Polar bears have an ally - or more accurately three allies - in their plight to be recognized as a species threatened by global warming under the Endangered Species Act. The Natural Resources Defense Council, Greenpeace and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government today, claiming they missed an important legal deadline which would decide the fate of the bears.

"It's up to a federal court to throw this incredible animal a lifeline," said Andrew Wetzler of the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the plaintiffs. "We need urgent action from this administration to protect the polar bear and reduce greenhouse gas pollution, not continued delay."

A decision was supposed to be made back in January, but the government requested a month-long delay. Now that the extended deadline passed, the environmental groups have decided to play hardball on behalf of the animals. A U.S. Geological Survey report has estimated approximately two-thirds of the world's population of polar bears could die off by 2050 due to the melting of sea ice in the Arctic.

» Reuters Environment