What Is the Biggest Threat to Polar Bears? The Truth About Climate Change and Arctic Survival 

What Is the Biggest Threat to Polar Bears? 

The biggest threat to polar bears is climate change. 

More specifically, it’s the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice caused by rising global temperatures. Without sea ice, polar bears cannot hunt, raise their young, or survive. 

And right now, that ice is disappearing. 

Why Sea Ice Is Essential for Polar Bears 

Polar bears depend on sea ice for nearly every part of their lives. 

They use it to: 

• Hunt seals, their primary food source  
• Travel across vast Arctic distances  
• Rest and conserve energy  
• Raise and nurse their cubs  

As climate change warms the Arctic, sea ice is melting earlier in the spring and forming later in the fall. 

This leaves polar bears stranded on land for longer periods with little to eat. 

How Climate Change Is Impacting Polar Bears 

Polar bear populations have declined as much as 40% over the past few decades. The loss of sea ice is already having devastating effects: 

Starvation and Malnutrition 

With less time to hunt, many polar bears are losing weight and struggling to survive. 

Declining Cub Survival 

Cubs are especially vulnerable. Without enough food, mothers cannot produce enough milk, leading to higher mortality rates. 

Longer, Dangerous Swims 

As ice disappears, polar bears are forced to swim longer distances, increasing exhaustion and drowning risks. 

Population Declines 

Some polar bear populations are already shrinking — and scientists warn others could follow if warming continues. 

Other Threats to Polar Bears 

While climate change is the biggest threat, other human activities are making the situation worse: 

Oil and Gas Drilling 

Expanding fossil fuel extraction in the Arctic threatens polar bear habitat and increases the risk of oil spills. Fossil fuel companies are moving into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — one of the few remaining safe havens for polar bears, caribou, migratory birds, and local Indigenous communities. 

Increased Shipping 

As ice melts, new shipping routes are opening — bringing noise, pollution, and disruption to fragile ecosystems. Ocean-going ships can burn heavy fuel oil (with scrubbers) which contains high concentrations of toxic compounds.   

Many ships also burn heavy fuel oil (HFO) in the Arctic — the world’s dirtiest and most hazardous marine fuel. It is a major contributor of black carbon, a sooty particulate matter that sits on ice and snow and increases the rate of ice melt. While HFO is banned in the Arctic, there are still major loopholes in the regulations that put polar bears and marine species at risk. 

Pollution and Toxins 

Chemicals and plastics accumulate in the Arctic food chain, harming polar bears’ health over time. Ocean vessels are also spilling millions of plastic pellets into our oceans, threatening biodiversity and species in polar bears’ food chains. 

The Real Root Cause: Fossil Fuels 

Climate change isn’t happening by accident. 

It’s driven by the burning of fossil fuels — coal, oil, and gas — which trap heat in our atmosphere and warm the planet. 

For polar bears, this means losing the very ice they depend on to live. 

At Friends of the Earth, we’re working to: 

• Stop new oil and gas projects in the Arctic  
• Accelerate a just transition to clean energy  
• Protect critical wildlife habitats  
• Strengthen legislation like the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act 

Because saving polar bears means tackling the root cause of climate change. We are using the courts to ensure that our laws protecting endangered species and the environment are followed. 

How You Can Help Protect Polar Bears 

Polar bears still have a chance — but only if we act now. 

Here’s how you can help: 

1. Support Climate Action: Advocate for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and speed up the transition to renewable energy. 
2. Oppose Arctic Drilling: Speak out against oil and gas expansion in fragile Arctic ecosystems. 
3. Support Our Legal Work: Help us continue to win legal victories to support these endangered species. 
4. Join Friends of the Earth Campaigns: We work with the International Maritime Organization to push for stronger protections in Arctic waters and ensure that the voices of Arctic Indigenous communities are heard. Sign up for email list to learn how you can help push for the change needed to protect polar bears and the planet. 

The Bottom Line 

Polar bears are not just symbols of the Arctic — they are warning signs. 

Their survival depends on ice. And that ice depends on us. 

If we continue burning fossil fuels and warming the planet, polar bears could disappear within our lifetime. 

But if we act now, we can protect them — and the fragile Arctic ecosystem they call home.