Earth Talk: Polar bears

Dear EarthTalk: Are polar bears still in decline due to global warming?

– P. F., Bowie, Maryland

Answer: Polar bears are a big part of the Arctic ecosystem. However, they are grappling with huge changes to their homes due to the effects of climate change. The bears are now listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. This puts them at a high risk of being endangered, which means they are at significant risk of extinction. The global polar bear population is estimated to be around 26,000. Some subpopulations are stable, while others are declining as a result of habitat fragmentation.

Greenhouse gas emissions have driven worldwide temperatures to an all-time high, causing Arctic Sea ice to melt. This is a crisis as polar bears rely on ice for all parts of their routine. Thus, polar bears are losing their habitats. Melting ice also affects the bears' ability to hunt, since ice serves as a hunting platform. This affects not only adult bears and their survival, but also the cubs.

Different polar bear populations have been affected in different ways. The populations in the Western Hudson Bay and Southern Beaufort Sea have faced the greatest decline. However, populations in the Barents Sea and Gulf of Boothia are likely to be stable at the moment. But it's important to note that many other regions are data deficient, causing a gap in statistics and information availability.

International policy responses are slow, and industrial development continues to encroach on polar bears' habitat and territory. Also, since the polar bear population is dispersed across 19 subregions, it's hard to effectively coordinate actions between regions.

That being said, progress has still been made. The 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears brought together the five nations with the highest polar bear populations (Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia and the U.S.), all recognizing that polar bears need effective protection.

Furthermore, organizations like Polar Bears International and the World Wildlife Fund promote conservation, research and advocacy. Individuals can support polar bear populations by supporting organizations, educating themselves and being involved in advocacy. By saving these animals, we commit to taking action on climate change, both for humanity and the world.

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EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 1:30 AM.