The Endangered Species Act is widely considered the strongest law in the world for protecting threatened and endangered species; indeed, over 95% of listed species are still with us today. Yet the law has been dramatically underfunded for decades, hampering the recovery of species on the brink. Here, I review the funding needs for the ESA, based on a combination of available data and clear policy assumptions derived from the law.
As the previous Director in the Center for Conservation Innovation at Defenders, Jacob led CCI’s work at the intersection of science, technology, and policy to improve conservation outcomes, especially for threatened and endangered species.