Posted on 14 March 2018 Show The Amazon, Miombo Woodlands in Southern Africa, and south-west Australia will be among the most affected places in the world, according to comprehensive new paper and report commissioned by WWF LONDON - Up to half of plant and animal species in the world’s most naturally rich areas, such as the Amazon and the Galapagos, could face local extinction by the turn of the century due to climate change if carbon emissions continue to rise unchecked. Even if the Paris Climate Agreement 2°C target is met, these places could lose 25 per cent of their species according to a landmark new study by the University of East Anglia, the James Cook University, and WWF. Published today in the journal Climatic Change and just ahead of Earth Hour, the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, researchers examined the impact of climate change on nearly 80,000 plant and animal species in 35 of the world’s most diverse and naturally wildlife-rich areas. It explores a number of different climate change futures – from a no-emissions-cuts case in which global mean temperatures rise by 4.5°C[1], to a 2°C rise, the upper limit for temperature in the Paris Agreement[2]. Each area was chosen for its uniqueness and the variety of plants and animals found there. The report finds that the Miombo Woodlands, home to African wild dogs, south-west Australia and the Amazon-Guianas are projected to be some the most affected areas. If there was a 4.5°C global mean temperature rise, the climates in these areas are projected to become unsuitable for many of the plants and animals that currently live there meaning:
As well as this, increased average temperatures and more erratic rainfall could become be the “new normal” according to the report - with significantly less rainfall in the Mediterranean, Madagascar and the Cerrado-Pantanal in Argentina. Potential effects include[3];
If species can move freely to new locations then the risk of local extinction decreases from around 25 per cent to 20 per cent with a 2°C global mean temperature rise. If species cannot they may not be able to survive. Most plants, amphibians and reptiles, such as orchids, frogs and lizards cannot move quickly enough keep up with these climatic changes. Lead researcher Prof Rachel Warren from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at UEA said: Overall the research shows that the best way to protect against species loss is to keep global temperature rise as low as possible. The Paris Agreement Pledges, made by coutnries, reduce the expected level of global warming from 4.5°C to around 3°C, which reduces the impacts, but we see even greater improvements at 2°C; and it is likely that limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C would protect more wildlife. This is why on 24 March millions of people across the world will come together for Earth Hour, to show their commitment to protecting biodiversity and being a part of the conversations and solutions needed to build a healthy, sustainable future – and planet – for all. The global mobilization sparked by Earth Hour also sends a clear message to business and government that there is a global will to change this trajectory. Tanya Steele, CEO of WWF-UK commented: -Ends- For further information, please contact For questions about the Climatic Change paper, contact Rachel Warren, +44(0)1603 593912 For questions about the full WWF report, contact Jeff Price, +44(0)1603 592561 Case studies What individual species will experience:
Notes to the editor
[1] Relative to pre-industrial times [2] Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change, was an agreement signed by 175 countries in 2016 [3] Based on the Climatic Change report, scientific literature and expert knowledge from WWF What species are most at risk from climate change?Exploring how climate change could impact species around the world. POLAR BEAR.. SNOW LEOPARD.. GIANT PANDA.. TIGER.. MONARCH BUTTERFLY.. GREEN SEA TURTLE.. Which animal is most affected by climate change and why?Turtles are facing more problems than most animals: warming ocean temperatures will alter currents and shift the distribution and abundance of prey species. Species such as the hawksbill turtle are dependant on coral reefs which are bleaching and dying with climate change.
Which type of species is most in danger of decline due to the effects of climate change?Corals form one of the most biodiverse ecosystems, yet they are among the most rapidly declining species groups due to mass bleaching, disease and die-offs caused by rising ocean temperatures, as well ocean acidification.
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