|
|
ENVIRONMENT OF THE UNITED STATES
U.S. plant life is very diverse; the country has more than 17,000 identified
native species of flora. More than 400 mammal, 700 bird, 500 reptile and
amphibian, and 90,000 insect species have been documented. The Endangered
Species Act of 1973 protects threatened and endangered species and their
habitats, which are monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The U.S. has fifty-eight national parks and hundreds of other federally
managed parks, forests, and wilderness areas. Altogether, the U.S. government
regulates 28.8% of the country's total land area. Most such public land
comprises protected parks and forestland, though some federal land is leased for
oil and gas drilling, mining, or cattle ranching.
The energy policy of the United States is widely debated; many call on the
country to take a leading role in fighting global warming. The United States is
currently the second largest emitter, after the People's Republic of China, of
carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels.
|
