Climate change and the decline of biodiversity are two of our biggest environmental challenges. The problems are, of course, all interconnected, and it’s this interconnection which understanding needs to be prised open to in order to devise an action plan that might actually work. In this edition: How climate change and biodiversity loss interact and what we can do about it.
How Climate Change Impacts Biodiversity
Human activity, such as burning fossil fuels and destruction of forests, is causing climate change that causes global temperatures to rise and weather patterns to change. Many ecosystems are bearing the brunt of these transformations. For instance, coral reefs — which are highly sensitive to temperature shifts — are now undergoing mass bleaching events, leading to the destruction of crucial habitats for many species that populate the oceans.
Precipitation patterns, which affect supplies of water as well as the cycles of plant and animal life, are also being shifted by climate change. Species are dying out because they can’t adapt quickly enough to keep up with these changes, adding to the depletion of global biodiversity. This loss of species is not only an ecological problem but also economic and social since many ecosystem goods and services depend on their diversity.
Role of Biodiversity in Mitigation
The Role of Biodiversity in Mitigation of Climate Change* Highlights from the United Nations (UN) summit towards the development of a post-2015 framework on addressing climate change, the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity on 23(UN), as well as recent work of the Intergovernmental not related to this summit) in deliberations and negotiations on climate change.
Biodiversity is a driver of climate. The world has wisely been heavily invested in trees as our most high-profile soldiers on the front line of the war on climate change, and there is no denying that they are champion carbon suckers; but forests can be hard to find, whereas other biomes, such as oceans and wetlands, are at open arms. Healthy ecosystems are carbon sinks — they soak up CO2 from the atmosphere and store some of it in place (in plants and soil), releasing the remainder into the terrestrial and oceanic biosphere — and oceans are even better than most, having absorbed 93% of the heat from greenhouse gases over the last half-century, according to the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
But as those habitats are destroyed or degraded, the carbon-sequestering capacity of those lands declines, leading to an increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, speeding the impacts of climate change. For example, clear-cutting not only takes away a large volume of formerly sequestered carbon in trees and soil, but also reduces the ability of the forests to sequester carbon. This triggers a negative spiral where the loss of biodiversity and climate change reinforce each other, accelerating the impacts of both.
Integrated actions on climate change and biodiversity preservation
Our actions to tackle climate change and conserve biodiversity are interconnected. In addressing these difficult problems, we need to integrate climate change mitigation and biodiversity protection. Some strategies include:
- Preservation and Restoration of Ecosystems: The preservation and restoration of ecosystems can enhance their ability to act as carbon sinks and support biodiversity. These are the kind of projects that can accomplish that: reforestation, wetland restoration.
- Emissions Reduction: Emissions of greenhouse gases could be reduced by renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture. This helps to support the global climate and prevent pressure on the ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Integrating Biodiversity into Climate Policies: Climate policies and plans that respect biodiversity can deliver greater environmental benefits. For example, climate action plans including action on conserving natural habitats promoting biodiversity as good long-term choices.
- Championing Nature-Based Solutions: Such solutions – from mangrove restoration to the creation of protected areas – can be both climate change mitigation and also biodiversity preservation measures. These solutions come with added side benefits, too, like earthquake-resistant infrastructure and help for local communities.
Sustainable Planning is Only Through Collaboration
And yes, climate change and loss of biodiversity are two faces of the same global challenge that must be tackled together, comprehensively, concertedly. Understanding how they’re connected is the first step toward formulating effective responses that could help to mitigate them and protect the planet for our children. An integrated approach, which ensures healthy ecosystems, reduces emissions, and promotes nature-based solutions, will take us a step closer to our ambition of a world that is safer and more sustainable.