In New York City, filmmakers and environmentalists projected images of endangered species onto the Empire State Building to highlight how human-driven climate change and the wildlife trade are threatening biodiversity. Louie Psihoyos, director of “The Cove” and “Racing Extinction,” said climate change is threatening species around the world.

Louie Psihoyos: “This is the biggest issue mankind has ever faced. My friends in paleontology say that World War II will be a footnote in comparison to what’s going on right now, which is one species, us, is causing this massive loss of biodiversity. So this event tonight will hopefully celebrate these animals and give them a chance, because like Cecil the lion that just died, there’s a lot more lions left, but they’re endangered. But what’s going on right now, we’re losing salamanders and frogs; half the turtles could be eaten, tortoises could be gone in the next two decades because of climate change.”