A new study has warned that up to half of plant and animal species in the world’s most naturally rich areas including India’s Western Ghats could be wiped off by the end of the century due to climate change if carbon emissions is left unchecked.
The study ‘Impacts of climate change on wildlife’ by the University of East Anglia, the James Cook University, and World Wildlife Fund examined various climate change scenarios and their impact on nearly 80,000 plant and animal species in 35 of the world’s most diverse and naturally wildlife-rich areas (See Box).
Researchers selected each area for its uniqueness and the variety of plants and animals found there.
The findings pointed to an urgent need for action on climate change. “We will see almost 50 per cent species loss in areas studied if global temperatures rise by 4.5°C and 25 per cent species loss in areas studied if we limit global temperature rise to 2°C,” says the study.
“Hotter days, longer periods of drought, and more intense storms are becoming the new normal, and species around the world are already feeling the effects,” said Nikhil Advani, lead specialist for climate, communities, and wildlife at WWF. “While we work to ratchet down emissions, it’s critical we also improve our understanding of species response to climate change and develop strategies to help them adapt.”
The study gave instance of animal species like African wild dogs which are sensitive to heat and typically hunt in the cooler periods of the day. Hotter temperatures potentially mean shorter hunting periods and less food which could reduce pup survival while rising temperatures would also shrink or eliminate the animals’ range. Climate change may increase the spread of some wildlife diseases, says the study.
Similarly, severe draughts will have direct impact on number of African elephant which need 150-300 liters per day per day for drinking purpose while sea turtle will face issues with feeding and breeding grounds.
The researchers have called for stronger climate mitigation efforts to avoid severe loss of biodiversity.
In fact, a report “IUCN World Heritage Outlook 2” released last year by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had pointed out that pressure from the human population in the Western Ghats region is greater than that faced by many protected areas around the world.