Center for Biological Diversity

The Center for Biological Diversity believes that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature - to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law, and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive. The Center has ten program areas: Endangered Species, Climate, Oceans, Public Lands, Urban Wildlands, Population and Sustainability, International, Environmental Health, Energy Justice, and Carnivore Conservation. The Center looks forward to a future of continued expansion, creativity, and no-holds-barred action on behalf of the world's most critically endangered animals and plants.

Saving Life on Earth: We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive.

Goal One: Saving Life on Earth calls for protecting endangered species, dedicating public lands and waters to wildlife conservation, ending illegal international wildlife trade and cutting pollution.

Goal Two: Climate change is the single greatest threat to the Earth's web of life. We work to keep fossil fuels in the ground and speed the just transition to 100% clean, renewable energy.

Goal Three: Save people and wildlife from toxic substances while promoting a deep understanding of the inextricable connection between the wellbeing of humans and that of other species.

The Center has a robust mentorship program connecting senior or long-time staff with new hires. The organization also invests in management training through internal and external resources for all supervisors within the organization. Program directors undergo additional training for leading and managing for racial equity and inclusion.

The global extinction crisis and climate emergency make this a defining moment in the fight to save species, the planet’s biodiversity, and ultimately all life on Earth. Across the nation ecosystems are collapsing and wildlife is dying out. Human exploitation of wild animals has led to a pandemic that has killed millions of people worldwide. At this critical juncture, the Center for Biological Diversity is the lead organization fighting for justice for endangered species and wild places. Our attorneys file more than a lawsuit per week; we emerge successful in court 90% of the time. Our scientists, media experts and campaigners expose the corrupt influence of corporate polluters over government regulators and build the public momentum needed to save the planet’s biodiversity. With the election of President Biden, the Center moved swiftly to push him to address the extinction and climate crisis. Biden’s executive order directing federal officials to protect 30% of the country’s lands and ocean waters by 2030 came a year after the Center launched our Saving Life on Earth plan calling for 30% of U.S. lands and waters to be protected by 2030 and 50% by 2050. We continue to uphold biodiversity as the highest value of the administration’s 30x30 order. The Center also launched the Presidential Climate Action Plan signed onto by more than 750 organizations. We’ve urged Biden to declare the extinction crisis a national emergency and pushed his administration to take immediate steps to restore the Endangered Species Act after it was severely weakened under Trump. As the storm of Covid-19 turned daily life on its head, the Center carried out its mission with resilience —bringing the related issues of the pandemic, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, and wildlife trade to the forefront. Alongside our allies we’ve pushed forward a sweeping action plan to crack down on wildlife trade.