more than ever.  Without this powerful law, we would have lost the bald eagle, California condor, American alligator, and other iconic American species forever. The ESA also helps non-U.S. endangered species such as elephants, tigers and lions by curtailing imports of products like ivory, tiger bone wine, and sport-hunted “trophies” thereby reducing hunting and poaching pressure on these species.

While there have been previous attempts to repeal, or ‘modernize’ the ESA over its lifetime, we are seeing an unprecedented barrage of assaults by anti-wildlife legislators egged on by special interest groups and industry lobbyists. They seek to roll-back elements of the ESA and undermine its success. Bills have been introduced that would take away funding, move the decision-making powers away from scientists and into the hands of special interest groups, and eliminate protections for international species like elephants. The latest attack which was narrowly thwarted in the Senate would have taken protections away from over 1,000 species. Anyone who shares concern for the environment and wildlife should be on high alert and ready to fight back.

Some of the most dangerous bills include; the State, Tribal, and Local Species Transparency and Recovery Act (H.R. 1274), which would undermine the ESA’s mandate that listing decisions be made based upon the best available science. It would prioritize information submitted by states—regardless of the scientific basis—above other data in making listing decisions for imperiled wildlife. Also, Saving America’s Endangered Species Act (H.R. 2603), which would amend the ESA to remove protections for non-U.S. species, such as elephants and rhinos, devastating global efforts to fight wildlife trafficking and unsustainable trophy hunting.

Any attempt to dismantle the ESA is absolutely against our nation’s longtime commitment to protecting wildlife both here and abroad. In order to prevent these bills, and more, from being passed - please urge your members of Congress to oppose these measures and all legislative attacks on the ESA.  IFAW wants to make everyone aware of what is at stake; the loss of biodiversity, attacks on protections for beloved, iconic animals, and the fabric of what makes our natural landscape worth protecting.

As a response to this growing political tension and increasingly bold attacks on the ESA, IFAW partnered with the firm Human + Design to create #OneActForAll to allow the American public to show their support for endangered species, and create more awareness on the dangers being faced by the ESA.

IFAW worked with over two dozen celebrities in a series of images and videos, each paired with a different species that currently benefits, has benefitted, or could benefit from the protections afforded by the ESA. The campaign assets have been disseminated through digital channels, including http://ift.tt/2z4xgQ0 action-focused website designed to easily allow supporters to join the campaign and contact their legislators instantly — IFAW’s social channels, and those of the celebrities and other supporters and influencers. Most people do not know just how much the ESA is an essential backstop for wildlife conservation. Iconic species would have been lost without it and many species will be lost if it doesn’t remain strong, fully funded, and implemented.

Celebrities involved in the campaign include IFAW Ambassadors Kristin Bauer van Straten, Pierce Brosnan, Joely Fisher, Mick Fleetwood, Jane Goodall, Myles Kennedy, Heather Morris, Slash and Goran Visnjic; as well as Evan Atin, Samantha Bee, Madison Beer, Camilla Belle, Jai Courtney, Whitney Cummings, Gaby Dalkin, Manish Dayal, Nina Dobrev, Alison Eastwood, Scott Eastwood, Beverly & Dereck Joubert, Leona Lewis, Arielle Kebbel, Josh Peck, Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandon, Geoff Stults, Wilmer Valderrama, Eddie Vedder, Vanessa Villela, Diane Warren and Rainn Wilson.

Without the support of the American public, the ESA will fall and if the ESA falls, all endangered species fall. You can watch this video for more information and reasons to support the #OneActForAll campaign.

To learn more about the #OneActForAll campaign, visit www.oneactforall.com to find contact details for your federal representatives and view additional celebrity campaign photos and videos.

Watch a video about the campaign:

 

 

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