Today's decision is based on three findings. First, sea ice is vital to polar bear survival. Second, the polar bear's sea-ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent decades. Third, computer models suggest sea ice is likely to further recede in the future.

Because polar bears are vulnerable to this loss of habitat, they are, in my judgment, likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future -- in this case 45 years.

Four graphics tell the story. These graphics are based on actual satellite photos taken over the past three decades.

This first graphic shows the extent of arctic sea ice in September 1979.

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The center of the slide is the North Pole. To the top of the slide is Russia, to the left is the northern Alaska coast and Canada and Greenland make up the bottom of the page.

The white is the multi-year ice, five years and older, which provides many critical habitat functions for polar bears. The light blue includes seasonal ice that can form and melt in one year, and is used for hunting. The dark blue is open water.

Here is what the sea ice looked like in September 1989.

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Here is what it looked like in September 1999.

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Here is what it looked like in September 2007.

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Remember, these are based on actual satellite photos.