Endangered Species Act Protections Restored by Federal Judge

    Image copyright: Alamy [via The Humane Society of the United States]

    The Facts

    • A US federal judge in California has restored a range of protections under the Endangered Species Act that were removed under Trump in 2019.

    • Trump-era changes to regulations included rolling back restrictions designed to protect endangered species and allowing federal agencies to factor in economic assessments when deciding whether to protect species, among other measures.


    The Spin

    Pro-establishment narrative

    This court decision is a win for environmental and conservation groups as well as climate activists. With Trump's limitations on the desperately needed ESA gone, endangered animals stand a better chance at survival in the fight against climate change.

    Establishment-critical narrative

    Despite the Biden administration's desires to revise or rescind much of Trump's changes to the ESA, it must be noted that more restrictive regulations aren't always better for helping wildlife. Trump-era rules removed regulations that were counterproductive and the ESA doesn't do enough to tackle the issue that most endangered species live on private land.


    Metaculus Prediction


    Establishment split

    CRITICAL

    PRO