Polar bears 'can be saved from extinction by emission cuts'

Washington, Dec 16 (ANI): Polar bears and its Arctic habitat can be saved if we cut global greenhouse emissions, according to scientists.

Polar bears were added to the threatened species list nearly three years ago when their icy habitat showed steady, precipitous decline because of a warming climate.

But it appears the Arctic icons aren't necessarily doomed after all, according to results of the new study.

The findings indicate that there is no "tipping point" that would result in unstoppable loss of summer sea ice when greenhouse gas-driven warming rises above a certain threshold.

Scientists from several institutions, including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the University of Washington, have found that if humans reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly in the next decade or two, enough Arctic ice is likely to remain intact during late summer and early autumn for polar bears to survive.

"Our current research provides strong evidence that it's not too late to save polar bears from extinction," said George Durner of the USGS Alaska Science Center, an atmospheric scientist.

The study has been published in this week's issue of the journal Nature. (ANI)