International Polar Bear Day was established in 2011 by the non-profit, Polar Bears International to raise awareness about the impact of global warming and sea ice loss on polar bear populations around the northern hemisphere. The day encourages people to reduce their carbon footprint a direct action that can reduce the impact on these charismatic bears.
In 1973, the five countries that are home to polar: Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, the former USSR and the USA, signed a multilateral treaty on the conservation of polar bears.The Agreement prohibits unregulated sport hunting of polar bears or hunting the species from an aircraft or large motorized vessels. In addition, the five nations committed to protecting polar bear habitat, conducting and sharing research and responsibly managing polar bear populations. In 2015, the same countries committed to a wide-ranging action plan for the species: the Circumpolar Action Plan for Polar Bears.
