Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceSeven key threats have been identified as already impacting, or most likely to have an impact on the polar bear and its habitat during the lifetime of the Range States Circumpolar Action Plan (2015-2025). These threats are addressed in the 2-3 years Implementation Plans with the aim to avoid negative long-term effects to polar bears. These threats are: climate change, human-caused mortality, mineral and energy resource exploration and development, contaminants and pollution, shipping, tourism related activities, and diseases and parasites. The threats may interact and have compound effects, so consideration should also be given to the cumulative impacts.
Source: Circumpolar Action Plan
