Imagine for a moment a world without polar bears; this, according to scientists, could shortly be a reality if global warming continues to melt the animals’ sea ice habitat. The US government has listed the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, which protects animal and plant species from extinction by preserving the ecosystems in which they survive and by providing programs for their conservation. Polar bears will now come under federal protection, however, officials were quick to point out that the designation will not lead to the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. If current environmental trends continue, an estimated two-thirds of the polar bear population will be dead by the year 2050.