Seven North American species threatened by global warming

The Canada lynx is at risk because
of changes to the snowpack
caused by climate change.

With the political debate heating up over the American Clean Energy and Security Act, it's easy to lose sight of what the fight is about.

Yes, this is about people and jobs and freeing ourselves from foreign oil and creating a clean energy economy for the 21st century. But it's also about our natural heritage and the wildlife with which we share this planet.

Species from blue whales to butterflies confront growing threats. Their habitats are rapidly changing along with the climate. Global warming is pushing nature to the brink.

That's why Environmental Defense launched a new campaign, Warming and Wildlife, where we document the story through the prism of seven "ambassador species" from across America already struggling to survive.

Without action, there's a good chance these species won't make it -- we could lose them in our lifetimes.

Our seven ambassador species are:

• Sugar maple
• Monarch butterfly
• Leatherback sea turtle
• American pika
• Canada lynx
• Tufted puffin
• Polar bear

The bumper sticker is right: Extinction is forever. But, it doesn't have to be inevitable, not if we each do our part to cap America's global warming pollution and unleash the clean energy economy of the 21st century.