Biodiversity Is Climate Action—Time to Act

The climate crisis is accelerating, but so are the solutions—if we’re willing to act. One of the most powerful tools we have is hiding in plain sight: the natural world.

From African savannas to coastal wetlands and tropical forests, wildlife and healthy ecosystems don’t just support life—they help regulate the planet. When ecosystems are intact, they pull carbon from the atmosphere and store it safely. When they collapse, they can actually fuel climate change.

Modern science shows us the way—now it’s up to government action to turn that promise into real results. Sign the petition to tell Interior Secretary Burgum to act.

Yale ecologist Professor Oswald Schmitz has helped uncover a game-changing insight: animals are essential climate allies. His research on “trophic rewilding” shows that restoring wildlife populations can dramatically boost ecosystems’ ability to capture and store carbon. Grazers shape plant growth, predators maintain balance, and species interactions drive the carbon cycle in ways we are only beginning to understand.

This isn’t theoretical—it’s actionable. Schmitz’s work suggests that restoring key species globally could remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year.

But here’s the problem: we’re not investing in this solution at the scale the science demands.

Biodiversity is declining at a staggering pace. Ecosystems are weakening. And without urgent funding for research and international collaboration, we risk losing one of the most promising climate solutions we have.

There’s still time to change course.

By investing in biodiversity science and scaling rewilding efforts worldwide, we can protect wildlife, strengthen ecosystems, and take a major step forward in tackling climate change.

This is a rare moment where urgency meets opportunity. We know what works—now it’s time to act. Sign the petition calling on Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to invest in biodiversity research and scale global rewilding solutions today.

The petition to Interior Secretary Burgum reads: We call on the Department of the Interior to rapidly expand support for biodiversity and ecosystem research that advances climate solutions, including rewilding. We urge strong international partnerships to protect and restore wildlife and habitats where they can have the greatest climate impact. By investing in nature-based solutions identified by leading scientists like Yale’s Professor Oswald Schmitz, the United States can help lead a more hopeful, effective global response to the climate crisis.
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Source:

Hartford Courant | Solution hiding in plain sight: Yale prof on wildlife and climate change impact https://www.courant.com/2026/05/04/solution-hiding-in-plain-sight-yale-prof-on-wildlife-and-climate-change/