The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has officially declared the emperor penguin a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) due to the existential risk posed by climate change. This listing exemplifies the growing threat of climate change and the need for strong action to help combat it and the other major drivers of biodiversity loss. As a key indicator species, changes in the emperor penguin population can be indicative of the health of the Antarctic marine ecosystem and the overall growing impact of climate change. While currently, the population appears to be stable, researchers say as many as half of these Antarctic birds could be lost by 2050. The main danger is sea ice loss, which reduces the space they need to breed and raise chicks. Parts of the Antarctic Peninsula’s sea ice have melted by more than 60% in 30 years and predictions suggest continued loss in the coming decades. Read more here.